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Teekay Tankers Ltd. Reports Second Quarter 2020 Results

Teekay Tankers Ltd. (Teekay Tankers or the Company) (NYSE: TNK) yesterday reported the Company’s results for the quarter ended June 30, 2020:

Consolidated Financial Summary

(1) These are non-GAAP financial measures. Please refer to “Definitions and Non-GAAP Financial Measures” and the Appendices to this release for definitions of these terms and reconciliations of these non-GAAP financial measures as used in this release to the most directly comparable financial measures under United States generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP).

(2) Net debt is a non-GAAP financial measure and represents short-term, current and long-term debt and current and long-term obligations related to finance leases less cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash.

(3) Comparative balances relating to the three months ended June 30, 2019 have been updated to reflect results as presented in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 20-F and Report on Form 6-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 and three months ended June 30, 2020, respectively.

(4) The per share amounts for all periods presented have been adjusted to reflect a one-for-eight reverse stock split completed in November 2019.

(5) Includes expenditures for drydock and ballast water treatment system installation.

Second Quarter of 2020 Compared to First Quarter of 2020

GAAP net income and non-GAAP adjusted net income for the second quarter of 2020 were lower compared to the first quarter of 2020, primarily due to lower average spot tanker rates, the sale of three Suezmax tankers during the first quarter of 2020, as well as the sale of the non-US portion of the ship-to-ship support services business and the LNG terminal management business in the second quarter of 2020. GAAP net income in the second quarter of 2020 also included a $15.2 million reduction in freight tax accruals relating to prior periods and a $3.1 million gain on sale of assets, while GAAP net income in the first quarter of 2020 included a $3.1 million loss and write-down on sale of vessels.

Second Quarter of 2020 Compared to Second Quarter of 2019

GAAP net income and non-GAAP adjusted net income for the second quarter of 2020 significantly increased compared to the same period of the prior year, primarily due to higher average spot tanker rates and fewer off-hire days, partially offset by the sale of four Suezmax tankers during December 2019 and the first quarter of 2020, as well as the sale of the non-US portion of the ship-to-ship support services business and the LNG terminal management business in the second quarter of 2020. GAAP net income in the second quarter of 2020 also included a $15.2 million reduction in freight tax accruals relating to prior periods and a $3.1 million gain on sale of assets.

CEO Commentary

“Teekay Tankers reported another profitable quarter in the second quarter of 2020, generating adjusted net income of approximately $80.7 million, or $2.39 per share,” commented Kevin Mackay, Teekay Tankers’ President and Chief Executive Officer. “The unprecedented impact of COVID-19 continues to be a major area of focus for us, but we have thus far successfully navigated the evolving logistical and regulatory challenges with minimal impact on our operations. As a result of the pandemic, the overall maritime industry has experienced significant challenges related to crew changes, but I am pleased to report that we have safely changed-out a number of crew members on effectively all of our vessels. We continue to work hard with both the industry and inter-governmental organizations to tackle this challenge and bring our remaining overdue colleagues home safely as soon as possible. I am truly proud of how our seafarers and onshore colleagues have responded to ensure crew rotations are completed safely and seamlessly, with no reported COVID-19 cases or interrupted service for our customers.”

“We continue to increase our financial strength, which is one of our strategic priorities,” continued Mr. Mackay. “During the second quarter alone, we generated free cash flow of approximately $126 million and opportunistically sold non-core assets, contributing to a net debt reduction of over $180 million, or approximately 25 percent, to $549 million and increasing our liquidity to $468 million at June 30th. Over the past year, we have transformed our balance sheet, reducing our net debt by approximately $445 million, or 45 percent, and increasing our liquidity by $348 million. In addition, we secured a new 3-year term loan to refinance our last 2021 debt maturity, eliminating any debt maturities until 2023 and further improving our financial flexibility.”

