LONDON, Aug. 7, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Highlights


    --  Navigator Holdings Ltd. (NYSE: NVGS) (the "Company") reported operating
        revenue of $74.4 million for the three months ended June 30, 2017.
    --  Net income was $2.3 million for the three months ended June 30, 2017
        with earnings per share of $0.04.
    --  Utilization increased to 89.2% for the six months ended June 30, 2017
        compared to 86.8% for the six months ended June 30, 2016.
    --  Adjusted EBITDA((1)) was $30.6 million for the three months ended June
        30, 2017.
    --  Took delivery of Navigator Yauza a handysize semi-refrigerated ice class
        vessel from HMD, on April 5, 2017. The vessel commenced a long-term time
        charter following delivery.
    --  Took delivery of Navigator Jorf a midsize fully-refrigerated vessel from
        HMD on July 20, 2017. The vessel will commence on a long-term time
        charter later this month.
    --  On June 30, 2017, the Company entered into a new $160.8 million secured
        term loan and revolving credit facility, to refinance a loan with an
        outstanding balance of $143.0 million, that was due to mature in
        February 2018.
    --  The Company has benefited from increasing demand for the transportation
        of petrochemicals gases, with the proportion of our total revenue from
        long-haul trade increasing to 53% in the second quarter 2017 from 42% in
        the second quarter 2016.
    --  On July 12, 2017, the Company and Enterprise Product Partners L.P.
        announced the execution of a letter of intent to jointly develop an
        ethylene marine export terminal on the Houston Ship Channel. We have
        extensive experience with ethylene shipping through our fleet of 14
        ethylene-capable vessels that provide a virtual pipeline to deliver
        ethylene to consuming customers.

Charter revenue for the three months ended June 30, 2017 remained significantly focused around the petrochemical sector, as was the case during the first quarter of 2017. The petrochemical contracts of affreightment we hold for transporting ethylene from the U.S. and a broad spectrum of olefins from Brazil have been active. We have also entered into two time charters for two of our fully-refrigerated vessels during the second quarter of 2017, with one vessel transporting LPG to Mexico and the other transporting LPG to southern Africa, a new market for us. Such commitments, along with our other time charters, have provided support to our business in a period when the LPG segment continues to experience headwinds. Earnings across all LPG shipping segments continue to be weak, with the Very Large Gas Carrier Baltic index reaching a floor at $6,000 earnings per day. Uncertainties with the geographical location, timings and quantities of usual petrochemical supplies from the Middle East and Europe have limited spot activity for our voyage charter vessels during the three months ended June 30, 2017.

Going into the second half of the year, we are committed to transport incremental ethylene volume from Europe to Asia on two of our ethylene capable vessels and in addition we will deliver two separate ethylene vessels to Braskem on three year charters for the commencement of their ethane contracts. We believe that these two contracts, combined with existing charter commitments, will help support fleet employment and utilization for the second half of 2017.

(1) EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are non-GAAP financial measures. EBITDA represents net income before net interest expense, income taxes and depreciation and amortization. Adjusted EBITDA represents net income before net interest expense, income taxes, depreciation and amortization and the write off of deferred financing costs. Management believes that EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are useful to investors in evaluating the operating performance of the Company. EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA do not represent and should not be considered as alternatives to any financial measure prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP, and our calculation of EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA may not be comparable to that reported by other companies. See the table below for a reconciliation of EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA to net income, our most directly comparable financial measure calculated accordance with U.S. GAAP.

Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

The following table sets forth a reconciliation of net income to EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA for the three months ended June 30, 2017:




                                                         $       '000's

    Net income                                                   $2,254

    Interest expense                                              9,372

    Interest income                                              (119 )

    Income taxes                                                    130

    Depreciation and amortization                                18,304


    EBITDA                                                      $29,941

    Write off of deferred financing
     costs                                                          627


    Adjusted EBITDA                                             $30,568

A Form 6-K with more detailed information on our second quarter 2017 financial results is being filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission simultaneous with this release for the quarter ended June 30, 2017.

Conference Call Details:

Tomorrow, Tuesday, August 8, 2017, at 9:00 A.M. ET, the Company's management team will host a conference call to discuss the financial results.

