International Seaways (INSW) Risk Analysis

Companies across all industries are facing increasing scrutiny relating to their sustainability and governance policies. Investor advocacy groups, certain institutional investors, investment funds, lenders and other market participants are increasingly focused on such practices and, in recent years, have placed increasing importance on the implications and social cost of their investments. The increased focus and activism related to these matters may hinder access to capital, as investors and lenders may decide to reallocate capital or to not commit capital as a result of their assessment of a company's practices. Diminished access to capital could hinder our growth. Companies that do not adapt to or comply with investor, lender or other industry shareholder expectations and standards, which are evolving, or which are perceived to have not responded appropriately to the growing concern for these issues, regardless of whether there is a legal requirement to do so, may suffer from reputational damage and their business, financial condition and share price may be adversely affected. We may face increasing pressures from investors, lenders and other market participants, which are increasingly focused on climate change, to prioritize sustainable energy practices, reduce our carbon footprint and promote sustainability. As a result, we may be required to implement more stringent procedures or standards so that our existing and future investors remain invested in us and make further investments in us, especially given our business of transporting crude oil and refined petroleum products. In addition, we will incur additional costs and require additional resources to monitor, report and comply with wide-ranging sustainability and governance requirements. The occurrence of any of the foregoing could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our corporate affairs are governed by our articles of incorporation and bylaws and by the Marshall Islands Business Corporations Act (the "BCA"). The provisions of the BCA resemble provisions of the corporation laws of a number of states in the United States. However, there have been few judicial cases in the Marshall Islands interpreting the BCA. The rights and fiduciary responsibilities of directors under the law of the Marshall Islands are not as clearly established as the rights and fiduciary responsibilities of directors under statutes or judicial precedent in existence in certain U.S. jurisdictions. Shareholder rights may differ as well. While the BCA does specifically incorporate the non-statutory law, or judicial case law, of the State of Delaware and other states with substantially similar legislative provisions, our shareholders may have more difficulty in protecting their interests in the face of actions by management, directors or controlling shareholders than would shareholders of a corporation incorporated in a U.S. jurisdiction. In addition, the Marshall Islands does not have a well-developed body of bankruptcy law. As such, in the case of a bankruptcy involving us, there may be a delay of bankruptcy proceedings and the ability of securityholders and creditors to receive recovery after a bankruptcy proceeding, and any such recovery may be less predictable.

We are a corporation formed in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. In addition, a substantial portion of our assets are located outside of the United States, principally in Bermuda. As a result, you may have difficulty serving legal process within the United States upon us. You may also have difficulty enforcing, both in and outside the United States, judgments you may obtain in U.S. courts against us or our directors and officers, including in actions based upon the civil liability provisions of U.S. federal or state securities laws. Furthermore, there is substantial doubt that the courts of the Republic of the Marshall Islands or of the non-U.S. jurisdictions in which our offices are located would enter judgments in original actions brought in those courts predicated on U.S. federal or state securities laws.

The Company's common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. However, the market price of the Company's common stock may fluctuate substantially. You may not be able to resell your common stock at or above the price you paid for such securities due to a number of factors, some of which are beyond the Company's control. These risks include those described or referred to in this "Risk Factors" section and under "Forward -Looking Statements," as well as, among other things: fluctuations in the Company's operating results; activities of and results of operations of the Company's competitors; changes in the Company's relationships with the Company's customers or the Company's vendors; changes in business or regulatory conditions; changes in the Company's capital structure; any announcements by the Company or its competitors of significant acquisitions, strategic alliances or joint ventures; additions or departures of key personnel; investors' general perception of the Company; failure to meet market expectations; future sales of the Company's securities by it, directors, executives and significant stockholders; changes in domestic and international economic and political conditions; and other events or factors, including those resulting from natural disasters, war, acts of terrorism or responses to these events. Any of the foregoing factors could also cause the price of the Company's equity securities to fall and may expose the Company to securities class action litigation. Any securities class action litigation could result in substantial costs and the diversion of management's attention and resources. In addition, the stock market has recently experienced volatility that, in some cases, has been unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance of particular companies. These broad market and industry fluctuations may adversely affect the market price of the Company's common stock, regardless of its actual operating performance.

The trading market for shares of the Company's common stock depends, in part, on the research and reports that securities or industry analysts publish about the Company and its business. If too few analysts commence and maintain coverage of the Company, the trading price for its shares might be adversely affected. Similarly, if analysts publish inaccurate or unfavorable research about the Company's business, the price and/or trading volume of shares of the Company's common stock could decline.

The Amended and Restated Rights Plan is intended to enable all Company stockholders to realize the long-term value of their investment in the Company. The Amended and Restated Rights Plan reduces the likelihood that any person or group gains control of the Company through open market accumulation, or other tactics potentially disadvantaging the interests of all stockholders, without paying all stockholders an appropriate control premium or providing the Company's Board of Directors sufficient time to make informed decisions in the best interests of all stockholders. The Amended and Restated Rights Plan was ratified by the Company's stockholders at the Company's Annual Meeting of Stockholders on June 6, 2023. While the Amended and Restated Rights Agreement was effective immediately, the Rights become exercisable only if a person or group acquires beneficial ownership, as defined in the Rights Agreement, of 20% or more of the Company's common stock in a transaction not approved by the Company's Board of Directors. In that situation, each holder of a Right (other than the acquiring person or group) will have the right to purchase, upon payment of the then-current exercise price, a number of shares of Company common stock having a market value of twice the exercise price of the Right. In addition, at any time after a person or group acquires 20% or more of the Company's common stock (unless such person or group acquires 50% or more), the Company's Board of Directors may exchange one share of the Company's common stock for each outstanding Right (other than Rights owned by such person or group, which would have become null and void). The Amended and Restated Rights Plan is not intended to interfere with any transaction that the Board of Directors determines is in the best interests of stockholders, nor does the Amended and Restated Rights Plan prevent the Board of Directors from considering any proposal. The Amended and Restated Rights Plan will expire on April 10, 2026, subject to earlier termination by the Company's Board of Directors if the Board determines that market and other conditions warrant. Notwithstanding the foregoing advantages provided by the Amended and Restated Rights Plan to the interests of all stockholders, the Amended and Restated Rights Plan, while in effect, may depress the market price of the Company's common stock by acting to discourage, delay or prevent a change of control of the Company or changes in the management of the Company that the stockholders of the Company may deem advantageous.