Star Bulk Stock Gets a Dividend Jolt as SBLK Cash Returns Take Center Stage
Star Bulk Carriers Corp. shares held near Wednesday’s gain in early U.S. pre-market trade after the dry-bulk shipper reported a sharp first-quarter profit rebound and a higher quarterly dividend. The Nasdaq-listed stock closed at $26.69, up 2.34%, and was quoted at $26.70 before regular trading opened. The move matters now because the earnings put hard numbers behind Star Bulk’s full-payout dividend policy, a draw for investors in a shipping segment where cash flow can swing with freight rates. Dry bulk means unpackaged cargo such as iron ore, grain and minerals; Star Bulk uses time-charter equivalent, or TCE, as a measure of average daily net revenue after voyage costs.