Participants should dial into the call 10 minutes before the scheduled time using the following numbers: 1 (866) 819-7111 (US Toll Free Dial In), 0(800) 953-0329 (UK Toll Free Dial In) or +44 (0)1452-542-301 (Standard International Dial In). Please quote "Navigator" to the operator.

There will also be a live, and then archived, webcast of the conference call, available through the Company's website (www.navigatorgas.com). Participants to the live webcast should register on the website approximately 10 minutes prior to the start of the webcast.

A telephonic replay of the conference call will be available until Tuesday, August 15, 2017 by dialing 1(866) 247-4222 (US Toll Free Dial In), 0(800) 953-1533 (UK Toll Free Dial In) or +44 (0)1452 550-000 (Standard International Dial In). Access Code: 11870348#

Navigator Gas

Attention: Investor Relations
New York: 650 Madison Ave, 25th Floor, New York, NY 10022. Tel: +1 212 355 5893
London: 10 Bressenden Place, London, SW1E 5DH. Tel: +44 (0)20 7340 4850

About Us

Navigator Gas is the owner and operator of the world's largest fleet of handysize liquefied gas carriers and provides international and regional seaborne transportation services of liquefied petroleum gas, petrochemical gases and ammonia for energy companies, industrial users and commodity traders. Navigator's fleet consists of 38 semi- or fully-refrigerated liquefied gas carriers, including one newbuilding scheduled for delivery by the end of October 2017.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

Statements included in this press release concerning plans and objectives of management for future operations or economic performance, or assumptions related thereto, including our financial forecast, contain forward-looking statements. In addition, we and our representatives may from time to time make other oral or written statements that are also forward-looking statements. Such statements include, in particular, statements about our plans, strategies, business prospects, changes and trends in our business and the markets in which we operate as described in this press release. In some cases, you can identify the forward-looking statements by the use of words such as "may," "could," "should," "would," "expect," "plan," "anticipate," "intend," "forecast," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "propose," "potential," "continue," or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to:


    --  future operating or financial results;
    --  pending acquisitions, business strategy and expected capital spending;
    --  operating expenses, availability of crew, number of off-hire days,
        drydocking requirements and insurance costs;
    --  fluctuations in currencies and interest rates;
    --  general market conditions and shipping market trends, including charter
        rates and factors affecting supply and demand;
    --  our financial condition and liquidity, including our ability to
        refinance our indebtedness as it matures or obtain additional financing
        in the future to fund capital expenditures, acquisitions and other
        corporate activities;
    --  estimated future capital expenditures needed to preserve our capital
        base;
    --  our expectations about the receipt of our remaining newbuilding and the
        timing of the receipt thereof;
    --  our expectations about the availability of vessels to purchase, the time
        that it may take to construct new vessels, or the useful lives of our
        vessels;
    --  our continued ability to enter into long-term, fixed-rate time charters
        with our customers;
    --  changes in governmental rules and regulations or actions taken by
        regulatory authorities;
    --  potential liability from future litigation;
    --  our expectations relating to the payment of dividends;
    --  our expectation regarding providing in-house technical management for
        certain vessels in our fleet and our success in providing such in-house
        technical management;
    --  our ability to enter into a definitive agreement with Enterprise
        regarding the proposed joint development of an ethylene marine export
        terminal on the Houston Ship Channel, our expectations regarding the
        ability to obtain sufficient long-term customer commitments for such
        terminal, and our expectations regarding the financial success of such
        terminal; and
    --  other factors detailed from time to time in other periodic reports we
        file with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

We expressly disclaim any obligation to update or revise any of these forward-looking statements, whether because of future events, new information, a change in our views or expectations, or otherwise. We make no prediction or statement about the performance of our common stock.




