Merrill Lynch Co News

The US-based chemical tanker company  Ardmore Shipping Corporation announced that Reginald L. Jones is stepping down as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Company effective December 31, 2018. Curtis McWilliams has been appointed as Chairman of the Board effective January 1, 2019, said a stock exchange announcement from the company.Jones will remain as a director until the Company's annual general meeting in 2019, when he does not intend to stand for re-election. He is a co-founder and Managing Partner of Greenbriar Equity Group LLC, Ardmore's initial investor in 2010 which exited its position in Ardmore as part of the monetization of its Fund II in November 2017. McWilliams became a director of Ardmore in January 2016.

DryShips Inc. (NASDAQ:DRYS), a global provider of marine transportation services for drybulk cargoes and off-shore contract drilling oil services, announced the completion of the ATM Equity Offering in which the company raised gross proceeds of approximately $475m since commencing the offering pursuant to the prospectus supplement filed on May 7 2009. Merrill Lynch & Co. acted as sales agent in the offering. Following the completion of the program, the Company has approximately 257,645,000 common shares outstanding. George Economou, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Company commented, “We have successfully completed our latest $475 million equity offering in market conditions where many established companies are struggling to raise capital.

DryShips Inc. (NASDAQ: DRYS), a provider of marine transportation services for drybulk cargoes and offshore oil deep water drilling, announced its unaudited financial and operating results for the three month period ended March 31, 2009. For the first quarter of 2009, the Company reported a net loss of $101.8 million or $0.93 basic and diluted loss per share. Included in the first quarter results are a loss related to contract termination fees and forfeiture of vessel deposits of $166.2 million or $1.53 per share, a non cash gain of $8.7 million or $0.08 per share associated with the valuation of the Company’s interest rate swaps, amortization of stock based compensation of $9.3 million or $0.09 per share…

DryShips Inc. (NASDAQ: DRYS), a global provider of marine transportation services for drybulk cargoes, announced its unaudited financial and operating results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2008. Financial Highlights: For the fourth quarter of 2008, the company reported a loss of $1.02 billion or $18.42 per share. Included in the fourth quarter results are a non-cash loss of $700.5 million or $12.68 per share related to the impairment of goodwill associated with the acquisition of Ocean Rig ASA, a loss related to contract termination fees and forfeiture of vessel deposits of $160.0 million or $2.90 per share, a non cash loss of $177.0 million or $3.20 per share associated with the valuation of the Company’s interest rate swaps…

On Jan. 2, the Manitowoc Company, Inc. (NYSE:MTW) announced the completion, effective as of December 31, 2008, of the previously announced sale of its Marine segment to Fincantieri Marine Group Holdings, Inc., a subsidiary of Fincantieri - Cantieri Navali Italiani SpA (Fincantieri). The net purchase price in the all-cash deal was approximately $120m. Manitowoc intends to use the after-tax proceeds for debt reduction and other corporate purposes. "We are now entirely focused on two strategic lines of business: cranes and commercial foodservice equipment," said Manitowoc CEO Glen E. Tellock. "We have built market leadership positions in both of these global markets, and now will be able to direct all of our efforts on growing these two businesses even further.

Teekay Corporation (Teekay) announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Teekay Tankers Ltd., has filed a registration statement with the U.S. Exchange Commission for an initial public offering of its Class A Common Stock. their over-allotment option in full), representing a 40% ownership interest. under a mix of spot-market trading and short- or medium-term fixed-rate time-charter contracts. Suezmax-class oil tankers. distribution, subject to any reserves established by its board of directors. Company, Scotia Capital, and Johnson Rice & Company L.L.C.

Maritrans Inc. announced that its Board of Directors has approved the initiation of a modified "Dutch auction" tender offer by Maritrans to purchase up to 2,000,000 shares of its outstanding common stock at a price per share of not less than $11.00 per share nor in excess of $12.50 per share. The tender offer is expected to commence on Monday, December 17, 2001 and to expire, unless extended, at 5:00 P.M., New York City Time, on Friday, January 18, 2002. Under the tender offer, stockholders will have the opportunity to tender some or all of their shares at a price within the $11.00 to $12.50 price range. Based on the number of shares tendered and the prices specified by the tendering stockholders…

Maritrans Inc. announced the final results of its modified Dutch auction tender offer, which expired at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on January 18, 2002. Maritrans will purchase 2,176,296 shares of Maritrans Common Stock at a purchase price of $11.50 per share, or a total of $25,027,404. The 2,176,296 shares to be purchased are comprised of the 2,000,000 shares Maritrans offered to purchase and 176,296 shares to be purchased pursuant to Maritrans' right to purchase up to an additional 2 percent of the shares outstanding immediately prior to the commencement of the tender offer. Due to the exercise of such option, there will be no proration and all shares tendered at $11.50 per share or lower will be purchased.

In a move which effectively creates a defense and marine naval construction giant, Northrop Grumman Corp. and Litton Industries jointly announced late last month that they have signed a definitive agreement under which Northrop Grumman will acquire for cash all of the outstanding shares of Litton for $80 per common share and $35 per Series B Preferred share. The transaction is valued at approximately $5.1 billion, which includes the assumption of Litton's $1.3 billion in net debt. Litton is a leading supplier of advanced electronics and information systems to the U.S. government and international customers and is the premier designer and builder of non-nuclear surface combatant ships for U.S. and foreign navies.

