freight shipping company star bulk carriers (SBLK) topped viewership lists this fortnight with a 43% increase in traffic. It’s not surprising. Star Bulk said it hit record fourth-quarter profitability, with net profit hitting $300 million. The strong quarter helped the company post its best year ever, with net income of $680 million.

The company said market conditions were strong and it was able to increase its TCE (time charter equivalent daily) from $13,415 in the fourth quarter of 2020 to 37,406 in the same period in 2021. As the Company’s operating expenses per vessel are largely static, it was able to pass on the increase directly on the net result.

As a result, the company announced a quarterly dividend of $2 per share, a yield of 6%. For the full year, Star Bulk paid a dividend of $4.25 per share, representing a yield of 13% from the February 22 closing price.

The company’s results and its dividend are highly volatile and highly dependent on the demand for freight volumes over a given period. The company has benefited from supply chain disruptions, but the same results cannot be guaranteed in the future.

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