Company Description
Imperial Petroleum Inc. 8.75% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock (Nasdaq: IMPPP) represents a class of preferred equity issued by Imperial Petroleum Inc., a ship-owning company that provides petroleum products, crude oil and drybulk seaborne transportation services. The preferred shares are listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the ticker symbol IMPPP, alongside the company’s common stock, which trades under the symbol IMPP.
Imperial Petroleum Inc. focuses on international seaborne transportation through a fleet of tankers and drybulk carriers. According to multiple company disclosures, its fleet includes M.R. product tankers, suezmax tankers, handysize drybulk carriers, supramax drybulk carriers, kamsarmax drybulk vessels and, in some periods, a panamax drybulk carrier. Across these vessel classes, the company reports total fleet capacities measured in hundreds of thousands of deadweight tons and has disclosed a series of contracted acquisitions that are expected to increase its fleet size and aggregate deadweight tonnage.
The 8.75% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Shares are a distinct security from the common stock and have their own trading line (IMPPP) on Nasdaq. Company press releases describe these shares as cumulative preferred stock with a stated dividend rate of 8.75%. Imperial Petroleum has announced regular cash dividends on the Series A Preferred Shares, specifying per-share dividend amounts and record and payment dates in its public communications. The company has also disclosed the number of Series A Preferred Shares outstanding at various times and confirmed that these preferred shares are perpetual and redeemable according to their terms.
Imperial Petroleum’s public updates frequently highlight its fleet profile and expansion. In different announcements, the company has reported owning thirteen, seventeen, nineteen or more vessels on the water, with combinations of seven M.R. product tankers, two suezmax tankers and a growing group of drybulk carriers. It has also disclosed contracted acquisitions of additional handysize, supramax, kamsarmax and post panamax drybulk carriers, as well as a product tanker, which are expected to raise the total number of vessels and aggregate deadweight tonnage once delivered.
Alongside fleet information, Imperial Petroleum has reported financial and operating results for successive quarters and nine-month periods. These disclosures include revenues, net income, EBITDA and adjusted non-GAAP measures, as well as fleet utilization metrics such as calendar days, voyage days, charter days, spot days and operational utilization for both tanker and drybulk segments. The company has also discussed its cash and cash equivalents, time deposits, and, in certain periods, the absence of bank debt. These financial updates are furnished to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Form 6-K as current reports of a foreign private issuer.
Imperial Petroleum has also provided information on its capital raising activities. For example, it has announced a registered direct equity offering of common stock and warrants to institutional investors, made under an effective shelf registration statement on Form F-3. The company has indicated that net proceeds from such offerings are intended for working capital and general corporate purposes, including potential fleet expansion.
For investors analyzing the IMPPP preferred shares, company press releases and SEC filings provide context on dividend declarations, the cumulative nature of the preferred stock, and the relationship between preferred equity, common equity and the underlying shipping business. The company has also disclosed estimates of net asset value (NAV) based on vessel market values, investments and cash, less the liquidation value of outstanding preferred shares. These NAV estimates are presented as management’s snapshot calculations at specific dates and are described as dependent on assumptions and methodologies that may differ across companies and industries.
Imperial Petroleum’s regulatory filings on Form 6-K include press releases on quarterly and nine-month financial results, vessel acquisition agreements, proxy materials for annual meetings and annual report information. These documents, together with the company’s public announcements, form the primary source of information for understanding both the operating profile of the shipping business and the characteristics of its listed securities, including the IMPPP 8.75% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock.
Business focus and fleet profile
According to the company’s descriptions in multiple press releases, Imperial Petroleum Inc. is a ship-owning company engaged in transporting petroleum products, crude oil and drybulk cargoes by sea. Its fleet comprises:
- M.R. product tankers that carry refined petroleum products.
- Suezmax tankers used for crude oil transportation.
- Handysize, supramax, kamsarmax and post panamax drybulk carriers used for drybulk cargoes.
The company has reported that its fleet capacity, measured in deadweight tons, has increased over time as a result of vessel acquisitions. It has also disclosed details of specific vessel deliveries and the timing of contracted acquisitions, as well as the mix between time charter and spot employment for its vessels during different reporting periods.
Capital structure and listed securities
Imperial Petroleum Inc. has two classes of securities listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market:
- Common stock, trading under the symbol IMPP.
- 8.75% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock, trading under the symbol IMPPP.
In its public announcements, the company has described the IMPPP preferred shares as cumulative, with a stated dividend rate of 8.75%. It has periodically declared dividends on the Series A Preferred Shares, specifying the dividend amount per share, the dividend period covered, the record date and the payment date. The company has also disclosed the number of Series A Preferred Shares outstanding as of particular dates.
Imperial Petroleum has reported that both its common stock and Series A Preferred Shares are listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market. The company has also indicated that certain capital raising transactions, such as registered direct offerings of common stock and warrants, are conducted under effective shelf registration statements filed with the SEC.
Regulatory reporting and governance
As a foreign private issuer, Imperial Petroleum Inc. furnishes current reports on Form 6-K under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These filings include press releases on financial and operating results, vessel acquisition agreements, and other material information. The company has also filed proxy materials and annual report information as exhibits to Form 6-K, indicating the availability of a proxy statement for its annual meeting of stockholders and an annual report covering the prior year.
In one Form 6-K, Imperial Petroleum disclosed agreements to acquire three Japanese-built drybulk carriers from entities affiliated with Brave Maritime Corp Inc., with a portion of the purchase price payable in shares of the company’s common stock. The filing notes that the transaction with Brave Maritime, which is affiliated with members of the Vafias family, was approved by the independent directors of the company.
IMPPP preferred stock characteristics
While the detailed terms of the 8.75% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Shares are set out in the company’s registration statements and related offering documents, the company’s press releases highlight several key features:
- The Series A Preferred Shares carry a stated dividend rate of 8.75%.
- They are described as cumulative, meaning declared dividends accumulate according to the terms set out in the governing documents.
- The shares are redeemable and perpetual, as reflected in their full designation.
- The Series A Preferred Shares trade separately from the common stock under the Nasdaq ticker IMPPP.
Imperial Petroleum has publicly announced regular dividends on the Series A Preferred Shares, and has provided information on the number of preferred shares outstanding at the time of each declaration.
Use of net asset value and fleet metrics
In one of its announcements, Imperial Petroleum presented a management estimate of net asset value (NAV) per common share. The company explained that this estimate was based on the market value of vessels in the fleet, its investment in another company, and cash balances, less the liquidation value of outstanding preferred shares. The company emphasized that this NAV estimate represents a snapshot in time, is based on assumptions and estimates, and does not represent the amount a stockholder would receive for shares of common stock.
Across its financial updates, Imperial Petroleum has also provided detailed fleet metrics, including the average number of vessels owned during a period, total calendar days, voyage days, charter days, spot days, fleet utilization and operational utilization. These metrics are used by the company to describe the deployment and performance of its tanker and drybulk fleets over time.
Position within the deep sea freight transportation industry
Imperial Petroleum Inc. operates in the deep sea freight transportation segment of the transportation and warehousing sector, focusing on seaborne transportation of petroleum products, crude oil and drybulk cargoes. Its business model, as described in its public communications, centers on owning and operating a fleet of tankers and drybulk carriers that are employed under a mix of time charter and spot market arrangements.
The IMPPP 8.75% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock provides investors with exposure to a specific layer of the company’s capital structure that is distinct from the common equity. Information about this preferred stock, including dividend declarations, outstanding share counts and its role in net asset value calculations, is provided through the company’s press releases and SEC filings.