Imperial Petroleum Inc. Reports Record Net Income of $35.7 Million for the First Quarter of 2023 Financial and Operating Results

ATHENS, Greece, May 08, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- IMPERIAL PETROLEUM INC. (NASDAQ: IMPP, the “Company”), a ship-owning company providing petroleum products, crude oil and dry bulk seaborne transportation services, announced today its unaudited financial and operating results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2023.

OPERATIONAL AND FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

• Fleet operational utilization of 85% in Q1 23’ with 6 days of technical off hire and 495 (54%) of our fleet days dedicated to spot activity.
• Delivery of 2 Handysize dry bulk carriers, the Glorieuse and the Eco Wildfire, towards the end of March 2023 - expanding our fleet to 12 vessels.
• Revenues of $65.4 million in Q1 23’ - up $60.3 million or 1,182% from Q1 22’.
• Record net income of $35.7 million in Q1 23’ up by $35.5 million compared to Q1 22’ or 17,750%.
• EBITDA¹ of $39.9 million in Q1 23’ up $37.3 million or 1,435% from Q1 22’.
• Cash and cash equivalents, including time deposits, of $114.1 million as of March 31, 2023 of which approximately $45.5 million were utilized within April 2023 for the repayment of all outstanding loans.
• Proposed spin-off of two dry bulk carriers under a new Company called C3is Inc.
• Expect to regain compliance with the Nasdaq minimum bid price requirement, following a 1:15 reverse stock split which took effect on April 28, 2023.

First Quarter 2023 Results:

• Revenues for the three months ended March 31, 2023 amounted to $65.4 million, an increase of $60.3 million, or 1,182%, compared to revenues of $5.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2022, primarily due to the increase of our fleet by eight vessels and strong market rates, particularly in the tanker sector.
• Voyage expenses and vessels’ operating expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2023 were $16.9 million and $6.9 million, respectively, compared to $0.5 million and $1.8 million, respectively, for the three months ended March 31, 2022. The $16.4 million increase in voyage expenses is mainly due to the increase in the spot days of our fleet by 468 days (1,733%), as we are responsible for voyage expenses under spot charters unlike time charters, and the rise in daily bunker costs by $5,300. The $5.1 million increase in vessels’ operating expenses, was primarily due to the increase in the number of our vessels.
• Drydocking costs for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022 was $0.6 million and nil million, respectively. This increase is due to the fact that during the three months ended March 31, 2023 one of our Handysize dry bulk carriers underwent drydocking.
• General and administrative expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022 was $1.0 million and $0.1 million, respectively. The increase is due to increased reporting requirements, mainly due to our proposed spin-off.
• Depreciation for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022 was $4.1 million and $2.2 million, respectively. The change is attributable to the increase in the average number of vessels in our fleet.
• Interest and finance costs for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022 were $1.4 million and $0.2 million, respectively. The increase is mainly attributable to the increase of our borrowings in conjunction with a sharp rise of LIBOR rates. We have since repaid all of our outstanding bank debt.
• Interest income for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022 was $1.3 million and nil million, respectively. The increase is attributed to time deposits the Company entered into during the period.
• As a result of the above, for the three months ended March 31, 2023, the Company reported net income of $35.7 million, compared to net income of $0.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2022. Dividends paid on Series A Preferred Shares amounted to $0.4 million both for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. The weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding, basic, for the three months ended March 31, 2023 was 15.1 million.
• Earnings per share, basic, for the three months ended March 31, 2023 amounted to $2.31, compared to a loss per share of $0.18 for the three months ended March 31, 2022. EBITDA for the three months ended March 31, 2023 amounted to $39.9 million compared to $2.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2022. Reconciliation of EBITDA to Net Income is set forth below.
• An average of 10.10 vessels were owned by the Company during the three months ended March 31, 2023 compared to 4.04 vessels for the same period of 2022.

CEO Harry Vafias Commented
Our performance in the first quarter of 2023 resulted in record revenues and profitability. We are pleased that our strategies are paying off. Commercially, we capitalized on the strong tanker market and efficiently utilized an average fleet of 10 vessels to produce in a single quarter net income of $36 million marking a 17,750% increase compared to the net income generated in the first quarter of 2022, and an EBITDA of nearly $40 million that is 1,435% higher than the same period of last year. Strategically, we proposed the spin-off of 2 of our dry vessels to a separate company called C3is Inc. In terms of financial strategy, we paid down all our debt and have stopped issuing new shares. Without a doubt we are well positioned to benefit from good market conditions that seem will last.

Conference Call details:

On May 8, 2023 at 11:00 am ET, the company’s management will host a conference call to discuss the results and the company’s operations and outlook.

Online Registration:

Conference call participants should pre-register using the below link to receive the dial-in numbers and a personal PIN, which are required to access the conference call.

Online Registration:
https://register.vevent.com/register/BI68d776c66434411c8315f6c5cf88b05d

Slides and audio webcast:

There will also be a live and then archived webcast of the conference call, through the IMPERIAL PETROLEUM INC. website (www.ImperialPetro.com). Participants to the live webcast should register on the website approximately 10 minutes prior to the start of the webcast.

