Star Bulk Carriers Corp. announces reverse stock split to be effective October 15, 2012
ATHENS, GREECE, October 12, 2012
Star Bulk Carriers Corp. (the “Company” or “Star Bulk”) (Nasdaq: SBLK), a global shipping company focusing on transportation of dry bulk cargoes, announced today that its Board of Directors has determined to effect a 1-for-15 reverse stock split of the Company’s common shares. The Company’s shareholders approved the reverse stock split and granted the Board the authority to determine the exact split ratio and proceed with the reverse stock split at the Company’s annual general meeting on September 7, 2012.
When the reverse stock split becomes effective, every 15 shares of the Company’s issued and outstanding common stock will be automatically combined into one issued and outstanding share of common stock without any change in the par value per share or the total number of authorized shares. This will reduce the number of outstanding common shares from approximately 81.0 million shares to approximately 5.4 million shares.
No fractional shares will be issued in connection with the reverse split of the issued and outstanding common stock. Shareholders who would otherwise hold a fractional share of the Company’s common stock will receive a cash payment in lieu thereof at a price equal to that fraction to which the shareholder would otherwise be entitled multiplied by the closing price of the common stock on the NASDAQ Global Market on October 12, 2012.
Shareholders with shares held in book-entry form or through a bank, broker, or other nominee are not required to take any action and will see the impact of the reverse stock split reflected in their accounts on or after October 15, 2012. Such beneficial holders may contact their bank, broker, or nominee for more information.
Shareholders with shares held in certificate form will receive instructions from the Company’s exchange agent, American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, for exchanging their stock certificates for a new certificate representing the shares of common stock resulting from the reverse split.
Additional information about the reverse stock split can be found in the Company’s proxy statement furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 25, 2012, a copy of which is available on the Commission’s website at www.sec.gov and on the Company’s website at www.starbulk.com.
About Star Bulk
Star Bulk is a global shipping company providing worldwide seaborne transportation solutions in the dry bulk sector. Star Bulk's vessels transport major bulks, which include iron ore, coal and grain and minor bulks such as bauxite, fertilizers and steel products. Star Bulk was incorporated in the Marshall Islands on December 13, 2006 and maintains executive offices in Athens, Greece. Its common stock trades on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol “SBLK”. Currently, Star Bulk's fleet consists of fourteen dry bulk carriers, consisting of six Capesize vessels and eight Supramax vessels and a combined cargo carrying capacity of 1,475,005 deadweight tons and an average age of approximately 10.6 years.
Star Bulk Carriers Corp. press release