Star Bulk and Eagle Bulk Shipping to Combine, Creating a Global Leader in Dry Bulk Shipping

• By Star Bulk Carrier Corps. - Media Release
• Dec 14, 2023

Leading, Diversified and Scrubber-Fitted Fleet of 169 Owned Vessels

Best-in-Class Commercial and Technical Operations and Expanded Global Presence Spanning Europe, Asia and North America

Expect to Realize Meaningful Financial Benefits from Significant Cost and Revenue Synergies

ATHENS, GREECE and STAMFORD, CONN – Star Bulk Carriers Corp. (“Star Bulk”) (Nasdaq: SBLK), a global shipping company focusing on the transportation of dry bulk cargoes, and Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc. (NYSE: EGLE) (“Eagle”), one of the world’s largest owner-operators within the midsize dry bulk vessel segment, announced that the companies have entered into a definitive agreement to combine in an all-stock merger on a Net Asset Value to Net Asset Value (“NAV”) basis with a pro forma market capitalization of approximately $2.1 billion1 .

Under the terms of the agreement, which was unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies, Eagle shareholders will receive 2.6211 shares of Star Bulk common stock for each share of Eagle common stock owned. This represents a total consideration of approximately $52.60 per share, a 17% premium based on Eagle’s closing share price of $44.85 on December 8, 2023. Upon the close of the transaction, Star Bulk and Eagle shareholders will own approximately 71% and 29% of the combined company on a fully diluted basis, respectively.

Petros Pappas, Chief Executive Officer of Star Bulk, commented, “Bringing together Star Bulk and Eagle will create a global leader in dry bulk shipping with a large, diversified, scrubber fitted fleet. Together we will benefit from greater scale with 169 owned vessels, generating meaningful synergies and building an even stronger financial profile. We will leverage both companies’ technical and commercial fleet management capabilities to optimize performance, deliver on our health, safety, and environmental objectives and maximize earnings potential. With a well-capitalized balance sheet, we aim to continue delivering strong cash returns to shareholders while investing in emission reduction technologies as we continue to pursue growth over the long term. We look forward to working with the talented Eagle team to successfully integrate the two companies.”

Gary Vogel, Eagle Chief Executive Officer, said, “We are very excited to be joining forces with Star Bulk, uniting two best-in-class companies, both commercially and operationally. We are bringing together two highly complementary organizations and are confident that this accretive merger with Star Bulk will unlock significant value for Eagle shareholders, including the opportunity to participate in the long-term upside of the combined company.”

• Tags
• # drybulk
• # bulkshipping
• # starbulk
• # eaglebulkshipping