GNK Earnings Release

Genco Shipping & Trading beats by $0.06, reports revs in-line; co's cash dividends and share repurchases will be suspended (GNK) 17.52 +0.88 : Reports Q1 (Mar) earnings of $1.32 per share, $0.06 better than the First Call consensus of $1.26; revenues rose 5.4% year/year to $96.7 mln vs the $96 mln consensus. The average daily time charter equivalent, or TCE, rates obtained by the Company's fleet decreased 7.5% to $33,203 per day for the three months ended March 31, 2009 compared to $35,891 for the three months ended March 31, 2008. On January 26, 2009, the co announced that it had entered into an agreement with DnB NOR Bank ASA and Bank of Scotland PLC as the lead arrangers to amend its $1.4 bln credit facility. Under terms of the amended ten-year $1.4 bln facility, the collateral maintenance requirement is waived until such time that GNK is in a position to satisfy the requirement as well as continue to comply with all other covenants and certain other conditions previously announced. GNK continues to be able to borrow the undrawn portion of the loan during the waiver period. Amounts borrowed under the amended facility began to reduce on March 31, 2009 at $12.5 million per quarter and will bear interest at LIBOR plus 2.00%. The co also announced that, under the terms of the amended credit facility, its cash dividends and its share repurchases will be suspended, effective immediately. GNK will be able to reinstate its cash dividends and share repurchases once the Company can represent that it is in a position to again satisfy the collateral maintenance covenant. The amendment to the credit facility places no further restrictions on uses of the Company's cash.