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Significant contract cover, interest rate risk fully hedged, sustainable quarterly dividend of $0.375 per Common Share
London - March 01, 2023
Global Ship Lease, Inc. (NYSE: GSL) (the "Company", "Global Ship Lease" or "GSL"), an owner of containerships, announced today its unaudited results for the three months and year ended December 31, 2022.
Full Year and Fourth Quarter 2022 Highlights
• Reported operating revenue of $165.0 million for the fourth quarter 2022, an increase of 7.5% on operating revenue of $153.5 million for the prior year period. For the year ended December 31, 2022, operating revenue was $645.6 million, up 44.1% from $448.0 million for the prior year.
• Reported net income available to common shareholders of $72.6 million for the fourth quarter of 2022, an increase of 9.8% on net income of $66.1 million for the prior year period. Normalized net income (a non-U.S. GAAP financial measure, described below) for the same period was $77.3 million, up 16.9% on Normalized net income of $66.1 million for the prior year period.
• For the year ended December 31, 2022, net income available to common shareholders was $283.4 million, an increase of 73.7% on net income of $163.2 million for the prior year. Normalized net income for the year was $298.2 million, an increase of 74.7% on Normalized net income for the prior year of $170.7 million.
• Generated $100.0 million of Adjusted EBITDA (a non-U.S. GAAP financial measure, described below) for the fourth quarter of 2022, up 28.2% on Adjusted EBITDA of $78.0 million for the prior year period. Adjusted EBITDA for the year ended December 31, 2022 was $398.3 million, up 68.6% on Adjusted EBITDA of $236.3 million for the prior year.
• Earnings per share for the fourth quarter of 2022 was $2.01, up 9.2% on earnings per share of $1.84 for the prior year period. Normalized earnings per share (a non-U.S. GAAP financial measure, described below) for the fourth quarter of 2022 was $2.14, up 16.3% on Normalized earnings per share of $1.84 for the prior year period. Earnings per share for the year ended December 31, 2022 was $7.74, up 66.5% on earnings per share of $4.65 for the prior year. Normalized earnings per share for the year ended December 31, 2022 was $8.15, up 67.7% on Normalized earnings per share of $4.86 for the prior year.
• Declared a dividend of $0.375 per Class A common share for the fourth quarter of 2022 to be paid on March 6, 2023 to common shareholders of record as of February 22, 2023. Paid a dividend of $0.375 per Class A common share for the first quarter of 2022 on June 2, 2022, paid a dividend of $0.375 per Class A common share for the second quarter of 2022 on September 2, 2022 and paid a dividend of $0.375 per Class A common share for the third quarter of 2022 on December 2, 2022.
• Between October 1, 2022 and February 28, 2023, added $21.7 million of firm contracted revenues to forward charter cover, with the addition of new short term charter fixtures or extensions on four feeder ships. Between January 1, 2022 and February 28, 2023, and including the above, a total of 19 charters, added $938.8 million of firm contracted revenues. Included are 11 forward fixtures of four to seven years duration each (one 8,600 TEU ship, six 6,900 TEU ships, and four 4,000 - 4,250 ships), one prompt fixture of just over three years for a 2,200 TEU feeder, two fixtures of just over one year for two 2,200 – 2,800 TEU ships, two fixtures of below one year for two 2,200 – 2,800 TEU ship and charter-extension options of 12 months each exercised by the charterers on three ships of 5,900 – 7,800 TEU.
• Continued to utilize the $40.0 million authorization (the "Buy-back Authorization") for opportunistic share repurchases, repurchasing a total of 582,178 Class A common shares during January 2023 for a total investment of 10.0 million. Re-purchase prices ranged between $16.12 and $18.17 per common share, with an average price of $17.16. A total of 1,642,818 Class A common shares have been repurchased under the Buy-back Authorization, for approximately $30.0 million, with approximately $10.0 million of capacity remaining.
• In February 2023, agreed to sell GSL Amstel, a 1,100 TEU feeder and non-core asset with imminent special survey and dry-docking requirements, for approximately book value.
• On December 29, 2022 entered into a new At Market Issuance Sales Agreement (the "ATM Agreement") with B.Riley Securities, Inc (the "Agent") under which we may offer and sell up to $150.0 million of our Depositary Shares (the "Depositary Shares"), each of which represents 1/100th of one share of our 8.75% Series B Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share, with a liquidation preference of $2,500.00 per share (equivalent to $25.00 per Depositary Share) (the "Series B Preferred Shares") (NYSE:GSL-B). This new ATM Agreement terminated and replaced, in its entirety, the former at-the-market program that we had in place with the Agent for the Depositary Shares. As of the date of this press release, no sales had occurred under the ATM Agreement.
• Between July 14, 2022 and August 1, 2022 the Company's corporate family credit ratings were improved by Moody's, from B1 / Stable to B1 / Positive, and by S&P Global, from BB- / Stable to BB / Stable.
• On July 15, 2022, completed the full redemption of the 8.00% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2024 (the "2024 Notes") of $89.0 million aggregate principal amount at a price of 102.00% of the principal amount plus accrued and unpaid interest, up to but not including, the redemption date. Previously, on April 5, 2022, completed the partial redemption of $28.5 million principal amount of the 2024 Notes at a price equal to 102.00% of the principal amount plus accrued and unpaid interest.
