Star Bulk Carriers (NASDAQ:SBLK) COO Sells 30,000 Shares

Star Bulk Carriers Corp. (NASDAQ:SBLK) COO Nikolaos Reskos sold 30,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, May 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $27.29, for a total value of $818,700.00. Following the transaction, the chief operating officer directly owned 367,775 shares in the company, valued at approximately $10,036,579.75. This represents a 7.54% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan.

Nikolaos Reskos also recently made the following trade(s):

• On Wednesday, May 20th, Nikolaos Reskos sold 9,914 shares of Star Bulk Carriers stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $26.55, for a total transaction of $263,216.70.
• On Monday, May 18th, Nikolaos Reskos sold 33,103 shares of Star Bulk Carriers stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $26.28, for a total transaction of $869,946.84.
• On Tuesday, May 19th, Nikolaos Reskos sold 86 shares of Star Bulk Carriers stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $26.49, for a total value of $2,278.14.
• On Wednesday, April 15th, Nikolaos Reskos sold 8,406 shares of Star Bulk Carriers stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $25.05, for a total value of $210,570.30.
• On Tuesday, April 14th, Nikolaos Reskos sold 1,594 shares of Star Bulk Carriers stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $25.00, for a total value of $39,850.00.

Star Bulk Carriers Stock Performance

NASDAQ SBLK traded down $0.55 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $26.37. The company had a trading volume of 670,843 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,429,043. The company has a quick ratio of 1.65, a current ratio of 1.78 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.34. The firm has a market cap of $2.99 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.12 and a beta of 0.71. Star Bulk Carriers Corp. has a fifty-two week low of $15.78 and a fifty-two week high of $28.28. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $24.47 and a 200-day simple moving average of $22.24.

Star Bulk Carriers (NASDAQ:SBLK) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 25th. The shipping company reported $0.62 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.52 by $0.10. The company had revenue of $230.79 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $250.51 million. Star Bulk Carriers had a net margin of 13.01% and a return on equity of 6.82%. Equities analysts predict that Star Bulk Carriers Corp. will post 3.85 EPS for the current year.

Star Bulk Carriers Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 22nd. Shareholders of record on Friday, June 12th will be paid a dividend of $0.50 per share. This represents a $2.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 7.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, June 12th. This is a positive change from Star Bulk Carriers’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.37. Star Bulk Carriers’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 202.74%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Star Bulk Carriers

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of SBLK. USA Financial Formulas bought a new stake in shares of Star Bulk Carriers during the 4th quarter worth about $26,000. Triumph Capital Management bought a new position in shares of Star Bulk Carriers in the third quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Rhumbline Advisers increased its stake in shares of Star Bulk Carriers by 141.7% during the third quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 1,743 shares of the shipping company’s stock valued at $32,000 after acquiring an additional 1,022 shares during the period. Sunbelt Securities Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Star Bulk Carriers during the third quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Finally, Morse Asset Management Inc bought a new stake in Star Bulk Carriers during the third quarter worth approximately $37,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 33.91% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts have commented on SBLK shares. Zacks Research upgraded shares of Star Bulk Carriers from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 22nd. Jefferies Financial Group started coverage on Star Bulk Carriers in a research report on Friday, April 24th. They set a “buy” rating and a $29.00 price objective for the company. Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Star Bulk Carriers in a research report on Friday, March 27th. Wall Street Zen raised Star Bulk Carriers from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Saturday, April 18th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $32.00 price target on shares of Star Bulk Carriers in a research report on Friday. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, two have issued a Buy rating and one has assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $30.50.

More Star Bulk Carriers News

Here are the key news stories impacting Star Bulk Carriers this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Star Bulk reported stronger-than-expected first-quarter 2026 results, beating earnings estimates and posting a net profit of $58.5 million, which supports the case for improved operating performance in the dry bulk shipping market.
• Positive Sentiment: The company raised its quarterly dividend to $0.50 per share from $0.37, a meaningful increase that underscores confidence in cash generation and shareholder returns.
• Positive Sentiment: Management also outlined a policy of returning 100% of free cash flow while keeping a $2.1 million per-vessel minimum cash balance, a signal that Star Bulk plans to remain disciplined while still rewarding investors. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: There was also a disclosure that COO Nikolaos Reskos sold shares under a pre-arranged 10b5-1 plan, which may draw attention but is less likely to be a major fundamental concern. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Investors are also likely digesting transcripts and presentation materials from the earnings call, which may clarify how sustainable the higher dividend and cash return policy will be going forward. Article Title

Star Bulk Carriers Company Profile

Star Bulk Carriers Corp is a global shipping company engaged in the ocean transport of dry bulk commodities. The company owns and operates a diversified fleet of bulk carriers, including Handymax, Supramax, Panamax and Capesize vessels. Its ships are designed to carry a broad range of cargoes, such as iron ore, coal, grain, bauxite and phosphate, catering to industrial and agricultural customers worldwide.

The company’s vessels operate on major trade routes across the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans, connecting producers and consumers in Asia, Europe, North and South America.