Scorpio Tankers Inc. reported its results for the three months and year ended December 31, 2022. The Company also announced that its Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.20 per share on the Company’s common stock.
Results for the three months ended December 31, 2022 and 2021
For the three months ended December 31, 2022, the Company had net income of $264.4 million, or $4.74 basic and $4.37 diluted earnings per share.
For the three months ended December 31, 2022, the Company had adjusted net income (see Non-IFRS Measures section below) of $256.0 million, or $4.59 basic and $4.24 diluted earnings per share, which excludes from net income (i) a $12.7 million, or $0.23 per basic and $0.21 per diluted share, gain recorded upon the reversal of a previously recorded impairment, and (ii) $4.3 million, or $0.08 per basic and $0.07 per diluted share, write-off or acceleration of the amortization of deferred financing fees on certain debt or lease financing obligations and related debt extinguishment costs.
For the three months ended December 31, 2021, the Company had a net loss of $46.0 million, or $0.83 basic and diluted loss per share.
For the three months ended December 31, 2021, the Company had an adjusted net loss (see Non-IFRS Measures section below) of $43.7 million, or $0.79 basic and diluted loss per share, which excludes from the net loss a $2.3 million, or $0.04 per basic and diluted share, write-off of deferred financing fees and unamortized fair value discounts on credit facilities that were refinanced during the period.
Results for the year ended December 31, 2022 and 2021
For the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company had net income of $637.3 million, or $11.49 basic and $10.34 diluted earnings per share.
For the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company had adjusted net income (see Non-IFRS Measures section below) of $702.0 million, or $12.66 basic and $11.36 diluted earnings per share, which excludes from net income (i) a $66.5 million, or $1.20 per basic and $1.05 per diluted share, aggregate net loss on the sale of vessels, (ii) a $12.7 million, or $0.23 per basic and $0.20 per diluted share, gain recorded upon the reversal of a previously recorded impairment, (iii) $11.5 million, or $0.21 per basic and $0.18 per diluted share, write-off or acceleration of the amortization of deferred financing fees on debt or lease financing obligations and related debt extinguishment costs, and (iv) $0.5 million, or $0.01 per basic and $0.01 per diluted share, gain recorded on the repurchases of the Company's Convertible Notes due 2025.
For the year ended December 31, 2021, the Company had a net loss of $234.4 million, or $4.28 basic and diluted loss per share.
For the year ended December 31, 2021, the Company had an adjusted net loss (see Non-IFRS Measures section below) of $228.2 million, or $4.17 basic and diluted loss per share, which excludes from the net loss (i) a $2.9 million, or $0.05 per basic and diluted share, gain recorded as part of the refinancing of the lease financing for five vessels, (ii) $5.5 million, or $0.10 per basic and diluted share, of aggregate losses recorded on the March 2021 and June 2021 transactions to exchange the Company’s existing Convertible Notes due 2022 for new Convertible Notes due 2025, and (iii) a $3.6 million, or $0.07 per basic and diluted share, write-off of deferred financing fees related to the refinancing of certain credit facilities.
Declaration of Dividend
On February 15, 2023, the Company's Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.20 per common share, payable on or about March 31, 2023 to all shareholders of record as of March 7, 2023 (the record date). As of February 15, 2023, there were 59,371,535 common shares of the Company outstanding.
Summary of Fourth Quarter 2022 and Other Recent Significant Events
Below is a summary of the average daily Time Charter Equivalent ("TCE") revenue (see Non-IFRS Measures section below) and duration of contracted voyages and time charters for the Company's vessels (both in the pools and outside of the pools) thus far in the first quarter of 2023 as of the date hereof (See footnotes to "Other operating data" table below for the definition of daily TCE revenue):
During the fourth quarter of 2022, the Company entered into time charter-out agreements on three vessels (two LR2s and one MR). The terms of each of the agreements are for three years averaging between $35,000 and $37,500 per day for the LR2s, and for three years for $25,000 per day for the MR. During 2022 and through the date of this press release, the Company has entered into a total of 14 time-charter out agreements (nine LR2s and five MRs), the terms of which are described in the fleet list below.
In December 2022, all of the holders of the Company’s Convertible Notes Due 2025 converted their notes into an aggregate of 5,757,698 common shares of the Company. As a result of the conversion, the Company’s outstanding debt was reduced by $205.1 million, which was the accreted principal amount outstanding upon conversion.