Mr. Mackay added, “We experienced our third straight quarter of strong spot tanker rates and earnings; however, spot tanker rates have come under pressure since mid-May 2020 as a result of the unwinding of floating storage and record OPEC+ production cuts, in addition to lower non-OPEC production, which reduced crude exports. At this point, the near-term outlook is uncertain, but we are pleased to have significantly reduced our effective free cash flow breakevens and near-term spot exposure by locking-in 23 percent of the tanker fleet on fixed-rate contracts at attractive rates, and we are encouraged by fleet supply fundamentals which are markedly more favourable relative to prior market cycles. With a low free cash flow breakeven of approximately $12,700 per day(1) through to mid-2021 as a result of recent well-timed fixed-rate charter contracts, a strong liquidity position, low balance sheet leverage and no debt maturities until 2023, we believe that Teekay Tankers is financially well-positioned to continue creating shareholder value throughout a wide range of possible near-term market conditions.”

(1) Includes expenditures for drydock and ballast water treatment system installation.

Summary of Recent Events

In August 2020, Teekay Tankers secured a new three-year, $67 million term loan to refinance four Suezmax tankers. The proceeds from the new debt facility along with existing cash are expected to be used to repay approximately $85 million outstanding on the Company’s existing debt facility with respect to these vessels that was scheduled to mature in 2021. The new facility is priced at LIBOR plus 225 basis points and matures in 2023.

In late-April 2020, Teekay Tankers closed the previously announced sale of a portion of its oil and gas ship-to-ship transfer support business, which also provides gas terminal management and consulting services, for approximately $27.1 million, of which approximately $14.3 million was received in May 2020 with the remaining cash received in July 2020. During the second quarter of 2020, the Company recognized a gain on sale of $3.1 million. Teekay Tankers retained its entire Full Service Lightering business that operates in the U.S. Gulf, which provides ship-to-ship oil transfers for both U.S. crude imports and exports. In addition, the Company will continue to operate oil ship-to-ship transfer support services in North America and the Caribbean, a business that has synergies with its core Full Service Lightering business.

Tanker Market

Crude tanker spot rates remained firm during the second quarter of 2020, particularly during the early part of the quarter. Crude trade volumes increased during April 2020 due to the short-lived price war between Saudi Arabia and Russia, leading to increased tanker demand. Floating storage also gave support to crude tanker spot rates during the quarter, peaking in early May 2020 when almost 500 tankers, or over 60 million deadweight tonnes (mdwt), were storing approximately 400 million barrels of oil. This floating storage was driven by a significant mismatch between elevated levels of global oil production and depressed oil demand due to the impact of COVID-19, resulting in a large surplus of both crude oil and refined products. Onshore storage filled rapidly which then forced oil into floating storage, particularly as the crude oil futures curve moved into a steep contango.

Crude tanker spot rates have softened since the middle of May 2020 due to lower global oil production and the return of some ships from floating storage. The OPEC+ group implemented record oil production cuts of 9.7 million barrels per day (mb/d) from the beginning of May 2020, with Saudi Arabia, UAE and Kuwait pledging a further 1.2 mb/d of cuts during June 2020. Compliance with these cuts has been relatively high and has led to a significant reduction in crude trade volumes from May 2020 onwards. Oil production has also declined in non-OPEC countries due to the impact of weak oil prices, with total global oil production falling by 11.3 mb/d between April and May 2020 and by a further 2.4 mb/d during June 2020. According to the International Energy Agency, global oil production of 86.9 mb/d during June 2020 was the lowest in approximately nine years, which has weighed on tanker demand from May 2020 onwards. In addition, floating storage has come off from the record highs seen in May 2020 to around 250 ships, or 38 mdwt, storing 240 million barrels of oil as of end-July 2020. Taken together, a reduction in trade volumes, coupled with ships returning from floating storage, has put pressure on crude tanker spot rates during the latter part of the second quarter of 2020, and this weakness has continued into the early part of the third quarter of 2020.

Looking ahead to the second half of the year, global oil production is expected to increase as both OPEC and non-OPEC countries are expected to increase oil supply to the market. The OPEC+ group is set to return 2 mb/d of production from August 2020 onwards, though this may not all ultimately translate into additional export volumes, as Saudi Arabia has pledged to keep its extra production for domestic use during the summer months when local power demand is higher. Non-OPEC oil production could also start to rebound, with global oil prices having stabilized above $40 per barrel in recent weeks. In addition, global refinery throughput is expected to increase by approximately 9 mb/d between the second quarter and fourth quarter of 2020, which would create additional crude oil demand. Although a portion of this additional supply may be sourced from oil being pulled out of inventory – both onshore and offshore – we should nevertheless anticipate an increase in crude tanker demand during the second half of the year. However, this may be offset by ships returning to the trading fleet from floating storage and, therefore, the relative balance between recovering tanker demand and increasing fleet supply will determine crude tanker spot rates. Overall, we expect a relatively weaker crude tanker market during the second half of 2020, especially compared to the strong first half of 2020.

