Jeffrey D. Pribor
Chief Financial Officer
General Maritime Corporation
(212) 763-5600
GENERAL MARITIME CORPORATION ANNOUNCES SELECTED
THIRD QUARTER AND NINE MONTHS 2011 FINANCIAL RESULTS
New York, New York, November 2, 2011 - General Maritime Corporation (NYSE: GMR) today announced selected financial results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2011.
Financial Review: Third Quarter 2011
For the three months ended September 30, 2011, excluding certain estimated non-cash items described below, the Company recorded a net loss of $55.1 million or $0.46 basic and $0.46 diluted loss per share for the quarter compared to a net loss of $24.9 million or $0.29 basic and $0.29 diluted loss per share for the prior year period. Non-cash items for the three months ended September 30, 2011 include a $10.7 million impairment relating to the Genmar Revenge which was classified as “held-for-sale” in August 2011, a $1.2 million loss relating to the disposal of vessel equipment as well as a $29.7 million mark-to-market unrealized gain on the warrants issued in connection with the Oaktree refinancing. Non-cash items for the prior year period included $1.1 million of non-cash other expenses and a small loss on the disposal of vessel equipment. The increase in net loss was primarily the result of a decrease of approximately 52.8% in spot TCE rates to $8,455 per day for the three months ended September 30, 2011 compared to $17,899 per day for the prior year period, as well as an increase of approximately 46.1% in net interest expense to $31.2 million for the three months ended September 30, 2011 compared to $21.4 million for the prior year period.
The Company recorded a net loss of $37.2 million or $0.31 basic and $0.31 diluted loss per share for the three months ended September 30, 2011 compared to net loss of $26.0 million or $0.30 basic and $0.30 diluted loss per share for the three months ended September 30, 2010.
Net voyage revenue, which is gross voyage revenues minus voyage expenses unique to a specific voyage (including port, canal and fuel costs), decreased approximately 34.1% to $37.9 million for the three months ended September 30, 2011 compared to $57.6 million for the three months ended September 30, 2010. This decrease is primarily due to decreases in estimated time charter and spot TCE rates for the three months ended September 30, 2011 compared to the prior year period. In addition to the decline in spot TCE rates discussed above, the average time charter rate earned on the Company’s vessels decreased approximately 22.9% to $15,731 from $20,411 for the same periods.
Adjusted EBITDA (which is calculated in accordance with the methodology set forth in the Reconciliation Rider below), for the three months ended September 30, 2011 decreased approximately 91.1% to $2.1 million compared to $24.1 million for the prior year period (see below for a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to net loss).
Total vessel operating expenses, which are direct vessel operating expenses and general and administrative expenses, increased approximately 0.7% to $35.9 million for the three months ended September 30, 2011from $35.7 million for the three months ended September 30, 2010. Total vessel operating expenses is a measurement of the Company’s total expenses associated with operating its vessels.
Direct vessel expenses increased by approximately 1.6% to $26.8 million for the three months ended September 30, 2011 compared to $26.3 million for the prior year period. Over the same periods, daily direct vessel expenses increased approximately 0.8% from $8,486 per day to $8,556 per day. This estimated increase reflects higher crew costs for the Company’s Suezmax and Aframax vessels during the three months ended September 30, 2011 compared to the prior year period. In addition, maintenance and repair costs for certain Suezmax and Aframax vessels were higher for vessels undergoing external repairs during the three months ended September 30, 2011 compared to the prior year period. Suezmax daily direct vessel expenses increased approximately 4.6% to $8,405 per day for the three months ended September 30, 2011 from $8,034 per day for the prior year period. Daily expenses for the Aframax fleet increased approximately 6.4% to $9,010 per day for the three months ended September 30, 2011 compared to $8,468 for the prior year period. Partially offsetting the increased costs for Suezmaxes and Aframaxes, was a decrease in daily costs on the Company’s VLCCs for the three months ended September 30, 2011 compared to the prior year period as well as higher costs associated with main engine spares on the Genmar Victory for the three months ended September 30, 2010 which did not recur in the three months ended September 30, 2011. VLCC daily direct vessel costs decreased by approximately 14.4% to $9,382 per day for the three months ended September 30, 2011 from $10,961 per day for the prior year period. Costs associated with the Panamax fleet were essentially flat from the prior year period. Costs associated with the Handymax fleet were slightly lower than the prior year period due to higher stores and repair costs associated with the Genmar Concord in the prior year period which did not recur in the three months ended September 30, 2011.
General and administrative costs decreased by approximately 1.8% to $9.2 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2011 compared to $9.3 million for the prior year period. This reflects an estimated increase of $2.1 million relating to additional professional fees incurred with planning for a possible corporate restructuring and other bank amendments a decrease of $1.8 million due to lower personnel costs in the New York office as well as a $0.3 million decrease in certain reserve accounts compared to the prior year period.
Financial Review: Nine Months Ended September 30, 2011
For the nine months ended September 30, 2011, excluding a $44.3 million mark-to-market unrealized gain on the warrants issued in connection with the Oaktree refinancing, the $10.7 million impairment relating to the Genmar Revenge mentioned above, a $6.1 million loss on the disposal of vessel equipment and a $1.8 million impairment of goodwill, the Company reported a net loss of $118.4 million or $1.12 basic and $1.12 diluted loss per share for the nine months ended September 30, 2011. Net loss for the prior year period, excluding $1.3 million non-cash loss for other expenses and loss on disposal of vessel equipment, was $48.1 million or $0.72 basic and $0.72 diluted loss per share.
Net loss for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 was $92.7 million or $0.88 basic and $0.88 diluted loss per share, compared to a net loss of $49.4 million or $0.74 basic and $0.74 diluted loss per share for the prior year period.
The net loss was primarily due to a decrease of approximately 23.3% in full fleet TCE to $16,812 per day for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 from $21,915 per day for the prior year period. Additionally, direct vessel expenses and net interest expense increased approximately 12.4% to $84.1 million and approximately 37.0% to $81.1 million, respectively, for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 from $74.9 million and $59.2 million for the prior year period.
Adjusted EBITDA decreased approximately 54.0% to $39.3 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2011, compared to $85.5 million for the prior year period (see below for a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to net loss). Net cash used by operating activities was $7.8 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2011, compared to net cash provided by operating activities of $21.9 million for the prior year period. Total vessel operating expenses increased approximately 8.7% to $112.4 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2011, compared to $103.4 million for the prior year period.