Nordic American Tankers Ltd (NYSE: NAT) – Report as per June 30, 2026 – The direction of NAT is unquestionably upwards – rates & values are up
Rhea-AI Summary
Nordic American Tankers (NYSE: NAT) reports strong operating and financial momentum as of June 30, 2026. Three ships previously stuck in the Arabian Gulf since February 28, 2026 have exited the area, with one 2003-built vessel sold for $26 million. Spot market rates for NAT vessels are reported in the $60,000–$90,000 per day range, versus operating costs below $10,000 per day, contributing to cash of $175 million.
For Q2 2026, NAT declared a cash dividend of $0.27 per share, up from $0.22 in Q1, its 116th consecutive quarterly dividend, payable September 24, 2026 to holders of record on September 10, 2026. Time charter equivalent (TCE) averaged $63,000 per day per ship in Q2 versus $47,600 in Q1, while Q3 bookings cover about 75% of the fleet at about $54,000 per day per ship. Q2 2026 net result was $68.3 million, compared with $46.3 million in the previous quarter. As of June 30, 2026, the NAT fleet comprised 17 vessels with 2 ships on order.
Positive
- Dividend increase to $0.27 per share for Q2 2026 from $0.22 in Q1
- 116 consecutive quarterly cash dividends since September 1996
- Q2 2026 net result of $68.3 million vs. $46.3 million prior quarter
- Q2 2026 TCE of $63,000/day/ship vs. $47,600/day/ship in Q1
- Strong Q3 visibility with ~75% of fleet booked at about $54,000/day/ship
- Cash balance of $175 million supported by spot rates of $60,000–$90,000/day and opex below $10,000/day
Negative
- Three ships were stuck in the Arabian Gulf from February 28, 2026 until recently
- A NAT ship was attacked in the Black Sea during the period, highlighting operational risk
- Company notes that geopolitical uncertainty is expected to continue affecting its business environment
Key Figures
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | 24h Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 23 | operating update | Positive | +0.9% | Ships released from Arabian Gulf and strong tanker-market conditions highlighted |
| Jul 14 | market update | Positive | +3.3% | Scarce vessels, high rates, and released ships supported the update |
| Jul 10 | insider transaction | Positive | +4.6% | Founder bought 100,000 shares, increasing his personal holding |
| Jul 02 | fleet update | Positive | +4.5% | Three ships passed Hormuz and rejoined international operations |
| Jun 25 | insider transaction | Positive | -3.3% | Vice chairman purchased 145,000 shares and increased his stake |
24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.
NAT's recent news reactions were usually aligned with positive announcements, with four positive reactions and one divergence.
Key Terms
time charter equivalent financial
suezmax technical
vetting performance technical
AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
Thursday, August 27, 2026
Dear Shareholders and Investors,
In our report to you a short while ago, we described how Nordic American Tankers Ltd (NAT) fared this summer. Summary:
We succeeded in getting three of our NAT ships through the Hormuz strait, leaving the area. The three ships had been stuck in the Arabian Gulf since February 28th, 2026, when hostilities between Iran and the US began. Two of the ships are now trading internationally and one, built in 2003, has been sold at USD 26 million. Our Hormuz action was essential and solved a serious problem on our hands. NAT is in the best market that we have seen for decades. The vessels collect in the range of USD 60,000 – USD 90,000 a day in the spot market, sometimes even more. The major oil companies are our main customers. Operating costs are below USD 10,000/day, resulting in a substantial accumulation of cash, which now stands at USD 175 million. A month ago, a NAT ship was attacked in the Black Sea, but we managed to get away, and the vessel is out of danger. The safety of the crew is always our main concern. As a policy we ensure that banks do not influence our business. Presently, NAT has the financial partners A) Dallas based Beal Bank and B) Ocean Yield. Although we are only halfway through the year, 2026 promises to be the best year for NAT since it was first listed on the stock exchange in 1995.
HIGHLIGHTS:
- THE DIVIDEND FOR Q2 2026 IS 27 CENTS (
$0.27) PER SHARE, UP FROM 22 CENTS IN THE PREVIOUS QUARTER. THIS IS THE 116TH CONSECUTIVE QUARTERLY CASH DIVIDEND SINCE NAT BECAME STOCK LISTED SEPTEMBER 15, 1996. DIVIDEND IS PAYABLE SEPTEMBER 24, 2026, TO SHAREHOLDERS ON RECORD AS OF SEPTEMBER 10, 2026. - THE TIME CHARTER EQUIVALENT (TCE) FOR OUR SHIPS CAME IN AT
$63,000 PER DAY PER SHIP DURING THE SECOND QUARTER. THIS COMPARES WITH$47,600 PER DAY PER SHIP IN THE PREVIOUS QUARTER. THIRD QUARTER BOOKINGS CONTINUE THE STRONG TREND WITH ABOUT75% OF OUR FLEET BOOKED AT ABOUT$54,000 PER DAY PER SHIP. - THE NET RESULT FOR THE SECOND QUARTER 2026 WAS
$68.3 MILLION COMPARED TO THE PREVIOUS QUARTER THAT PRODUCED A NET RESULT OF$46.3 MILLION . - GEOPOLITICAL UNCERTAINTY WE SEE NOW IS NOT A NEW FEATURE IN OUR BUSINESS. WE EXPECT THAT THIS UNCERTAINTY WILL CONTINUE. WE BELIEVE DEMAND FOR OUR SERVICES WILL CONTINUE TO BE STRONG. OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS OUR VESSELS HAVE LOADED/DISCHARGED IN 68 COUNTRIES, PROVIDING US WITH SOME INSIGHT INTO GLOBAL AFFAIRS.
- THE TOP QUALITY OF THE NAT VESSELS IS REFLECTED IN THE VETTING PERFORMANCE (THE SCORE CARD) UNDERTAKEN BY THE MAJOR OIL COMPANIES. THEY LEASE ABOUT
50% OF OUR VESSELS. AS PER JUNE 30, 2026, THE NAT FLEET CONSIST OF 17 VESSELS. WE HAVE TWO SHIPS ON ORDER. - THANKS TO CAREFUL VOYAGE PLANNING OF OUR VESSELS, EMISSIONS ARE REDUCED.
PROSPECTS FOR NAT ARE EXCELLENT.
Please see the enclosed comprehensive report for further information.
For further information on Nordic American Tankers. Please see our web page www.nat.bm
Sincerely,
Herbjorn Hansson
Founder, Chairman & CEO
Nordic American Tankers Ltd. www.nat.bm
Contacts:
Bjørn Giæver, CFO
Nordic American Tankers Ltd
Tel: +1 888 755 8391
Alexander Kihle, Finance Manager
Nordic American Tankers Ltd
Tel: +47 91 724 171
Attachment