Modern Tanker Fleet Will Excel Yet Face Headwinds

Key Takeaways

• Modern, eco-efficient fleet and tightening global tanker supply enable premium rates, lower costs, and strong revenue and earnings growth amid environmental regulations and changing trade routes.
  
• Solid financial position, strategic contracts, and ongoing fleet renewal provide resilience, flexibility, and recurring revenues through varied market cycles.
  
• Weak oil demand growth, industry oversupply risks, rising operating costs, fleet cannibalization, and expensive regulatory demands threaten margins and long-term competitiveness.

Catalysts

Through its subsidiaries, operates as a marine transportation company worldwide.

• The company's modern, fuel-efficient fleet (average age 9.6 years vs. industry average of 14-15+ years, with 84% "Eco" vessels rising to ~90% by year-end) positions d'Amico to benefit from strengthening global environmental regulations that reward newer, more efficient ships-supporting premium charter rates, lower operating costs and improved net margins.
  
• Accelerating global refinery closures in Europe and the US, coupled with expanding refining capacity in Asia and the Middle East, continue to drive longer-haul product tanker trade routes and increase ton-mile demand, directly benefiting vessel utilization and revenue growth for d'Amico.
  
• Ongoing deleveraging and a strong net financial position (net debt to fleet market value down to 13% from 72.9% in 2018 and significant available cash) provide greater strategic flexibility for future growth investments while reducing financing costs, supporting higher net margins and earnings stability.
  
• High and rising levels of vessel sanctioning (nearly 10% of global tanker deadweight now sanctioned) and limited newbuild orders (MR/LR1 orders at lows not seen since 2007) are tightening global tanker supply, leading to sustained upward pressure on day rates and asset values, which is likely to support DIS's revenue and EBITDA growth in coming years.
  
• Adoption of contracts with global oil majors, strategic time charter cover (e.g., ~50% fixed at attractive rates), and ongoing investment in fleet renewal/expansion (four new LR1s for delivery in 2027) underpin recurring revenue streams and position DIS to capture future demand growth, supporting both revenue and earnings resilience through market cycles.

d'Amico International Shipping Future Earnings and Revenue Growth

Assumptions

• Analysts are assuming d'Amico International Shipping's revenue will decrease by 12.6% annually over the next 3 years.
• Analysts assume that profit margins will shrink from 26.3% today to 15.5% in 3 years time.
• Analysts expect earnings to reach $40.9 million (and earnings per share of $0.54) by about August 2028, down from $104.1 million today.
• In order for the above numbers to justify the analysts price target, the company would need to trade at a PE ratio of 18.2x on those 2028 earnings, up from 4.9x today. This future PE is greater than the current PE for the GB Oil and Gas industry at 14.9x.
• Analysts expect the number of shares outstanding to decline by 1.33% per year for the next 3 years.
• To value all of this in today's terms, we will use a discount rate of 6.92%, as per the Simply Wall St company report.

d'Amico International Shipping Future Earnings Per Share Growth

Risks

• Slower-than-expected growth in refining throughput and muted global oil demand projections, particularly with overall expected refining input increase only around 0.5 million barrels per day and OECD crude runs declining by 200,000 barrels per day, risks shrinking the addressable market for product tanker shipping and could depress d'Amico's revenues and vessel utilization over the long term.
  
• The possibility of a temporary supply glut due to accelerating newbuild deliveries in 2026–2027-especially with d'Amico taking delivery of four LR1 vessels and a broader market acceleration in deliveries-may exacerbate industry oversupply, lowering charter rates and pressuring company EBITDA and net margins.
  
• Persistent inflationary pressures on vessel operating expenses, particularly manning and insurance costs (with manning nearly half of total OpEx and insurance premiums rising on higher asset values), could erode net margins and reduce future profitability if not offset by higher TCE rates.
  
• Ongoing cannibalization of clean product cargoes by larger uncoated tankers (Suezmaxes and VLCCs, especially newbuilds being delivered), and increasing use of non-traditional tankers for CPP transport, could structurally reduce the earnings pool available to product tanker operators like d'Amico, impacting top-line revenue.
  
• Acceleration of environmental regulations and market expectation for further fleet decarbonization-requiring substantial ongoing investment in modern, compliant ships-poses long-term capex pressure; failure to keep pace could eventually make parts of the fleet less competitive and reduce d'Amico's ability to secure premium charter rates, impacting future returns.

Valuation

• The analysts have a consensus price target of €4.812 for d'Amico International Shipping based on their expectations of its future earnings growth, profit margins and other risk factors. However, there is a degree of disagreement amongst analysts, with the most bullish reporting a price target of €5.46, and the most bearish reporting a price target of just €3.87.
  
• In order for you to agree with the analyst's consensus, you'd need to believe that by 2028, revenues will be $263.7 million, earnings will come to $40.9 million, and it would be trading on a PE ratio of 18.2x, assuming you use a discount rate of 6.9%.
  
• Given the current share price of €3.83, the analyst price target of €4.81 is 20.4% higher. Despite analysts expecting the underlying buisness to decline, they seem to believe it's more valuable than what the market thinks.
  
• We always encourage you to reach your own conclusions though. So sense check these analyst numbers against your own assumptions and expectations based on your understanding of the business and what you believe is probable.