Aristides Pittas
Analyst · Maxim Group
Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, and thank you all for joining us today for our scheduled conference call. Together with me is Tasos Aslidis, our Chief Financial Officer. The purpose of today's call is to discuss our financial results for the 3- and 12-month period ended December 31, 2025. Please turn to Slide 3 of the presentation. Our financial highlights are shown here. For the fourth quarter of 2025, we reported total net revenues of $17.4 million and net income attributable to controlling shareholders of $3.2 million or $1.14 earnings per diluted share. Adjusted net income attributable to controlling shareholders for the quarter was $2.4 million or $0.87 per diluted share. Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was $7.5 million. Please refer to the press release for the reconciliation of adjusted net income and adjusted EBITDA. Tasos Aslidis will go over our financial highlights in more detail later on in the presentation. Since the initiation of our share repurchase plan of up to $10 million, which was originally announced in August 2022 and subsequently extended in 2023, 2024 and 2025, we have repurchased 334,000 shares of our common stock in the open market for a total of $5.3 million. The timing and pace of repurchases under the program is executed in a disciplined manner at management's discretion. Please turn to Slide 4 to view our recent developments, including sale and purchase, commercial and operational highlights. During the quarter, we sold motor vessel Eirini P, Panamax dry bulk vessel built in 2004 for $8.5 million. The vessel, one of the oldest and the longest held assets in our current fleet was delivered to new owners and unaffiliated third party on October 21, 2025, resulting in a gain just shy of $1 million. The transaction forms part of our ongoing fleet renewal strategy. From a chartering standpoint, our fixtures during the fourth quarter were predominantly short term. We concluded just 1-year time charter for motor vessel Christos K and Ultramax dry bulk vessel at a rate of $15,500 per day. representing a shift from our prior strategy of maintaining full market exposure by employing our vessels either on index-linked charters or on short-term contracts when market rates were lower. If rates continue to increase, we intend to also increase our longer-term cover by fixing more ships on longer charters. Currently, 4 of our vessels are employed on index-linked charters at 115% of the average Baltic Supramax 10 time charter average index through at least November 2026, maintaining full exposure to market movements. The remaining 7 vessels are employed on time charters with duration ranging from approximately 1 month to just over 3 months. The specifics of the charters fixed during the period are outlined in the accompanying slide. We continue to use FFAs occasionally as a hedging strategy. And in November 2025, we entered into a forward freight agreement whereby we sold 180 days of the Supramax 10TC-average for the first quarter of 2026 at an average of $12,012 per day, which was equivalent to approximately 2 vessels. Just yesterday, we completed the freight to sell 90 days of the Kamsarmax 5TC-average index for each of the second and third quarters of 2026 at average of $19,250 for the second quarter and $17,250 for the third quarter, equivalent to 1 vessel. Finally, we had no idle or commercial off-hire periods during the quarter. Please turn to Slide 5 for our current fleet profile. EuroDry's current fleet consists of 11 vessels with an average age of approximately 14 years and a total carrying capacity of about 765,000 deadweight tons. In addition, we have 2 Ultramax vessels under construction, each with a capacity of 63,500 deadweight tons, which are scheduled for delivery in the second and third quarters of 2027. Upon delivery, our fleet will expand to 13 vessels with a total carrying capacity of about 893,000 deadweight tons. Next, please turn to Slide 6 for a further update on our fleet employment. As of February 2026, our fixed rate coverage for the remainder of the year stands at approximately 22% based on existing time charter agreements. This figure excludes the 4 vessels employed under index-linked charters, which while subject to market fluctuations continue to provide secure employment. Turning to Slide 8, we will go over the market highlights for the fourth quarter ended on December 31, 2025, up until recently. Panamax spot rates declined sharply from approximately $14,600 per day in the fourth quarter of 2025 to about $9,650 per day by late December before recovering to roughly $13,500 per day. As of February 13, 1-year time charter rates have increased further above prevailing spot levels with Clarksons assessing the standard Panamax 1-year time charter rate at approximately $16,250 per day. During the third quarter, the Baltic Dry Index -- during the fourth quarter, the Baltic Dry Index and the Bulk Panamax Index recorded year-over-year increases of