Link to the complete 4th Quarter 2016 report:
http://hugin.info/159489/R/2085731/786792.pdf
Hamilton, Bermuda, March 7, 2017.
We are very pleased that Nordic
American Offshore successfully closed a follow-on offering March 1,
2017, strengthening the capital base with net proceeds of about
$47.7 million and positioning NAO for further expansion. The
proceeds could end up in excess of $50 million, provided the
over-allotment option is wholly or partly exercised (maximum about
$7 million). The offering clearly reflects the investor
confidence in NAO. Access to financing, both equity and debt,
remains a competitive advantage for us.
The Executive Chairman of NAO,
plus senior executives of the Nordic American companies have bought
shares in this offering. Our objective is that NAO shall become a
success like the NYSE listed Nordic American Tankers (NAT),
servicing customers and shareholders well. The corporate features
of NAO are similar to the successful structure of NAT. Our belief
in NAO is evidenced by the fact that the Executive Chairman and his
immediate family invested $2 million in the offering. Furthermore,
NAT, our largest shareholder, invested $10 million. Existing
shareholders wishing to avoid dilution, have the opportunity to buy
stock.
Going forward, this successful
offering has as an objective to stimulate the growth process of NAO
of modern PSVs, servicing the oil industry, above all in the UK and
Norwegian sector of the North Sea. As NAO increases its fleet, we
may expand into other geographical areas internationally - the
potential for earnings and dividends is substantial.
NAO has ten high-quality Platform
Supply Vessels (PSVs) built in Norway in the period 2012-2016. At
the end of the quarter, seven of our ten vessels are in operation.
The NAO customers and shareholders are our most important partners.
We have seen an improvement in PSV rates the last weeks. At the
time of this report, rates for 1Q2017 are above the level of
4Q2016.
The Board has declared a dividend
of $0.02 per share for 4Q2016 to shareholders on record as of March
21, 2017. The payment of the dividend is expected to take place on
or about April 5, 2017. Since its original establishment in late
2013, NAO has paid dividends for 12 consecutive quarters, totalling
$2.59 per share, including the dividend to be paid on or about
April 5, 2017.
Key points to consider:
-
NAO successfully completed a follow-on offering
March 1, 2017, greatly strengthening the capital base. At the time
of this report, the outstanding number of shares is
60,686,847.
-
The accounting net results show the following:
-$9.8m for 4Q2016, -$8.6m for 3Q2016 and -$4.4m for 4Q2015.
Earnings per share (EPS): -$0.48 for 4Q2016, -$0.42 for 3Q2016 and
-$0.19 for 4Q2015. EPS does not take into account financial risk,
i.e., the debt level of a company.
-
Adjusted Net Operating Earnings[1]: -$4.3m for
4Q2016, -$3.4m for 3Q2016 and -$0.1m for 4Q2015.
-
NAO has a cash breakeven level of about $11,500
per day per trading vessel, including financing and G&A
costs.
Financial Information
The Board has declared a cash
dividend of $0.02 per share for 4Q2016 to shareholders of record as
of
March 21, 2017. The payment date is on or about April 5, 2017.
Net results (accounting wise) were
-$9.8m in 4Q2016. In 3Q2016 and 4Q2015 the comparable amounts were
-$8.6m and -$4.4m, respectively.
The Company's Adjusted Net
Operating Earnings were -$4.3m in 4Q2016 (cash development). In
3Q2016 and 4Q2015 Adjusted Net Operating Earnings were -$3.4m and
-$0.1m, respectively.
Following the equity offering in
early March, our net debt is $8.5m per vessel.
Several service companies in our
sector are in a difficult financial position. Going forward, NAO
sees opportunities for expansion.
We concentrate on keeping our
vessel operating costs low, while always maintaining our strong
commitment to safe operations. As we expand our fleet, we do not
anticipate that our administrative costs will rise
proportionally.
For further details on our
financial position for 4Q2016, 3Q2016 and 4Q2015, please see later
in this release. Our 2015 Annual Report (Form 20-F) contains a
large amount of information about NAO. This report was filed with
the SEC March 23, 2016 and can be found on our web site
www.nao.bm.
