Erik Hovi's questions to NORDIC AMERICAN TANKERS (NAT) leadership • Q4 2018
Question
Erik Hovi from Clarksons asked for clarification on the dividend, noting that guided Q1 earnings could imply a much higher payout. He questioned how quickly the dividend would return to tracking operating cash flow and if a 50/50 split between debt repayment and shareholder returns was a fair assumption.
Answer
Chairman and CEO Herbjørn Hansson declined to predict a specific future dividend amount but affirmed that a stronger market creates more capacity for higher dividends, which he personally favors as a large shareholder. He emphasized the long-term goal of returning to a no-debt balance sheet and paying substantial dividends as in the past, without committing to a specific timeline or allocation formula.