approximately 47% and 52%, respectively, reflecting a significant improvement compared to the same period last year, supported by stronger-than-expected demand for minor bulks, active grain trade flows and the tightening in vessel supply driven by longer voyage distances and regional trade disruptions. However, despite this rebound, freight markets remained volatile, reflecting the ongoing macroeconomic uncertainty and the uneven regional trade activity. Please now turn to Slide 9. According to the IMF's January 2026 World Economic Outlook update, the global economy is projected to maintain resilient expansion with GDP growth now forecast at 3.3% in 2026 and 3.2% in 2027, reflecting a slight upward revision to the outlook relative to last October's projections. Despite a relatively stable medium-term outlook, there are still meaningful downside risks. These include the possibility that expectations around technology-driven growth proved too optimistic as well as the risk of escalating geopolitical tensions. Ongoing trade frictions and broader geopolitical fragmentation continue to create uncertainty for the global economy. The recent events in Venezuela and the threatened military activity in the Middle East are reminders that external risks remain always present. That said, some trade pressures are expected to ease in 2026, which could help reduce the drag from tariffs on overall growth. In the United States, growth is projected to remain broadly steady with GDP growth expanding by approximately 2.4% in 2026 and 2% in 2027, although business and consumer sentiment appears subdued and inflation is expected to ease towards target only gradually. In January 2026, the Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged, highlighting ongoing improvements in economic conditions while signaling a cautious approach towards future policy adjustments. Among emerging markets and developing economies, India is forecast to remain one of the fastest-growing major economies with GDP growth projected at approximately 6.4% in both 2026 and 2027, which is undermined by robust domestic demand and investment momentum. Recent trade agreements, including the newly agreed U.S.-India trade deal are expected to reduce trade-related uncertainty and together with easing financial conditions and stronger corporate balance sheets could help unlock a renewed private investment cycle. The ASEAN-5 region is also projected to maintain solid growth with expansion of 4.2% in 2026 and 4.4% in 2027, supported by strong domestic investment and technology exports. Meanwhile, China's growth trajectory is expected to moderate with GDP growth forecast at 4.5% in 2026, down from 5% in 2025 and easing further to 4% in 2027, reflecting the pressures from the weaker external demand, subdued manufacturing investment and ongoing challenges in the property sector. Turning to the dry bulk sector and how broader economic trends translate into vessel demand. Clarksons projects trade growth of 1.9% in 2026 and 1.4% in 2027. While this reflects a moderation compared to previous years, it still points to continued expansion in dry bulk trade volumes, albeit at a more measured and moderated pace. Please turn to Slide 10. Let's review the current state of the order book in the dry bulk sector. As of February 2026, the order book stands at approximately 12.4% of the existing fleet. Although higher than the 7.5% recorded in 2021, it remains among the lowest levels in history. For context, the order book accounted for 66% of the fleet in 2008 and approximately 24% in 2014. The current limited ordering activity reflects shipyard capacity constraints, high newbuilding costs and uncertainty surrounding future fuel technologies and environmental regulations. Turning to Slide 11. Let us now look at the supply fundamentals in a little more detail. As of February 2026, the total dry bulk fleet consists roughly of 14,600 vessels, representing around 1.1 billion deadweight tons. According to Clarksons latest estimates, new deliveries as a percentage of the existing fleet are projected at 4.2% for 2026, 3.9% for 2027 and 4.3% for 2028 and beyond. with actual fleet growth expected to be slightly lower due to slippage and demolition activity. Looking at the fleet age profile, roughly 11% of the global fleet is over 20 years old, representing vessels that could be considered for scrapping if market conditions moderate or environmental regulations become more stringent. Please turn to Slide 12, where we highlight our dry bulk market outlook in Q4 -- market outlook. In Q4 2025, dry bulk carrier market strengthened with average Supramax and Panamax time charter rates rising roughly 8% from Q3, reaching the highest levels in two years. Seasonal demand for dry bulk cargo supported this momentum, but the usual holiday slowdown didn't hit as hard as expected. New trade routes, most notably the growing bauxite trade from West Africa are shaping market dynamics, creating fresh opportunities and changing the traditional supply-demand pattern in