Star Bulk Carriers Corp. Announces Pricing of $50.0 Million of Senior Notes Due 2022


ATHENS, GREECE--(Marketwired - Nov 3, 2017) - Star Bulk Carriers Corp. (NASDAQ: SBLK) ("Star Bulk" or the "Company") announced today that it has priced its public offering of senior unsecured notes due 2022 (the "Notes"). The Notes will bear interest at a rate of 8.30 % per year, payable quarterly in arrears on each February 15, May 15, August 15 and November 15, commencing on February 15, 2018. The Notes will mature on November 15, 2022 and may be redeemed at the Company's option in whole or in part at any time or from time to time after May 15, 2019 for a price equal to the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest. Prior to May 15, 2019, the Notes may be redeemed at the Company's option at a price equal to the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed plus a make-whole premium and accrued and unpaid interest. The Company intends to use the proceeds from the offering to redeem all its outstanding 8.00% senior unsecured notes due 2019. This press release is not a redemption notice with respect to the 8.00% senior unsecured notes due 2019, which shall be provided in accordance with the applicable indenture.

The Notes are expected to commence trading on the NASDAQ Global Select Market within 30 days after the Notes are first issued. The Notes will be issued in minimum denominations of $25.00 and integral multiples of $25.00 in excess thereof.

Morgan Stanley and Stifel are acting as joint book-running managers for the offering.

When available, copies of the prospectus supplement and accompanying base prospectus related to the offering may be obtained from Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Attn: Prospectus Department, 180 Varick Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10014, or prospectus@morganstanley.com; or Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated, Attn: Syndicate Department, 1 South Street, 15th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202 or syndprospectus@stifel.com.

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy the securities described herein, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or other jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. A shelf registration statement relating to the Notes was filed with the SEC and is effective. The offering may be made only by means of a prospectus supplement and accompanying base prospectus.

About Star Bulk

Star Bulk is a global shipping company providing worldwide seaborne transportation solutions in the dry bulk sector. Star Bulk's vessels transport major bulks, which include iron ore, coal and grain and minor bulks which include bauxite, fertilizers and steel products. Star Bulk was incorporated in the Marshall Islands on December 13, 2006 and maintains executive offices in Athens, Greece. Its common stock trades on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol "SBLK". On a fully delivered basis, Star Bulk will have a fleet of 74 vessels, with an aggregate capacity of 8.1 million dwt, consisting of Newcastlemax, Capesize, Post Panamax, Kamsarmax, Panamax, Ultramax and Supramax vessels with carrying capacities between 52,055 dwt and 209,537 dwt. Our fleet currently includes 71 operating vessels and 3 newbuilding vessels under construction at shipyards in China. All of the newbuilding vessels are expected to be delivered during 2017 and 2018.

Forward-Looking Statements
The Private Securities Matters discussed in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides safe harbor protections for forward-looking statements in order to encourage companies to provide prospective information about their business. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements, which are other than statements of historical facts. 2 The Company desires to take advantage of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and is including this cautionary statement in connection with this safe harbor legislation. The words "believe," "anticipate," "intends," "estimate," "forecast," "project," "plan," "potential," "may," "should," "expect," "pending" and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. In addition to these important factors, other important factors that, in the Company's view, could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements include general dry bulk shipping market conditions, including fluctuations in charterhire rates and vessel values, the strength of world economies the stability of Europe and the Euro, fluctuations in interest rates and foreign exchange rates, changes in demand in the dry bulk shipping industry, including the market for our vessels, changes in our operating expenses, including bunker prices, dry docking and insurance costs, changes in governmental rules and regulations or actions taken by regulatory authorities, potential liability from pending or future litigation, general domestic and international political conditions, potential disruption of shipping routes due to accidents or political events, the availability of financing and refinancing, our ability to meet requirements for additional capital and financing to complete our newbuilding program and grow our business, vessel breakdowns and instances of off‐hire, risks associated with vessel construction, potential exposure or loss from investment in derivative instruments, potential conflicts of interest involving our Chief Executive Officer, his family and other members of our senior management, and our ability to complete acquisition transactions as planned. Please see our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a more complete discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties. The information set forth herein speaks only as of the date hereof, and the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update any forward‐looking statements as a result of developments occurring after the date of this communication.

Contact Information:

Contact Information

Company:
Simos Spyrou and Christos Begleris
Co-CFOs
Star Bulk Carriers Corp.
c/o Star Bulk Management Inc.
40 Ag. Konstantinou Av.
Maroussi 15124
Athens Greece

Investor Relations/Financial Media:
Nicolas Bornozis
President
Capital Link, Inc.
230 Park Avenue, Suite 1536
New York, NY 10169
Tel/ (212) 661-7566
E-mail: starbulk@capitallink.com