Hedge Accounting News

Although the crisis is not over in all segments, Germany's second-largest marine lender, Nord LB, said its shipping loan portfolio turned a corner in the first quarter after several years of hefty losses, says a report in Reuters. The net profit of the company jumped up 70 percent in the first quarter as commission and lending income rose and as a one-off accounting gain boosted results. NordLB witnessed a turnaround in its shipping unit, earning 23 million euros compared to a pretax loss of 72 million euros a year earlier. It was its first profit on shipping since 2012, and the results bode well for rivals like HSH Nordbank and Commerzbank AG which also have large shipping portfolios. NordLB booked net profit of 156 million euros, up from 64 million a year earlier.

Costamare Inc. (NYSE: CMRE), an international owner of containerships, reported unaudited financial results for the fourth quarter and for the year ended December 31, 2010. Voyage revenues of $85.7 million and $353.2 million for the three months and the year ended December 31, 2010, respectively. Adjusted EBITDA of $56.2 million and $223.6 million for the three months and the year ended December 31, 2010, respectively. Net income of $11.8 million or $0.21 per share and $81.2 million or $1.65 per share for the three months and the year ended December 31, 2010, respectively. Adjusted Net Income of $18.0 million or $0.33 per share and $73.8 million or $1.50 per share for the three months and the year ended December 31, 2010, respectively.

Globus Maritime Limited (AIM: GLBS) (LSE: GLBS), a company with subsidiaries that own and operate Supramax, Panamax, and Kamsarmax dry bulk vessels, reported its unaudited consolidated interim operating and financial results for the three months (Q2-10) and six months (H1-10) period ended June 30, 2010, and declares an interim cash dividend of GB 7.3 pence (US 11.29 cents) per share. All the following figures are in United States Dollars, except for the dividend which is in British Pence. Globus had five vessels at the end of June 2010 versus seven vessels at the end of June 2009. -- Fleet utilization of 98.3% (H1-09: 98.7%). -- Fleet utilization of 100% (Q2-09: 98.9%).

Seaspan Corporation (NYSE:SSW) announced the financial results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2010. Gerry Wang, Chief Executive Officer of Seaspan, stated, "During the second quarter, Seaspan achieved high utilization for its modern fleet and posted strong operating results while further expanding its contracted revenue streams. We took delivery of six newbuildings, four of which were delivered ahead of schedule, highlighting increased demand during the quarter. All six vessels commenced long-term time charters with top liner companies as planned. In addition, we capitalized on an attractive market opportunity by acquiring a 4250 TEU newbuilding, our first acquisition since late 2007.

According to a July 30 report from the JoongAng Daily, with the scheduled adoption of the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) shipbuilders were expected to see higher debt ratios. However, the Financial Services Commission and Financial Supervisory Service said that the International Accounting Standards Board (ISAB), the London-based group that supervises the IFRS, had accepted in principle a request by Korean financial authorities to allow a fair value hedge accounting system in the case of the shipbuilders. A fair value hedge system would allow shipbuilders to declare an intermediate payment in their financial accounts for contracts they received. (Source: JoongAng Daily)

Excel Maritime Carriers Ltd (NYSE: EXM), an owner and operator of dry bulk carriers and an international provider of worldwide seaborne transportation services for dry bulk cargoes, announced its operating and financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2010. A reconciliation of the non-GAAP measures discussed above is included in a subsequent section of this release. Pavlos Kanellopoulos, Chief Financial Officer of Excel, stated, “We are pleased to report yet another profitable quarter with increased cash flow generation. We believe that our balanced fleet deployment strategy has allowed us to take advantage of the improving dry bulk market conditions and has resulted in increased EBITDA and operating cash flow compared to the respective period of last year.