• On June 16, 2022, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company closed the private placement of $350.0 million of privately rated investment grade 5.69% Senior Secured Notes due 2027 (the "2027 Secured Notes") to a limited number of accredited investors. Pricing on June 1, 2022 was based on the 3.2-year Interpolated US Treasury Yield (ICUR3.2) plus a spread of 2.85%. A portion of the net proceeds was used to repay the remaining outstanding balance of the Hayfin Facility, which bore interest at LIBOR + 7.00%, and the outstanding balance of the Hellenic Facility, which bore interest at LIBOR + 3.90%, resulting in five unencumbered ships. The remaining net proceeds were used to redeem all of the outstanding 2024 Notes in July 2022 and for general corporate purposes.
• On May 12, 2022, announced the investment and participation in a carbon capture initiative led by Aqualung Carbon Capture AS ("Aqualung"), an innovator in carbon dioxide capture and separation technology, alongside other industry leaders in shipping, energy generation and infrastructure, and lithium production. The Company was invited to invest in Aqualung and to pool its technical expertise to support the application of Aqualung's carbon capture solution to the maritime sector, with a particular focus on the development of containerized carbon capture units to be retrofit-able to containerships and other seagoing vessels.
• In February 2022, entered into USD 1-month LIBOR interest rate caps of 0.75% through the fourth quarter of 2026 on $507.9 million of floating rate debt, which reduces over time as debt amortizes and represented the remaining balance of the outstanding floating rate debt, after entering a similar interest rate cap in December 2021, on $484.1 million of floating rate debt, which also reduces over time, to fully hedge floating rate debt.
• In January 2022, agreed an amendment to the existing $268.0 million Syndicated Senior Secured Credit Facility with an outstanding balance of $213.2 million, to extend the maturity date from September 2024 to December 2026, favorably amend certain covenants, and release three vessels from the facility's collateral basket, at an unchanged rate of LIBOR + 3.00%. The three vessels were subsequently used as collateral for a new $60.0 million syndicated senior secured debt facility, maturing in July 2026 and bearing interest at LIBOR + 2.75%, which was used to fully repay our 10.00% Blue Ocean junior debt facility and for general corporate purposes.
George Youroukos, Executive Chairman of Global Ship Lease stated: "While 2022 started strongly, macro headwinds and negative sentiment subsequently put pressure on consumer demand and thus on the container shipping industry. Despite the downward pressure this is exerting on both charter rates and asset values Global Ship Lease has continued to make important financial, commercial, and strategic progress – including active cooperation with our charterers to improve vessel efficiency and reduce emissions – that will serve the Company well for the long term. Our scale, relationships throughout the industry, and high-quality fleet have enabled us to remain consistently active in fixing vessels at profitable rates. During the course of 2022 and year-to-date 2023, we have added almost $940 million of contracted revenues, bringing our total contracted revenue as at year-end to $2.1 billion over an average of 2.7 years. Throughout the peak period, we maintained a long-term, through-the-cycle orientation, taking steps to maximize overall earnings while minimizing residual risk. Notwithstanding our excellent financial position and strong long-term contracted cash flows, which gives us the option to be an acquirer, we have remained disciplined in the face of the market exuberance and elevated asset values of the last 18 months or so. However, with the market now normalizing, we expect that there may be additional opportunities to create shareholder value through acquisitions."
Ian Webber, Chief Executive Officer, commented: "Throughout 2022, we strengthened our balance sheet; this will serve the Company well throughout the cycle, but especially in the current uncertain macro-economic environment. Building upon the opportunities afforded by our extensive charter coverage and significantly increased earnings and cash flow, we have reduced our average cost of debt to 4.53%, have no material re-financing requirements before 2026, have fully hedged our floating rate debt through 2026, and have subsequently seen our corporate credit ratings improve to B1 / Positive and BB / Stable, all while paying an attractive quarterly dividend and making aggregate share buy-backs over the last 18 months or so of $40.0 million. We believe that this strong financial foundation positions us well to continue providing shareholders with a reliable dividend while continuing to allocate our capital dynamically to capture the best value-generating opportunities as they arise."
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About Global Ship Lease
Global Ship Lease is a leading independent owner of containerships with a diversified fleet of mid-sized and smaller containerships. Incorporated in the Marshall Islands, Global Ship Lease commenced operations in December 2007 with a business of owning and chartering out containerships under fixed-rate charters to top tier container liner companies. It was listed on the New York Stock Exchange in August 2008.
As at February 28, 2023, Global Ship Lease owned 65 containerships, ranging from 1,118 to 11,040 TEU, with an aggregate capacity of 342,348 TEU. 32 ships are wide-beam Post-Panamax.
Adjusted to include all charters agreed, up to March 1, 2023, the average remaining term of the Company's charters as at December 31, 2022, to the mid-point of redelivery, including options under the Company's control and other than if a redelivery notice has been received, was 2.7 years on a TEU-weighted basis. Contracted revenue on the same basis was $2.09 billion. Contracted revenue was $2.50 billion, including options under charterers' control and with latest redelivery date, representing a weighted average remaining term of 3.5 years.
Global Ship Lease press release