About IMPERIAL PETROLEUM INC.        
Imperial Petroleum Inc. is a ship-owning company providing petroleum products, crude oil and drybulk seaborne transportation services. The Company owns a total of twelve vessels; five M.R. product tankers, one Aframax oil tanker, two Suezmax tankers and four Handysize dry bulk carriers with a capacity of approximately 806,804 deadweight tons (dwt). Imperial Petroleum Inc.’s shares of common stock and 8.75% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock are listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market and trade under the symbols “IMPP” and “IMPPP,” respectively.

Forward-Looking Statements

Matters discussed in this release may constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and financial performance and may include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, or impact of any resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic and underlying assumptions and other statements, which are other than statements of historical facts. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions, including without limitation, management’s examination of historical operating trends, data contained in our records and other data available from third parties. Although IMPERIAL PETROLEUM INC. believes that these assumptions were reasonable when made, because these assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies which are difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond our control, IMPERIAL PETROLEUM INC. cannot assure you that it will achieve or accomplish these expectations, beliefs or projections. Important factors that, in our view, could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements include the impact of any resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic and efforts throughout the world to contain its spread, the strength of world economies and currencies, general market conditions, including changes in charter hire rates and vessel values, charter counterparty performance, changes in demand that may affect attitudes of time charterers to scheduled and unscheduled drydockings, shipyard performance, changes in IMPERIAL PETROLEUM INC’s operating expenses, including bunker prices, drydocking and insurance costs, ability to obtain financing and comply with covenants in any financing arrangements, or actions taken by regulatory authorities, potential liability from pending or future litigation, domestic and international political conditions, the conflict in Ukraine and related sanctions, potential disruption of shipping routes due to accidents and political events or acts by terrorists.

Risks and uncertainties are further described in reports filed by IMPERIAL PETROLEUM INC. with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Fleet List and Fleet Deployment        
For information on our fleet and further information:
Visit our website at www.ImperialPetro.com

Company Contact:
Fenia Sakellaris
IMPERIAL PETROLEUM INC.
E-mail: info@ImperialPetro.com

Fleet Data:
The following key indicators highlight the Company’s operating performance during the periods ended March 31, 2022 and March 31, 2023.

FLEET DATA	Q1 2022	Q1 2023
Average number of vessels (1)	4.04	10.10
Period end number of owned vessels in fleet	5	12
Total calendar days for fleet (2)	364	909
Total voyage days for fleet (3)	364	903
Fleet utilization (4)	100.0%	99.3%
Total charter days for fleet (5)	337	408
Total spot market days for fleet (6)	27	495
Fleet operational utilization (7)	98.9%	85.0%

1) Average number of vessels is the number of owned vessels that constituted our fleet for the relevant period, as measured by the sum of the number of days each vessel was a part of our fleet during the period divided by the number of calendar days in that period.
2) Total calendar days for fleet are the total days the vessels we operated were in our possession for the relevant period including off-hire days associated with major repairs, drydockings or special or intermediate surveys.
3) Total voyage days for fleet reflect the total days the vessels we operated were in our possession for the relevant period net of off-hire days associated with major repairs, drydockings or special or intermediate surveys.
4) Fleet utilization is the percentage of time that our vessels were available for revenue generating voyage days, and is determined by dividing voyage days by fleet calendar days for the relevant period.
5) Total charter days for fleet are the number of voyage days the vessels operated on time or bareboat charters for the relevant period.
6) Total spot market charter days for fleet are the number of voyage days the vessels operated on spot market charters for the relevant period.
7) Fleet operational utilization is the percentage of time that our vessels generated revenue, and is determined by dividing voyage days excluding commercially idle days by fleet calendar days for the relevant period.

Reconciliation of EBITDA:

EBITDA represents net income before interest and finance costs, interest income and depreciation.

EBITDA is not a recognized measurement under U.S. GAAP. Our calculation of EBITDA may not be comparable to that reported by other companies in the shipping industry or other industries.

EBITDA measurement is included herein because it is a basis, upon which our investors and we assess our financial performance. It allows us to present our performance from period to period on a comparable basis and provides investors with a means of better evaluating and understanding our operating performance.