                                                                                         Navigator Holdings Ltd


                                                                                      Consolidated Balance Sheets

                                                                                              (Unaudited)


                                                                                                                         December 31,             June 30,

                                                                                                                                             2016                2017
                                                                                                                                             ----                ----

                                                                                                                  (in thousands except share
                                                                                                                             data)

    Assets

    Current assets

    Cash and cash equivalents                                                                                                             $57,272             $28,798

    Short-term investments                                                                                                                      -             25,000

    Accounts receivable, net                                                                                                                7,059              13,150

    Accrued income                                                                                                                         13,134              12,688

    Prepaid expenses and other current assets                                                                                               8,541              11,317

    Bunkers and lubricant oils                                                                                                              6,937               7,398

    Insurance recoverable                                                                                                                     855                 370
                                                                                                                                              ---                 ---

    Total current assets                                                                                                                   93,798              98,721


    Non-current assets

    Vessels in operation, net                                                                                                           1,480,359           1,638,217

    Vessels under construction                                                                                                            150,492              55,077

    Property, plant and equipment, net                                                                                                        194               1,578
                                                                                                                                              ---               -----

    Total non-current assets                                                                                                            1,631,045           1,694,872
                                                                                                                                        ---------           ---------

    Total assets                                                                                                                       $1,724,843          $1,793,593
                                                                                                                                       ==========          ==========


    Liabilities and stockholders' equity

    Current liabilities

    Current portion of long-term debt, net of deferred financing costs                                                                    $78,464             $71,959

    Senior unsecured bond                                                                                                                  25,000                   -

    Accounts payable                                                                                                                        6,388               7,889

    Accrued expenses and other liabilities                                                                                                 11,377              10,578

    Accrued interest                                                                                                                        2,932               4,917

    Deferred income                                                                                                                         3,522               3,438
                                                                                                                                            -----               -----

    Total current liabilities                                                                                                             127,683              98,781
                                                                                                                                          -------              ------


    Non-current liabilities

    Secured term loan facilities, net of current portion and deferred financing costs                                                     540,680             632,401

    Senior unsecured bond                                                                                                                 100,000             100,000
                                                                                                                                          -------             -------

    Total non-current liabilities                                                                                                         640,680             732,401
                                                                                                                                          -------             -------

    Total liabilities                                                                                                                     768,363             831,182

    Commitments and contingencies (see note 9)

    Stockholders' equity

    Common stock-$.01 par value; 400,000,000 shares authorized;                                                                               554                 555
           55,531,831 shares issued and outstanding, (2016: 55,436,087)

    Additional paid-in capital                                                                                                            588,024             588,797

    Accumulated other comprehensive loss                                                                                                   (287 )             (122 )

    Retained earnings                                                                                                                     368,189             373,181
                                                                                                                                          -------             -------

    Total stockholders' equity                                                                                                            956,480             962,411
                                                                                                                                          -------             -------

    Total liabilities and stockholders' equity                                                                                         $1,724,843          $1,793,593
                                                                                                                                       ==========          ==========



                                                         Navigator Holdings Ltd


                                                   Consolidated Statements of Income

                                                              (Unaudited)


                                                                                               Three months ended                       Six months ended

                                                                                                June 30,                              June 30,

                                                                                       (in thousands except share            (in thousands except share
                                                                                                    data)                                 data)

                                                                                            2016                    2017               2016                     2017
                                                                                            ----                    ----               ----                     ----

    Revenues

    Operating revenue                                                                      $72,541                 $74,381           $148,916                 $151,700




    Expenses

    Brokerage commissions                                                                  1,508                   1,389              3,009                    2,914

    Voyage expenses                                                                        9,326                  13,516             16,419                   28,515

    Vessel operating expenses                                                             23,712                  25,001             46,117                   48,906

    Depreciation and amortization                                                         15,275                  18,304             29,851                   35,938

    General and administrative costs                                                       3,103                   3,578              6,060                    6,330

    Other corporate expenses                                                                 683                     329              1,233                      952


    Total operating expenses                                                              53,607                  62,117            102,689                  123,555



    Operating income                                                                      18,934                  12,264             46,227                   28,145


    Other income/(expense)

    Interest expense                                                                     (7,702)                (9,372)          (15,485)                (18,298)

    Write off of deferred financing costs                                           -                (627)                  -                  (1,281)

    Write off of call premium and                                                   -                    -                 -                  (3,517)

    redemption charges on 9% unsecured

    bond

    Interest income                                                                           91                     119                169                      232


