A Yield to Caution:

Article Excerpt

SHIP FINANCE INTERNATIONAL LTD. $12 (New York symbol SFL; Shares outstanding: 107.6 million; Market cap: $1.3 billion; Dividend yield: 11.7%; www.shipfinance.bm) owns and operates ocean-going vessels and offshore-related assets. The Bermuda-based company’s fleet of more than 80 vessels is split between tankers (9), bulkers carrying commodities such as iron ore, coal and grain (22), container vessels (47) and offshore assets such as supply vessels and drilling rigs (8). The company pays a quarterly dividend of $0.35 a share, for an exceptionally high yield of 11.7%. Ship Finance will likely report improved results in 2019 and 2020, as the oil industry recovers from last year’s depressed production and exploration levels. The contributions of newly acquired vessels should provide an additional boost. Still, there remains an oversupply of ships operating in the company’s other core markets, and their number could further increase if charter rates rise. Given the highly volatile businesses Ship Finance operates in, a sustained global economic slowdown would significantly hurt the company…