During the fourth quarter of 2022 and first quarter of 2023, the Company exercised its purchase options on an aggregate of 20 vessels that were previously financed under sale and leaseback arrangements, consisting of two Handymax product tankers (STI Battersea and STI Wembley), 15 MR product tankers (STI Seneca, STI Milwaukee, STI Manhattan, STI Battery, STI Bronx, STI Tribeca, STI Ville, STI Texas City, STI Meraux, STI Brooklyn, STI Duchessa, STI Mayfair, STI San Antonio, STI St. Charles and STI Yorkville), and three LR2 product tankers (STI Alexis, STI Rose, and STI Rambla). The purchases resulted in an aggregate debt reduction of $317.9 million.
In October 2022, the Company repaid the outstanding debt which had financed one LR2 product tanker (STI Madison) of $17.5 million.
The Company has also given notice to exercise the purchase options on three LR2 product tankers that are currently financed under sale and leaseback arrangements (STI Sanctity, STI Steadfast and STI Supreme). The leases bear interest at LIBOR plus a margin of 5.40% per annum. These repurchases are expected to occur in the first, second, and third quarters of 2023 and result in an aggregate debt reduction of $83.4 million.
The Company has executed or received commitments for three separate secured credit facilities for up to $391.5 million in aggregate. These facilities are expected to be collateralized by 22 vessels and bear interest at SOFR plus margins of between 1.90% and 1.975% per annum. The proceeds of these facilities are expected to be used to repay more expensive lease financing. $184.9 million has been drawn from one of these facilities as of the date of this press release.
Since October 1, 2022 and through the date of this press release, the Company has repurchased an aggregate of 3,559,295 of its common shares in the open market at an average price of $48.20 per share.
On February 15, 2023, the Company’s Board of Directors authorized a new Securities Repurchase Program to purchase up to an aggregate of $250 million of the Company’s securities. This program terminates the program that was authorized on October 31, 2022, and any future purchases of the Company’s securities will be made under the new $250 million Securities Repurchase Program.
New $250 Million Securities Repurchase Program
On February 15, 2023, the Company’s Board of Directors authorized a new Securities Repurchase Program to purchase up to an aggregate of $250 million of the Company’s securities which, in addition to its common shares also currently consist of its Senior Unsecured Notes due 2025 (NYSE: SBBA). As of the date of this press release, there is $250 Million available under the new $250 Million Securities Repurchase Program.
Below are purchases of the Company’s securities made in the fourth quarter of 2022 and first quarter of 2023 under previous repurchase programs.
During the fourth quarter of 2022, the Company repurchased an aggregate of 1,667,992 of its common shares in the open market at an average price of $45.85 per share.
During the first quarter of 2023 through the date of this press release, the Company has repurchased an aggregate of 1,891,303 of its common shares in the open market at an average price of $50.27 per share.
Debt and Lease Repayments
In September and October 2022, the Company gave notice to exercise its purchase options on three LR2 product tankers (STI Sanctity, STI Steadfast, and STI Supreme). These vessels are currently financed under the Ocean Yield Lease Financing. The purchases, which are expected to occur in the first, second, and third quarters of 2023, are expected to result in a debt reduction of $83.4 million.
In October 2022, the Company repaid the outstanding debt on an LR2 product tanker (STI Madison), which was financed under the 2021 $21.0 Million Credit Facility. This transaction resulted in a debt reduction of $17.5 million.
In December 2022, the Company exercised its purchase options on six MR product tankers (STI Seneca, STI Milwaukee, STI Battery, STI Bronx, STI Manhattan, and STI Tribeca) which were previously financed under the 2018 CMBFL Lease Financing. These purchases resulted in a debt reduction of $99.0 million.
In December 2022, the Company exercised its purchase options on two Handymax product tankers (STI Battersea and STI Wembley) and two MR product tankers (STI Texas City and STI Meraux) which were previously financed under the COSCO Lease Financing. These purchases resulted in a debt reduction of $55.3 million.
In December 2022, the Company exercised its purchase options on an LR2 product tanker (STI Alexis) and five MR product tankers (STI Duchessa, STI San Antonio, STI Mayfair, STI St. Charles, and STI Yorkville) which were previously financed under the $157.5 Million Lease Financing. These purchases resulted in a debt reduction of $85.8 million.
In November 2022, the Company sent a notice of redemption to all holders of the Convertible Notes Due 2025 pursuant to Section 16.01 of the indenture dated March 25, 2021. Holders were entitled to convert their Notes into shares of common stock of the Company at any time prior to the Redemption Date (of December 1, 2022), at a conversion rate equal to 30.6806 common shares per $1,000 principal amount of each note.
All of the holders of the Convertible Notes Due 2025 fully converted their notes prior to the Redemption Date, resulting in the issuance of 5,757,698 common shares to settle all amounts outstanding. The principal amount of the debt (which includes the accreted principal balance which has accrued since the March 2021 issuance date) was $205.1 million at the time of conversion.
