Company Description
Flex LNG Ltd. (ticker: FLNG) is an energy shipping company focused on the growing market for Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). According to company announcements, Flex LNG operates a fleet of thirteen LNG carriers "on the water," all described as modern, state-of-the-art vessels equipped with the latest generation two-stroke propulsion technology (MEGI and X-DF). These propulsion systems are highlighted by the company as offering significant improvements in fuel efficiency and carbon footprint compared with older steam and four-stroke propelled ships.
Flex LNG is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol FLNG. Company disclosures also state that its shares have been listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange, with an approved delisting from Euronext Oslo Børs and a last day of listing there set to occur, after which the stock is to be listed exclusively on the NYSE. Flex LNG is organized as a foreign private issuer and files reports with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Form 20-F and Form 6-K.
Business focus and fleet characteristics
The company describes itself as a shipping company focused on LNG. Its business centers on operating LNG carriers that transport liquefied natural gas. The fleet consists of thirteen LNG carriers that the company characterizes as next-generation or state-of-the-art ships, with large cargo capacity referenced in earlier descriptions and with modern two-stroke MEGI or X-DF propulsion across all vessels. Company communications emphasize that these modern propulsion systems provide advantages in the form of reduced fuel consumption and lower boil-off rates, which in turn contribute to lower emissions intensity compared with older vessel designs.
Flex LNG’s public materials also reference a number of individual vessels by name, such as Flex Aurora, Flex Resolute, Flex Artemis, Flex Amber, Flex Constellation, Flex Courageous, Flex Volunteer, Flex Freedom, Flex Vigilant, Flex Enterprise, Flex Rainbow and others, in the context of drydockings, special surveys, sale-and-leaseback transactions, and financing arrangements. These references illustrate that the company’s operations involve both long-term charter contracts and activity in the spot market for LNG shipping, as well as ongoing technical maintenance through scheduled drydockings and special surveys.
Capital markets presence and financing activity
Flex LNG maintains an active presence in the capital markets. The company issues regular earnings releases for its quarterly and half-year periods via press releases that are furnished to the SEC on Form 6-K. These releases discuss vessel operating revenues, net income, Time Charter Equivalent (TCE) rates, adjusted EBITDA and adjusted net income, as well as dividend declarations per share. The company also highlights its charter backlog in years and references a balance sheet position that supports its financing activities.
Company disclosures describe a series of financing and refinancing transactions related to specific vessels. Examples include term loan facilities with international shipping banks, sale and leaseback agreements with Asian-based lease providers for vessels such as Flex Courageous and Flex Resolute, and other facilities referenced under names like the $320 million sale and leaseback and various term loan tranches. These financings are described as having multi-year tenors, floating-rate structures tied to benchmarks such as SOFR plus a margin, and repayment profiles based on vessel age-adjusted schedules. Flex LNG has also announced a Balance Sheet Optimization Program, under which it reports securing new financing, extending debt maturities, and releasing net proceeds.
In addition to debt financing, Flex LNG’s board has authorized a share repurchase program allowing the company to repurchase a specified dollar amount of its outstanding shares listed on the NYSE and Oslo Stock Exchange within a defined period, subject to market conditions and applicable regulations. The company has also repeatedly declared quarterly cash dividends per share, with press releases noting a series of consecutive ordinary quarterly dividends of the same stated amount and, when including special dividends, a substantial total amount returned to shareholders over multiple years.
Corporate governance and incentive structures
Flex LNG’s board of directors has approved a long-term incentive plan (LTIP) that grants synthetic options to management and employees. According to the company’s press release and accompanying Form 6-K, up to 187,142 synthetic options were granted under this plan. These synthetic options have a five-year term, vest over a three-year period in three equal tranches, and are settled in cash based on the difference between the company’s share price and the exercise price on the date of exercise. The exercise price is subject to adjustment for dividends paid before exercise. Grants to senior executives are subject to caps on maximum annual gain, and the plan is implemented under a synthetic option scheme approved by the board.
Flex LNG also discloses transactions by persons discharging managerial responsibilities (PDMRs) and persons closely associated with them, in accordance with European market abuse regulations and the Norwegian Securities Trading Act. These disclosures provide transparency around option grants and other transactions involving key executives.
Regulatory reporting and jurisdiction
As a foreign private issuer, Flex LNG files an annual report on Form 20-F and furnishes current information on Form 6-K with the SEC. The company’s Form 6-K filings often incorporate by reference press releases announcing earnings results, financing transactions, incentive plans, share buyback programs, and exchange listing developments. The filings also reference the company’s registration statements on Form F-3, Form F-3ASR and Form S-8, which provide for securities offerings and employee equity compensation, respectively.
Flex LNG is registered in Bermuda, with SEC filings listing Hamilton, Bermuda, as the location associated with the registrant. The company’s announcements frequently note that its information is subject to the disclosure requirements of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act, reflecting its historical listing on the Oslo Stock Exchange and the regulatory framework applicable to that market.
Dividends, listings and shareholder returns
Company press releases describe a pattern of quarterly dividend declarations, specifying a per-share amount, record dates, and payment dates for shareholders on both the Oslo Stock Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange. The releases also specify ex-dividend dates for each exchange and note that the same per-share dividend applies to both listings. In one release, the company states that the Oslo Stock Exchange has approved the delisting of Flex LNG stock, with a last day of listing there, after which the shares will trade exclusively on the NYSE.
Flex LNG’s communications emphasize that its dividend decisions are supported by its financial performance, charter backlog, and balance sheet. The company also notes that its share repurchase program is independent of dividend considerations, indicating that both dividends and buybacks may be used as mechanisms for returning capital to shareholders, subject to board authorization and prevailing conditions.
Risk disclosures and forward-looking statements
Flex LNG’s press releases and Form 6-K filings include extensive forward-looking statements disclaimers. These sections explain that statements about plans, objectives, strategies, future events or performance are forward-looking and subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies beyond the company’s control. The company notes that such statements are based on assumptions drawn from historical operating trends, internal records, and third-party data, and that actual results may differ materially from those projected. The company explicitly references the safe harbor protections of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and declines any obligation to update forward-looking statements except as required by law.
Risk-related disclosures in the filings and attached materials refer to factors such as the company’s ability to enter into and deliver vessels under time charters or other employment arrangements, competition for chartering and newbuilding opportunities, maintenance and replacement capital expenditures, regulatory compliance (including environmental regulations and standards imposed by charterers), availability of skilled labor and vessel crews, and potential business disruptions, including supply chain and port congestion.
Position within the LNG shipping segment
Based on its own descriptions, Flex LNG positions itself within the LNG shipping segment of the broader energy and oil & gas midstream sector. Its focus on a homogenous fleet of thirteen modern LNG carriers with MEGI and X-DF propulsion, and its emphasis on fuel efficiency and reduced carbon footprint relative to older steam and four-stroke vessels, indicate a strategy centered on modern tonnage in the LNG transportation market. The company’s references to spot market exposure, long-term charters, and charter backlog underscore its participation in both shorter-term and multi-year LNG shipping contracts.
Investors and analysts reviewing Flex LNG (FLNG) can use this overview as a starting point for understanding the company’s business focus, fleet characteristics, capital structure, incentive plans, and regulatory reporting framework, as described in its public disclosures and SEC filings.