    Income before income taxes                                                            11,323                   2,384             30,911                    5,281

    Income taxes                                                                           (202)                  (130)             (396)                   (289)


    Net income                                                                             $11,121                  $2,254            $30,515                   $4,992



    Earnings per share:

    Basic:                                                                                   $0.20                   $0.04              $0.55                    $0.09

    Diluted:                                                                                 $0.20                   $0.04              $0.55                    $0.09



    Weighted average number of shares outstanding:

    Basic:                                                                            55,437,695              55,531,831         55,401,805               55,488,984

    Diluted:                                                                          55,812,935              55,905,571         55,778,768               55,862,724



                                                                              Navigator Holdings Ltd


                                                                      Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

                                                                                   (Unaudited)


                                                                                                            Six Months ended           Six Months ended

                                                                                                                June 30,                   June 30,

                                                                                                                                  2016                         2017
                                                                                                                                  ----                         ----

                                                                                                             (in thousands)             (in thousands)

    Cash flows from operating activities

    Net income                                                                                                                 $30,515                       $4,992

    Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash
      provided by operating activities

    Depreciation and amortization                                                                                               29,851                       35,938

    Payment of drydocking costs                                                                                               (7,309 )                        (33)

    Insurance claim debtor                                                                                                      (292 )                           -

    Call option premium on redemption of 9.00% unsecured bond                                                                        -                       2,500

    Prior year expenses recovered in insurance claim                                                                                 -                       (504)

    Amortization of share-based compensation                                                                                       787                          773

    Amortization of deferred financing costs                                                                                     1,471                        2,508

    Unrealized foreign exchange                                                                                                     25                          155

    Changes in operating assets and liabilities

    Accounts receivable                                                                                                         (243 )                    (6,091 )

    Inventories                                                                                                                (2,334)                      (461 )

    Accrued income and prepaid expenses and other current assets                                                             (10,092 )                    (2,329 )

    Accounts payable, accrued interest and other liabilities                                                                   (3,336)                       2,604
                                                                                                                                ------                        -----

    Net cash provided by operating activities                                                                                   39,043                       40,052
                                                                                                                                ------                       ------

    Cash flows from investing activities

    Payment to acquire vessels                                                                                                 (1,141)                    (1,352 )

    Payment for vessels under construction                                                                                   (84,665 )                   (97,147 )

    Purchase of other property, plant and equipment                                                                              (25 )                    (1,506 )

    Receipt of shipyard penalty payments                                                                                           417                          280

    Insurance recoveries                                                                                                         4,700                          991

    Capitalized costs for the repairs of Navigator Aries                                                                      (8,732 )                           -

    Placement of short term investment                                                                                               -                   (25,000 )
                                                                                                                                   ---                    --------

    Net cash used in investing activities                                                                                     (89,446)                  (123,734 )
                                                                                                                               -------                    ---------

    Cash flows from financing activities

    Proceeds from secured term loan facilities                                                                                  62,300                      142,508

    Issuance of 7.75% senior unsecured bonds                                                                                         -                     100,000

    Repayment of 9.00% senior unsecured bonds                                                                                        -                  (127,500 )

    Issuance costs of 7.75% senior unsecured bonds                                                                                   -                    (1,819 )

    Direct financing costs of senior term loan facilities                                                                       (155 )                           -

    Repayment of secured term loan facilities                                                                                (32,658 )                   (57,981 )
                                                                                                                              --------                     --------

    Net cash provided by financing activities                                                                                   29,487                       55,208
                                                                                                                                ------                       ------

    Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents                                                                                (20,916 )                   (28,474 )

    Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period                                                                            87,779                       57,272
                                                                                                                                ------                       ------

    Cash and cash equivalents at end of period                                                                                 $66,863                      $28,798
                                                                                                                               =======                      =======


    Supplemental Information

    Total interest paid during the period, net of amounts capitalized                                                          $16,193                      $15,799
                                                                                                                               =======                      =======

    Total tax paid during the period                                                                                              $370                         $317
                                                                                                                                  ====                         ====

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SOURCE Navigator Gas