In January 2023, the Company exercised its purchase options on two MR product tankers (STI Brooklyn and STI Ville) and two LR2 product tankers (STI Rose and STI Rambla) which were previously financed under the AVIC Lease Financing. These purchases resulted in a debt reduction of $77.8 million.
New Financings
The Company has executed or received commitments for three separate credit facilities for up to $391.5 million in aggregate.
The first credit facility is from a group of European financial institutions for a credit facility of up to $225.0 million, or the 2023 $225.0 Million Credit Facility. The 2023 $225.0 Million Credit Facility was executed in January 2023 and $184.9 million was drawn in February 2023. Eleven product tankers (ten MRs and one LR2) were collateralized under this facility as part of the initial drawdown and the remaining amount available is expected to finance two product tankers (one MR and one LR2) and be drawn before the end of the first quarter of 2023. The credit facility has a final maturity of five years from the signing date and bears interest at SOFR plus a margin of 1.975% per annum. The borrowings for the MRs are expected to be repaid in equal quarterly installments of $0.63 million per vessel for the first two years, and $0.33 million per vessel for the remaining term of the loan. The borrowings for the LR2s are expected to be repaid in equal quarterly installments of $0.8 million per vessel for the first two years, and $0.45 million per vessel for the remaining term of the loan. The remaining terms and conditions of this credit facility, including financial covenants, are similar to those set forth in the Company’s existing credit facilities.
The second credit facility commitment is from a North American financial institution for a credit facility of up to $49.1 million. The credit facility is expected to be used to finance two LR2 product tankers, has a final maturity of five years from the drawdown date of each vessel and bears interest at SOFR plus a margin of 1.90% per annum. The terms and conditions of this credit facility, including financial covenants, are similar to those set forth in the Company's existing credit facilities. This credit facility is subject to customary conditions precedent, and the execution of definitive documentation, and is expected to close within the first quarter of 2023.
The third credit facility commitment is from a European financial institution for a credit facility of up to $117.4 million. The credit facility is expected to be used to finance two Handymax product tankers, four MR product tankers and one LR2 product tanker. This credit facility has a final maturity of five years from the drawdown date of each vessel and bears interest at SOFR plus a margin of 1.925% per annum. The terms and conditions of this credit facility, including financial covenants, are similar to those set forth in the Company's existing credit facilities. This credit facility is subject to customary conditions precedent, and the execution of definitive documentation, and is expected to close in the first or second quarter of 2023.
The proceeds of these new facilities are expected to be used to repay more expensive lease financing.
Diluted Weighted Number of Shares
The computation of earnings or loss per share is determined by taking into consideration the potentially dilutive shares arising from (i) the Company’s equity incentive plan, (ii) the Company’s Convertible Notes Due 2025, which were fully converted into common shares of the Company in December 2022, and (iii) the Company’s Convertible Notes Due 2022, which were repaid in cash in May 2022. These potentially dilutive shares are excluded from the computation of earnings or loss per share to the extent they are anti-dilutive.
The impact of the Company’s convertible notes on earnings or loss per share is computed using the if-converted method. Under this method, the Company first includes the potentially dilutive impact of restricted shares issued under the Company’s equity incentive plan, and then assumes that its convertible notes were converted into common shares at the beginning of each period. More specifically:
The impact of the Convertible Notes Due 2022, which were repaid in cash upon their maturity in May 2022, are included as part of the diluted weighted average number of shares for the portion of the period that they were outstanding up until the date of repayment.
The impact of the Convertible Notes Due 2025, which were fully converted into common shares of the Company in December 2022, are included as part of the diluted weighted average number of shares for the entire period.
The if-converted method also assumes that the interest and non-cash amortization expense associated with these notes of $2.8 million and $19.6 million during the three months and year ended December 31, 2022, respectively, were not incurred. Conversion is not assumed if the results of this calculation are anti-dilutive.
For the three months and year ended December 31, 2022, the Company’s basic weighted average number of shares outstanding were 55,814,716 and 55,455,277, respectively. For the three months and year ended December 31, 2022, there were 58,052,049 and 58,065,821 weighted average shares outstanding, respectively, including the potentially dilutive impact of restricted shares issued under the Company's equity incentive plan.
For the three months and year ended December 31, 2022, there were 61,096,967 and 63,511,276 weighted average shares outstanding, respectively, under the if-converted method.
Diluted earnings per share for both the three months and year ended December 31, 2022 were calculated under the if-converted method.