UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 OR 15(d) of The Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): November 10, 2025
GENCO SHIPPING & TRADING LIMITED
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
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Republic of the Marshall Islands
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001-33393
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98-0439758
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(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)
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(Commission file number)
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(I.R.S. employer identification no.)
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299 Park Avenue
12th Floor
New York, NY
(Address of principal executive offices)
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10171
(Zip code)
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Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (646)
443-8550
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):
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Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
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Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
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Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
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Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).
Emerging growth company ☐
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised
financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
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Title of each class
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Trading Symbol(s)
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Name of exchange on which registered
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Common stock, par value $0.01 per share
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GNK
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New York Stock Exchange (NYSE)
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Preferred Stock Purchase Rights
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N/A
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New York Stock Exchange (NYSE)
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| Item 1.01 |
Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.
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On November 10, 2025, Genco Shipping & Trading Limited (the “Company”) entered into the First Amendment to Shareholder Rights Agreement (the “Amendment”) to amend the Shareholder Rights Plan, dated as of
October 1, 2025 (the “Rights Agreement”), between the Company and Computershare Inc. Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined have the meanings given to them in the
Rights Agreement.
The Amendment amends and restates the definition of “Acquiring Person” to change the beneficial ownership threshold to become an Acquiring Person, thereby triggering the
Rights Plan, to 10% (or 15% in the case of any 13G Investor as defined below). The definition also excludes the Grandfathered Shareholder, a shareholder that currently has beneficial ownership of nearly 15% of our Common Stock, subject to
limitations discussed below.
The Board deemed the Amendment to be in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders and appropriate and proportionate based on its ongoing assessment of the
facts and circumstances following the Company’s entry into the Rights Agreement. These include the rapid accumulation of the Company’s Common Stock by a competitor and the possibility that the competitor could seek to transfer its position in whole
or in part.
The Rights Agreement remains similar to plans adopted by other public companies and is intended to enable all Company shareholders to realize the long-term value of
their investment. It is designed to reduce the likelihood that any entity, person, or group would gain control of or significant influence over the Company through open-market accumulation or other tactics potentially disadvantaging the interests of
all shareholders, without paying all shareholders an appropriate control premium. The Rights Agreement as amended by the Amendment will continue to provide the Board sufficient time to fulfill its fiduciary duties on behalf of all shareholders, and
it does not prevent the Board from considering any proposal. The Rights Agreement as amended is not intended to deter offers that are fair and otherwise in the best interest of the Company’s shareholders.
The Grandfathered Shareholder will lose its status as such if its beneficial ownership of
our Common Stock exceeds 15% or if it acquires additional shares of our Common Stock after its beneficial ownership percentage decreases but remains at 10% or greater. The Amendment defines “Grandfathered Shareholder” as Diana Shipping
Inc.; provided, however, that Diana Shipping Inc. shall cease to be the Grandfathered Shareholder at such time that it becomes the Beneficial Owner of more than the Grandfathered Percentage of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding. The
Amendment further defines the Grandfathered Percentage as the lesser of (x) 15% and (y) the percentage of the shares of Common Stock outstanding of which the Grandfathered Shareholder is the Beneficial Owner as of 4:00 p.m., New York City time, on
November 10, 2025; provided that, in the event the Grandfathered Shareholder shall sell, transfer, or otherwise dispose of any outstanding shares of Common Stock after such time or if the percentage of outstanding shares of Common Stock that such
Grandfathered Shareholder Beneficially Owns is reduced as a result of the issuance of additional securities of the Company, the Grandfathered Percentage shall, subsequent to such sale, transfer, disposition or dilutive event, mean the lesser of (i)
the Grandfathered Percentage as in effect immediately prior to such sale, transfer, disposition or dilutive event or (ii) the percentage of shares of Common stock outstanding that the Grandfathered Person Beneficially Owns immediately following such
sale, transfer, disposition or dilutive event.
The Amendment defines “13G Investor” a Beneficial Owner of Common Stock representing less
than 15% of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding, and that is entitled to file, and does file, a statement on Schedule 13G (“Schedule 13G”) pursuant to
Rule 13d-1(b) or Rule 13d-1(c) of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act as in effect on the date of this Agreement with respect to the Common Stock Beneficially Owned by such Person; provided that a Person who was deemed a 13G Investor shall immediately cease to be a 13G Investor for all purposes hereunder upon such Person filing a Schedule 13D with respect to the Common Stock Beneficially
Owned by such Person containing disclosure that is inconsistent with a representation that it has no plan or proposal that relates to or would result in any of the actions or events set forth in Item 4 of Schedule 13D and otherwise has no intent to
seek control of the Company (other than by voting the Common Stock over which such Person has voting power) (such filing of a Schedule 13D, an “Inconsistent 13D Filing”),
and shall be deemed an Acquiring Person if it is the Beneficial Owner of 10% or more of the Common Stock then outstanding at any point from the time it ceases to so be a 13G Investor.
In addition, the Amendment amends Exhibit C to the Rights Agreement to change the beneficial ownership threshold included in the summaries of each of the Distribution
Date, Exchange Provision and Redemption of Rights to 10% (or, in the case of a 13G Investor, 15%) of the company’s common stock.
In all other material respects, the Rights Agreement remains in full force and effect.
The foregoing description of the material terms of the Amendment does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the
Amendment, a copy of which is attached as Exhibit 4.1 and incorporated herein by reference.
| Item 3.03 |
Material Modification to Rights of Security Holders.
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The information set forth under Item 1.01 is incorporated herein by reference.
| Item 9.01 |
Financial Statements and Exhibits.
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Exhibit No.
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Description
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4.1
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First Amendment to Shareholder Rights Agreement, dated November 10, 2025
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104
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Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document)
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SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Genco Shipping & Trading Limited has duly caused this report to be signed on
its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
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GENCO SHIPPING & TRADING LIMITED
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DATE: November 10, 2025
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/s/ Peter Allen
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Peter Allen
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Chief Financial Officer
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EXHIBIT INDEX
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Exhibit No.
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Description
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4.1
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First Amendment to Shareholder Rights Agreement, dated November 10, 2025
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104
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Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document)
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