Overseas Shipholding Group, Inc. (OSG) and Double Hull Tankers, Inc. (DHT) announced that Merrill Lynch & Co. and UBS Investment Bank have exercised their option to purchase 750,000 shares of common stock of DHT. OSG granted the underwriters the 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 750,000 shares of common stock for the purpose of covering overallotments in connection with its previously announced offering of 5,000,000 shares of common stock of DHT. OSG expects to recognize an additional gain from the sale of the 750,000 shares of approximately $2 million in the second quarter of 2007. After completion of the sale, OSG's beneficial ownership of DHT's common stock will be reduced from approximately 12.5%, or 3,751,500 shares, to approximately 10.0%, or 3,001,500 shares.

Navios Maritime Holdings Inc., announced that the underwriters of its recent common share offering exercised the full over-allotment option granted to them by Navios. As a result of the exercise, Navios sold an additional 1,725,000 shares, bringing the total to 13,225,000 shares sold, resulting in total net proceeds of $124.8 million after deducting the underwriter discount and estimated offering expenses. Concurrent with the exercise of the over- allotment, Navios announced the closing of the share offering originally announced on May 16, 2007. J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. and Merrill Lynch & Co. acted as joint bookrunning managers of the offering. S. Goldman Advisors LLC and Dahlman Rose & Company acted as co-managers.

Overseas Shipholding Group, Inc. and Double Hull Tankers, Inc. jointly announced today the sale of five million shares of common stock of Double Hull Tankers pursuant to an underwriting agreement with Merrill Lynch & Co. and UBS Investment Bank. OSG has granted the underwriters a 30-day over-allotment option to purchase up to an additional 750,000 shares of DHT common stock at the agreed price. The shares of common stock will be offered by the underwriters from time to time to purchasers directly or through agents, or through brokers in brokerage transactions on the New York Stock Exchange, or to dealers in negotiated transactions or in a combination of such methods of sale…

Overseas Shipholding Group, Inc. announced the sale of 4,600,000 shares of common stock of Double Hull Tankers, Inc. in a registered public offering underwritten by Merrill Lynch & Co. OSG expects to recognize a gain from the transaction of approximately $15 million in the first quarter of 2007. After completion of the sale, OSG's beneficial ownership of DHT's common stock will be reduced from approximately 44.50% or 13,351,500 shares, to approximately 29.17%, or 8,751,500 shares. This sale was made pursuant to DHT's existing shelf registration statement. DHT will not receive any proceeds from this sale of its common stock.

Teekay Offshore Partners L.P. announced that it has priced its initial public offering of 7,000,000 of its common units at $21.00 per unit. The 7,000,000 common units represent a 35.0% limited partner interest in the master limited partnership and the offering will increase to 8,050,000 common units if the underwriters exercise in full their over-allotment option. Teekay Shipping Corporation owns the remaining interests in the partnership, including common units, subordinated units, incentive distribution rights and its 2% general partner interest. Citigroup Corporate and Investment Banking and Merrill Lynch & Co. acted as joint book-running managers and representatives of the underwriters, which include Morgan Stanley, A.G.

Overseas Shipholding Group Inc. has a definitive agreement to acquire Maritrans Inc., for $455 million. Terms call for New York-based Overseas Shipholding to acquire Maritrans in an all-cash transaction for $37.50 a share, a 47 percent premium over Maritrans' closing price of $25.50 on Sept. 22. OSG also will assume Maritrans' debt outstanding as of June 30, according to a release from the companies. OSG will finance the deal through a combination of available cash and borrowings under existing credit facilities, the release said. Maritrans ships crude oil and petroleum products, and owns and operates one of the largest fleets of double-hull vessels serving the East coast and U.S. Gulf coast. OSG is one of the largest publicly traded tanker companies in the world.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. has priced the public offering of 10,800,000 shares of its common stock at a price of $46 11/16 per share. Of the 10,800,000 shares offered, 10,000,000 shares are being sold by the company, and 800,000 shares are being sold by a selling shareholder. The company has granted to the underwriters of the offering an option to purchase up to an additional 1,620,000 shares of common stock to cover over-allotments. As previously announced, the company intends to use the net proceeds of the offering for general corporate purposes, including capital expenditures. The offering will be made to investors in the U.S. by managing underwriters Goldman, Sachs & Co., Merrill Lynch & Co., Banc of America Securities LLC, William Blair & Company, A.G.

Inc. (NYSE:OSG), filed a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a proposedinitial public offering of its common stock. Double Hull Tankers, Inc. and to time charter them back to other subsidiaries of OSG. UBS Investment Bank and Merrill Lynch & Co. are serving as joint book-running managers of the offering. A copy of the prospectus relating to these securities may be obtained, when available, from: UBS Securities LLC, Attn: Prospectus Department, 299 Park Avenue, 25th Floor, New York, NY 10171 or Merrill Lynch & Co., 4 World Financial Center, New York, NY 10080.

Double Hull Tankers, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Overseas Shipholding Group, Inc. announced that it has filed a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a proposed initial public offering of its common stock. Double Hull Tankers, Inc. is a newly formed Marshall Islands corporation which intends to acquire a fleet of seven oil tankers, consisting of three VLCCs and four Aframaxes, from subsidiaries of OSG and to time charter them back to other subsidiaries of OSG. UBS Investment Bank and Merrill Lynch & Co. are serving as joint book-running managers of the offering.

American Commercial Lines Inc. (NASDAQ: ACLI) announced the closing of the initial public offering of 9,487,500 shares of its common stock at a price to the public of $21.00 per share. Of the shares sold in the offering, 7,500,000 shares were sold by ACL and 1,987,500 shares were sold by a selling stockholder. The shares sold by the selling stockholder included 1,237,500 shares purchased pursuant to an option granted by the selling stockholder to the underwriters, which was exercised in full. Based on the public offering price of $21.00 per share and after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions, the net proceeds to the Company were approximately $146.5 million, and the aggregate net proceeds to the selling stockholder were approximately $38.8 million.