The long-term outlook remains very difficult to forecast due to significant uncertainties over the strength and pace of a potential oil demand recovery, with much depending on how various countries and regions manage to contain the spread of COVID-19 over the coming months. However, we remain encouraged by supportive fleet supply fundamentals, with the tanker orderbook currently at a 24-year low when measured as a percentage of the existing fleet. We are yet to see any meaningful tanker scrapping this year, but a period of lower rates could lead to higher levels of removals over the coming months, which would help limit fleet supply growth. Finally, new tanker ordering remains extremely low, and will likely remain so in the near future. Overall, we expect low levels of tanker fleet growth for at least the next two years.

In summary, the tanker market looks set for a more challenging period in the coming months following a very strong first half of the year. Although the demand outlook is highly uncertain, we remain encouraged by the tanker fleet supply fundamentals which appear much more favourable compared to prior market cycles.

Operating Results

The following table highlights the operating performance of the Company’s time-charter vessels and spot vessels trading in revenue sharing arrangements (RSAs), voyage charters and full service lightering, in each case measured in net revenues(i) per revenue day, or time-charter equivalent (TCE) rates, before off-hire bunker expenses and fees associated with vessels exiting the RSAs:

(i) Net revenues is a non-GAAP financial measure. Please refer to “Definitions and Non-GAAP Financial Measures” for a definition of this term.

(ii) Revenue days are the total number of calendar days the Company’s vessels were in its possession during a period, less the total number of off-hire days during the period associated with major repairs, dry dockings or special or intermediate surveys. Consequently, revenue days represent the total number of days available for the vessel to earn revenue. Idle days, which are days when the vessel is available to earn revenue but is not employed, are included in revenue days.

(iii) Includes vessels trading in the Teekay Suezmax RSA, Teekay Suezmax Classic RSA and non-pool voyage charters.

(iv) Prior to January 1, 2020, includes vessels trading in the Teekay Aframax RSA, Teekay Aframax Classic RSA, non-pool voyage charters and full service lightering voyages. Subsequent to January 1, 2020, includes Aframax vessels trading in the Teekay Aframax RSA, non-pool voyage charters and full service lightering voyages.

(v) Prior to January 1, 2020, includes vessels trading in the Teekay Taurus RSA and non-pool voyage charters. Subsequent to January 1, 2020, includes LR2 vessels trading in the Teekay Aframax RSA, non-pool voyage charters, and full service lightering voyages.

Third Quarter of 2020 Spot Tanker Rates Update

Below is Teekay Tankers’ spot tanker fleet update for the third quarter of 2020 to-date:

The portion of the Suezmax fleet trading on the spot market has secured TCE rates per revenue day of approximately $24,800 on average, with 57 percent of the available days fixed(1); and
The portion of the Aframax and LR2 fleet trading on the spot market has secured TCE rates per revenue day of approximately $15,200 on average, with 47 percent of the available days fixed(2)(3).

(1) Combined average TCE rate includes Teekay Suezmax RSA and non-pool voyage charters.

(2) Combined average TCE rate includes Teekay Aframax RSA, non-pool voyage charters and full service lightering voyages.

(3) As of January 1, 2020, the Company’s Aframax tankers and LR2 product tankers, excluding those employed under non-pool voyage charters and full service lightering voyages, are operating as a combined RSA under the Teekay Aframax RSA.

Teekay Tankers’ Fleet

The following table summarizes the Company’s fleet as of July 31, 2020:

Liquidity Update

As at June 30, 2020, the Company had total liquidity of $467.5 million (comprised of $167.9 million in cash and cash equivalents and $299.6 million in undrawn capacity from its credit facilities) compared to total liquidity of $368.1 million as at March 31, 2020.

Full Report

Source: Teekay Tankers

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