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The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights: Eagle Bulk Shipping, Euroseas, Genco Shipping & Trading, Navios Maritime Partners and Orient Overseas

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For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – May 14, 2021 – Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc. , Euroseas Ltd. (ESEA - Free Report) , Genco Shipping & Trading Limited (GNK - Free Report) , Navios Maritime Partners L.P. (NMM - Free Report) and Orient Overseas (International) Limited (OROVY - Free Report) .

Here are highlights from Thursday’s Analyst Blog:

Shipping Stocks Are Ripe for the Picking

While estimates vary depending on the source and region, maritime transport of goods is by far the most preferred mode across the world, accounting for 80-90% of the total volume transported.

Because ships take years to build, total shipping capacity generally changes only gradually over time, as global trade of merchandise increases. As global trade soared in the last few decades, ships could operate at higher capacity, thus lowering costs and also leading to the building of larger and larger ships. This came with its own share of challenges, since larger ships take longer to load and pressure the port and other infrastructure.

This, in turn, led to what has been described as the greatest transport revolution of the 20th century, i.e. containerization. Today, around 70% of global shipping uses containers that increase the efficiency of the loading process.

Maritime transport owes its popularity to its relatively low rates. So while air freight has been growing much faster in recent years, this trade is largely restricted to high-value items and finished goods that usually also have to reach the customer quickly.

Sea trade is a little different, consisting of raw materials mainly. Raw materials like petroleum travel in tankers from the Middle East and Africa to other parts of the world. Dry cargo, mainly bulk commodities like iron ore, coal, grain, phosphates and bauxite, as well as non-ferrous metal ores, feed and fertilizers, are carried in Capesize (150,000 tons capacity, carrying mainly iron ore and coal) and Panamax (60,000-70,000 tons capacity, carrying mainly coal and grain) vessels. Supramax (48,000-60,000 tons) and other vessels and liners carry general cargo, usually in containers.

According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the global fleet increased by 81 million deadweight tons (dwt) to 2.1 billion dwt between Jan 2020 and Jan 2021. Bulk carriers grew from a 36% share to a 43% share between 2010 and 2020; oil tankers shrank from a 35% share to a 29% share; and general cargo liners also shrank from 8% to 4%.

Construction was mainly in China (40.1%), Korea 25.2% and Japan 24.9%. Greece top owner with 18% of the total fleet, followed by Japan with 11%, China 11%, Singapore 7%, Hong Kong (5%), Europe 41% and North America 6%.

Shipping volumes have historically increased faster than global GDP. Since capacity doesn't change as rapidly, increased volumes have led to higher rates. This has been highly beneficial for maritime trade and the players in this industry.  

Of course, the global pandemic had a severe impact on trade volumes in 2020 and it came on top of a sluggish 2019, when trade wars arrested some of the trade. Things are looking up this year however, as manufacturing gathers momentum.

Since dry bulk goods are mainly raw materials, growth in this segment is a leading indicator of an expanding manufacturing sector. And since capacity is more or less fixed, shipping rates are a barometer of the segment's performance.

Accordingly, the Baltic Dry Index (BDI) – a proxy for global dry freight rates across 23 routes – surged to a 19-month high on April 21. The increase was mainly driven by higher rates for iron ore shipments between Brazil and China, and also from western Australia to China. On May 5, the BDI rose 57 points, with gains across capesize, panamax and supramax vessels.

Given the above, the Zacks Transportation - Shipping industry (top 37% of Zacks-ranked industries) looks pretty good right now. The industry has returned 26.1% year to date.

And as the global economy bounces back from the pandemic, trading volumes should remain high, leading to continued strength in the industry in the foreseeable future. As a result, the following Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks are worth picking up today-

Eagle Bulk Shipping

Eagle Bulk Shipping is the largest U.S. based owner of Handymax dry bulk vessels. Handymax dry bulk vessels range in size from 35,000 to 60,000 dwt, and transport cargoes like iron ore, coal, grain, cement and fertilizers.

This year, the company is expected to grow revenue and earnings by 58.9% and 299.1%, respectively. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the year jumped $4.06 (149.8%) in the last 30 days.

Euroseas

Euroseas Ltd. consolidates the ship owning interests of the Pittas family of Athens, Greece, which has been in the shipping business over the past 136 years. Euroseas operates in the dry cargo, dry bulk and container shipping markets. Its management and operations are carried out by Eurobulk Ltd. The company employs its vessels on spot and period charters and through pool arrangements.

This year, the company is expected to grow revenue and earnings by 46.5% and 674.1%, respectively. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the year jumped 93 cents (26.1%) in the last 30 days.

Genco Shipping & Trading

Genco Shipping & Trading Ltd. owns ships and transports iron ore, coal, grain, steel products and other dry bulk cargoes along shipping routes. The company's owned fleet consists of Capesize, Panamax, Ultramax, Supramax, Handymax and Handysize vessels.

This year, the company is expected to grow revenue and earnings by 39.1% and 722.9%, respectively. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the year jumped $1.31 (150.6%) in the last 30 days.

Navios Maritime Partners

Piraeus, Greece-based Navios Maritime Partners L.P. is an international owner and operator of dry cargo vessels. It transports dry bulk commodities like iron ore, coal, grains, fertilizers and charters its vessels under medium to long-term charters.

This year, the company is expected to grow revenue and earnings by 122.4% and 946.1%, respectively. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the year jumped $2.46 (35.9%) in the last 30 days.

Orient Overseas

Wanchai, Hong Kong-based Orient Overseas (International) Limited, through its subsidiaries, primarily offers container transport and logistics services, ports and terminals, and property investment. It also provides freight management services, extensive domestic distribution services and supply-chain management. Its container terminals form an integral part of its international containerized transportation business.

This year, the company is expected to grow revenue and earnings by 76.3% and $26.91, respectively. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the year jumped from $7.45 to $28.15 in the last 30 days.

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Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.

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