The Fleet
Our fleet is comprised of ten
high-quality PSVs. All our trading vessels operate in the UK and in
the Norwegian sectors of the North Sea. The vessels may operate in
either sector or elsewhere. The significant fuel efficiency, and
corresponding low emissions of our ships are attractive features
for our clients.
The Company's objective is to
ensure spot or term employment for the fleet. The specifications of
the Company's vessels are essentially the same.
Strategy Going
Forward
The main elements of NAO's
strategy is based on quarterly dividends, low debt, low G&A
costs, high liquidity in the stock and full transparency. Growth of
the fleet is a central part of our strategy
Our dividend policy has the
objective to achieve a competitive cash yield and a satisfactory
Total Return[2] over
time.
NAO is firmly committed to
protecting its underlying earnings, dividend potential and strong
balance sheet.
We shall endeavor to safeguard and
further strengthen the position in a deliberate, predictable and
transparent way.
We encourage prospective investors
interested in the offshore supply vessel sector to consider buying
shares in NAO.
* * * * *
Link to the graph:
http://hugin.info/159489/R/2085731/786792.pdf
CAUTIONARY
STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Matters discussed in this press
release may constitute forward-looking statements. The
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides safe
harbor protections for forward-looking statements in order to
encourage companies to provide prospective information about their
business. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning
plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance,
and underlying assumptions and other statements, which are other
than statements of historical facts.
The Company desires to take
advantage of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and is including this cautionary
statement in connection with this safe harbor legislation. The
words "believe," "anticipate," "intend," "estimate," "forecast,"
"project," "plan," "potential," "may," "should," "expect,"
"pending" and similar expressions identify forward-looking
statements.
The forward-looking statements in
this press release are based upon various assumptions, many of
which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions, including
without limitation, our management's examination of historical
operating trends, data contained in our records and other data
available from third parties. Although we believe that these
assumptions were reasonable when made, because these assumptions
are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and
contingencies which are difficult or impossible to predict and are
beyond our control, we cannot assure you that we will achieve or
accomplish these expectations, beliefs or projections. We
undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement,
whether as a result of new information, future events or
otherwise.
Important factors that, in our
view, could cause actual results to differ materially from those
discussed in the forward-looking statements include the strength of
world economies and currencies, general market conditions,
including fluctuations in charter rates and vessel values, changes
in demand in the PSV market, as a result of changes in the general
market conditions of the oil and natural gas industry which
influence charter hire rates and vessel values, demand in platform
supply vessels, our operating expenses, including bunker prices,
dry docking and insurance costs, governmental rules and
regulations or actions taken by regulatory authorities as well as
potential liability from pending or future litigation, general
domestic and international political conditions, potential
disruption of shipping routes due to accidents or political events,
the availability of financing and refinancing, vessel breakdowns
and instances of off-hire and other important factors described
from time to time in the reports filed by the Company with the
Securities and Exchange Commission.
Contacts:
Turid M.
Sørensen, CFO
Nordic American Offshore Ltd.
Tel: +47 33 42 73 00 or +47 90 57 29 27
|
Herbjørn
Hansson, Executive Chairman
Nordic American Offshore Ltd.
Tel: +1 866 805 9504 or +47 90 14 62 91
|
Marianne
Lie, Executive Vice Chair
Nordic American Offshore Ltd.
Tel.: +47 91 64 55 06 |
Gary J.
Wolfe
Seward & Kissel LLP
New York, USA
Tel: +1 212 574 1223 |
|
|
Web-site:
www.nao.bm |
|
[1] Adjusted
Net Operating Earnings (cash development), is an important
dimension in the shipping industry, but it is a non-GAAP measure.
Please see later in this announcement for a reconciliation of
Adjusted Net Operating Earnings to Net Operating Earnings.
[2] Total
Return is defined as stock price plus dividends, assuming dividends
are reinvested in the stock.
4th Quarter 2016 Result
This
announcement is distributed by Nasdaq Corporate Solutions on behalf
of Nasdaq Corporate Solutions clients.
The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely
responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the
information contained therein.
Source: Nordic American Offshore Ltd via
Globenewswire
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