(Expressed in United States Dollars, except number of shares)	Three Months Period Ended March 31st,
	2022	2023
Net income – EBITDA
Net income	218,382	35,724,102
Plus interest and finance costs	209,014	1,351,603
Less interest income	--	(1,279,216)
Plus depreciation	2,168,666	4,088,852
EBITDA	2,596,062	39,885,341

Imperial Petroleum Inc.
Unaudited Consolidated Statements of Income
(Expressed in United States Dollars, except for number of shares)

					For The Three Months Ended March 31,
							2022		2023
Revenues
	Revenues						5,116,378		65,421,101
Expenses
	Voyage expenses						457,428		16,077,827
	Voyage expenses - related party						61,871		810,530
	Vessels' operating expenses						1,744,016		6,875,876
	Vessels' operating expenses - related party						15,000		65,000
	Drydocking costs						--		621,376
	Management fees – related party						131,810		397,760
	General and administrative expenses						115,316		978,969
	Depreciation						2,168,666		4,088,852
Total expenses							4,694,107		29,916,190
Income from operations							422,271		35,504,911
Other (expenses)/income
	Interest and finance costs						(209,014)		(1,351,603)
	Interest income						--		1,279,216
	Foreign exchange gain						5,125		291,578
Other (expenses)/income, net							(203,889)		219,191
Net Income							218,382		35,724,102
(Loss)/Earnings per share2
- Basic and Diluted							(0.18)		2.31
Weighted average number of shares2
- Basic							1,180,026		15,054,406
- Diluted							1,180,026		15,054,406

Imperial Petroleum Inc.
Unaudited Consolidated Balance Sheets
(Expressed in United States Dollars)

					December 31,		March 31,
					2022		2023
Assets
Current assets
	Cash and cash equivalents				50,901,092		95,519,418
	Time deposits				68,000,000		18,536,290
	Restricted cash				1,005,827		2,855,771
	Receivables from related party				146,708		146,708
	Trade and other receivables				7,898,103		15,587,598
	Other current assets				240,002		727,806
	Inventories				5,507,423		7,943,037
	Advances and prepayments				172,908		153,368
Total current assets					133,872,063		141,469,996
Non current assets
Operating lease right-of-use-assets					--		47,108
	Vessels, net				226,351,081		258,201,089
	Restricted cash				5,600,000		600,000
Total non current assets					231,951,081		258,848,197
Total assets					365,823,144		400,318,193
Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity
Current liabilities
	Trade accounts payable				8,115,462		8,606,973
	Payable to related party				3,016,438		3,649,821
	Accrued liabilities				1,982,306		2,588,250
	Operating lease liabilities				--		47,108
	Deferred income				1,089,959		683,937
	Current portion of long-term debt				10,176,538		31,886,430
Total current liabilities					24,380,703		47,462,519
Non current liabilities
	Long-term debt				59,787,923		13,636,458
Total non current liabilities					59,787,923		13,636,458
Total liabilities					84,168,626		61,098,977
Commitments and contingencies
Stockholders' equity
	Capital stock				129,724		165,398
	Preferred Stock, Series A				7,959		7,959
	Preferred Stock, Series B				160		160
	Preferred Stock, Series C				--		139
	Additional paid-in capital				252,912,550		274,717,333
	Retained earnings				28,604,125		64,328,227
Total stockholders' equity					281,654,518		339,219,216
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity					365,823,144		400,318,193

Imperial Petroleum Inc.
Unaudited Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(Expressed in United States Dollars

							For The Three Months Ended March 31,
							2022		2023
Cash flows from operating activities
	Net income for the period						218,382		35,724,102
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash
provided by operating activities:
	Depreciation						2,168,666		4,088,852
	Amortization of deferred finance charges						--		134,427
	Amortization of operating lease right-of-use-assets						--		16,316
	Share based compensation						--		301,541
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
	(Increase)/decrease in
	Trade and other receivables						(371,437)		(7,689,495)
	Other current assets						--		(487,804)
	Inventories						(1,069,966)		(2,435,614)
	Change in operating lease liabilities						--		(16,316)
	Advances and prepayments						(33,507)		19,540
	Increase/(decrease) in
	Trade accounts payable						1,364,080		476,307
	Balances with related parties						(247,509)		633,383
	Accrued liabilities						905,266		605,944
	Deferred income						53,461		(406,022)
Net cash provided by operating activities							2,987,436		30,965,161
Cash flows from investing activities
	Acquisition and improvement of vessels						(12,625,000)		(25,923,656)
	Increase in bank time deposits						--		(18,536,290)
	Maturity of bank time deposits						--		68,000,000
Net cash (used in)/provided by investing activities							(12,625,000)		23,540,054
Cash flows from financing activities
	Proceeds from equity offerings						96,772,890		12,095,255
	Stock issuance costs						(6,534,204)		(120,954)
	Dividends paid on preferred shares						(435,246)		(435,246)
	Loan repayments						--		(24,576,000)
Net cash provided by/(used in) financing activities							89,803,440		(13,036,945)
Net increase in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash							80,165,876		41,468,270
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of year							6,341,059		57,506,919
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period							86,506,935		98,975,189
Cash breakdown
	Cash and cash equivalents						82,202,037		95,519,418
	Restricted cash, current						1,804,898		2,855,771
	Restricted cash, non current						2,500,000		600,000
Total cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash shown in the statements of cash flows							86,506,935		98,975,189

¹ EBITDA is a non-GAAP measure. Refer to the reconciliation of this measure to the most directly comparable financial measure in accordance with GAAP set forth later in this release.
² Adjusted retroactively to reflect the 1-for-15 reverse stock split effected at the close of trading on April 28, 2023.