StealthGas (NASDAQ: GASS) reported Q1 EPS of $0.05, $0.01 worse than the analyst estimate of $0.06. Revenue for the quarter came in at $38.06 million versus the consensus estimate of $37.79 million.

First Quarter 2018 Results:

• Revenues for the three months ended March 31, 2018 amounted to $39.7 million, an increase of $1.6 million, or 4.2%, compared to revenues of $38.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2017, mainly as a result of improved market conditions in the small LPG segment.
• Voyage expenses and vessels’ operating expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2018 were $5.6 million and $15.4 million respectively, compared to $3.6 million and $14.9 million respectively, for the three months ended March 31, 2017. The $2.0 million increase in voyage expenses was mainly attributed to a quarter on quarter increase of average bunker prices by 20% and the ballasting costs of three of our vessels amounting to approximately $0.6 million. The 3.4% increase in vessels’ operating expenses compared to the same period of 2017 was mostly due to the operation of the large LPG semi refrigerated vessels that were not in our fleet in the same period of last year.
• Drydocking costs for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017 were $1.5 million and $0.7 million, respectively. The costs for the first quarter of 2018 corresponded to the drydocking of two LPG vessels and one product tanker, while in the same period of 2017 the Company completed the drydocking of two LPG vessels.
• Depreciation for the three months ended March 31, 2018 was $10.5 million, a $0.8 million increase from $9.7 million for the same period of last year due to the addition of the three new 22,000 cbm semi-refrigerated LPG vessels.
• Included in the first quarter 2018 results were net losses from interest rate derivative instruments of $0.05 million compared to net losses of $0.13 million in the same period of last year. Interest paid on interest rate derivative instruments amounted to $0.07 million compared to $0.14 million in the same period of last year.
• The Company recorded an impairment loss of $3.8 million for three of its vessels, one of which has been classified as held for sale, as of March 31, 2018.
• As a result of the above, for the three months ended March 31, 2018, the Company reported a net loss of $5.8 million, compared to a net income of $2.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2017. The weighted average number of shares for the three months ended March 31, 2018 was 39.9 million compared to 39.8 million for the same period of 2017. Loss per share, basic and diluted, for the three months ended March 31, 2018 amounted to $0.14 compared to earnings per share of $0.05 for the same period of last year.
• Adjusted net loss was $2.0 million or $0.05 loss per share for the three months ended March 31, 2018 compared to adjusted net income of $2.0 million or $0.05 earnings per share for the same period of last year.
• EBITDA for the three months ended March 31, 2018 amounted to $9.9 million. Reconciliations of Adjusted Net Income, EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA to Net Loss are set forth below.
• An average of 51.7 vessels were owned by the Company during the three months ended March 31, 2018, compared to 53.0 vessels for the same period of 2017.

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