Global Ship Lease, Inc. (NYSE:GSL)(NYSE:GSL.U)(NYSE:GSL.WS), a containership charter owner, announced its unaudited results for the three months ended December 31, 2009. - Generated $16.5 million of cash in the fourth quarter of 2009 up 29% on $12.8 million on cash generated in fourth quarter 2008. - Reported revenue of $39.9 million for the fourth quarter of 2009, up 52% on $26.3 million for the fourth quarter 2008 due to the purchase of four additional vessels in December 2008 and one additional vessel in August 2009. - Reported normalized net earnings of $7.3 million, or $0.13 per share, for the fourth quarter of 2009, excluding a $5.1 million non-cash interest rate derivative mark-to-market gain.

Excel Maritime Carriers Ltd (NYSE: EXM), an owner and operator of dry bulk carriers and a leading international provider of worldwide seaborne transportation services for dry bulk cargoes, announced its operating and financial results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2009. -- Revenue from operations for the quarter amounted to $186.2 million as compared to $189.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2008. -- Net profit for the quarter was $81.8 million or $1.00 per weighted average diluted share compared to a loss of $332.1 million or $7.56 per weighted average diluted share in the fourth quarter of 2008. -- The fourth…

Seaspan Corporation (NYSE: SSW) announced the financial results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2009. - Paid a second quarter dividend of $0.10 per share, representing an approximate 20 percent payout ratio. - Reported normalized net earnings of $57.5 million, an increase of $1.7 million, or 3.0%, for the nine month period from $55.8 million for the comparable period last year. Normalized net earnings include a $1.1 million charge that was accrued for in the second quarter as a result of exercising the delivery deferral options. This amount is due at the deferred delivery date of each vessel and represents the cost of entering into the delivery deferral options and, therefore, is required to be accrued for in the period under financial reporting standards.

Excel Maritime Carriers Ltd (NYSE: EXM), an owner and operator of dry bulk carriers and an international provider of worldwide seaborne transportation services for dry bulk cargoes, announced its operating and financial results for the third quarter and nine-month period ended September 30, 2009. Revenue from operations for the quarter amounted to $174.4 million as compared to $231.6 million in the third quarter of 2008. Net profit for the quarter was $62.0 million or $0.79 per weighted average diluted share compared to $117.6 million or $2.66 per weighted average diluted share in the third quarter of 2008. The third quarter 2009 results…

Teekay Tankers Ltd. - an interest rate swap agreement under the Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. - two vessels acquired from Teekay Corporation (Teekay) subsequent to the company's December 2007 initial public offering, whereby the company's financial statements have been retroactively adjusted to include the historical results of the vessels from the date they were originally acquired by Teekay and began operating, as more fully discussed below under "Changes to Accounting for Dropdown Transactions". Subsequent to the release of its results for the second quarter of 2008 on August 7, 2008, the company determined that it would be required to restate its previously reported financial results.

While the company has not yet concluded the review of its financial results for the three months ended September 30, 2008, the company expects to announce a significant net loss for the period compared to the net income achieved during the second quarter of 2008. The company believes that the expected loss will have resulted from the substantial decreases in dry bulk charter rates that occurred during the period, exacerbated by the company’s increase in chartered-in capacity during the same period and its entry into the forward freight agreements (FFAs) and a bunker fuel hedge more fully described below. Historically the Company has chartered-in vessels to increase its overall dead weight tonnage capacity and enhance its service offering to customers.

Excel Maritime Carriers Ltd (NYSE: EXM), an owner and operator of dry bulk carriers and a provider of worldwide seaborne transportation services for dry bulk cargoes, announced today its financial and operating results for the third quarter and nine month period ended September 30, 2007 and declared a quarterly dividend of $0.20 per share for the third quarter 2007. Total revenues for the third quarter 2007 amounted to $43.2m as compared to $32.7m for the same period in 2006. Net income for the third quarter 2007 amounted to $19.2m versus $9.9m for the same period in 2006. Earnings per share for the third quarter 2007, calculated on 19,978,365 shares were $0.96 compared to $0.50 in the third quarter of 2006.