the sector. The bauxite trade has seen a significant lift, growing from approximately 5% to over 15% of Capesize cargo volumes. Capesize vessels remain at the forefront of this activity, but smaller segments also saw meaningful improvements during Q4, highlighting the broad-based strength across the dry bulk market. Looking ahead to 2026, our outlook points to a picture broadly similar to 2025. However, markets remain unpredictable due to ongoing geopolitical disruptions, making forecasting particularly challenging with risks on both the upside and the downside. While dry bulk demand growth may continue to lag behind fleet expansion, factors such as off-hire period for special survey and slower operating speeds should help maintain overall market balance. Within the dry bulk segment, Capesize vessels are expected to outperform smaller classes, driven in large part by the expanding bauxite trade. At the same time, Guinea's Simandou iron ore project is set to significantly increase global supply once production ramps up. Backed in part by Chinese investment and aligned with Beijing's broader resource strategy often associated with the Belt and Road initiative, the project is designed to diversify China's iron ore sourcing. Over time, this could reduce China's dependence on imports from Australia and Brazil and potentially displace lower-grade domestic production. Meanwhile, Chinese purchases of U.S. soybeans remain an important factor following the October trade truce with agricultural flows continuing to influence supply and demand. Additionally, any normalization of Red Sea routing patterns could slightly reduce effective vessel demand if ships revert to traditional routes. But on the other hand, broader geopolitical developments may continue to redirect trade flows and thus reduce overall fleet efficiency. On the supply side, newbuilding activity remains relatively restrained. Shipyard capacity is largely constrained through the next several years and continued uncertainty around future fuel technologies amid rising orders of methanol and LNG fueled vessels. The overall order book to fleet ratio remains low by historical standards, which could provide a supportive backdrop for charter rate recovery if demand strengthens. That said, order book varies by segment. For Panamax and Ultramax vessels, order books are trending close to historical median levels, whereas the Capesize order book remains near historical lows. Although the industry is clearly shifting towards alternative fuels, the pace of transition is likely to be more gradual than initially anticipated due to technical and economic complexity as well as delays in finalizing the IMO net zero framework. Looking further ahead, 2027, visibility remains limited. Global growth and geopolitical developments will play a decisive role. While fleet growth is expected to remain moderate, currently projected rate expansion may not be sufficient to materially tighten the market. At this stage, we assume a broadly balanced market. Geopolitical and economic uncertainties could sway the market in either direction. Let's now turn to Slide 13. As of February 13, 2026, the 1-year time charter rate for 75,000 deadweight Panamax vessel stands at $16,250 per day, slightly higher week-over-week and comfortably above the historical median of $13,375 per day. In the asset market, 10-year old Panamax bulk carrier values remained firm despite the correction of approximately 8% from the mid-2024 peak. Current prices at around $27 million remain well above both the historical median of $16.7 million and the 10-year average of approximately $18.7 million, underscoring the continued resilience in secondhand valuations. This sustained strength also reflects structurally higher newbuilding prices driven by inflationary pressures, a limited shipyard availability and the cost of complying with environmental regulations. At the same time, healthy liquidity and cautious fleet growth expectations continue to underpin investor confidence in the sector. While today's prices represent a moderate pullback from the mid-2024 peak of roughly $29.5 million, they still remain very elevated by historical standards. Concluding my part of the presentation, I would like to highlight our profitable fourth quarter of 2025 and the continued strengthening of our liquidity position. Following the sale of the Eirini P, the refinancing of the Yannis Pittas loan and the funding of a substantial portion of the delivery installments of our motor vessel series, which is under construction, our balance sheet has become much more robust. This enhanced liquidity positions us to pursue additional investments should attractive and accretive opportunities arise, something we admittedly don't see in this high valuation environment. Looking ahead, however, we remain focused on disciplined capital allocation, operational efficiency and delivering profits for the benefit of all our shareholders. And with that, may I pass the floor over to Tasos for his part of the presentation.