Global Ship Lease, Inc.
- Open
- 41.39
- Day high
- 42.10
- Day low
- 41.00
- Prev close
- 41.10
- Volume
- 36K
- Mkt cap
- $1.5B
- P/E (TTM)
- 4.0
- EPS (TTM)
- $10.53
- P/B
- 0.8
- P/S
- 2.0
- Yield
- 5.70%
- Per share
- $2.40
Global Ship Lease, Inc. (GSL) is a Industrials company listed on NYSE. The stock is up 48% over the past year.
Global Ship Lease, Inc. (GSL) financials & analyst ratings
Fundamentals (TTM)
Analyst consensus · 2 analysts
Source: exchange market data + company filings. Figures are trailing-twelve-month or as most recently reported. For informational purposes only — not investment advice.
GSL earnings date, history & EPS estimates
| Report date | EPS est | EPS actual | Surprise | Revenue | Rev. surprise |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 22, 2026 | $2.40 | $2.56 | +6.7% | $198M | +8.3% |
| Mar 5, 2026 | $2.31 | $2.32 | +0.4% | $191M | +1.4% |
| May 19, 2025 | $2.27 | $2.65 | +16.7% | $188M | +7.3% |
| Mar 5, 2025 | $2.30 | $2.55 | +10.9% | $181M | +9.0% |
| May 16, 2024 | $2.27 | $2.53 | +11.5% | $180M | +4.6% |
| Mar 4, 2024 | $2.34 | $2.49 | +6.4% | $179M | +4.0% |
| Nov 9, 2023 | $2.15 | $2.33 | +8.4% | $173M | +0.6% |
| Aug 3, 2023 | $2.08 | $2.09 | +0.5% | $160M | -2.9% |
| Mar 1, 2023 | $1.68 | $2.14 | +27.4% | $157M | +3.7% |
| Aug 4, 2022 | $1.76 | $1.85 | +5.1% | $144M | -0.1% |
| Mar 2, 2022 | $1.29 | $1.84 | +42.6% | $135M | +8.1% |
| Nov 10, 2021 | $0.95 | $1.74 | +83.2% | $114M | +1.7% |
GSL insider trading activity (SEC Form 4)
| Date | Insider | Type | Shares | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 9, 2026 | Giannopoulos Georgiosofficer: Chief Compliance Officer | Sell | 7,692 | $38.51 |
| Mar 26, 2026 | Psaropoulos Anastasiosofficer: Chief Financial Officer | Sell | 23,173 | $39.00 |
| Jun 30, 2009 | INTEGRATED CORE STRATEGIES (US) LLC10 percent owner | Sell | 500 | $1.87 |
| Jun 30, 2009 | INTEGRATED CORE STRATEGIES (US) LLC10 percent owner | Sell | 10,500 | $1.86 |
| Jun 30, 2009 | INTEGRATED CORE STRATEGIES (US) LLC10 percent owner | Sell | 600 | $1.94 |
| Jun 17, 2009 | INTEGRATED CORE STRATEGIES (US) LLC10 percent owner | Sell | 1 | $2.06 |
| Jun 17, 2009 | INTEGRATED CORE STRATEGIES (US) LLC10 percent owner | Sell | 2,999 | $2.05 |
| Jun 10, 2009 | INTEGRATED CORE STRATEGIES (US) LLC10 percent owner | Sell | 100 | $6.00 |
| Jun 10, 2009 | INTEGRATED CORE STRATEGIES (US) LLC10 percent owner | Sell | 4,700 | $2.20 |
| Jun 10, 2009 | INTEGRATED CORE STRATEGIES (US) LLC10 percent owner | Sell | 49,900 | $6.00 |
| Jun 8, 2009 | INTEGRATED CORE STRATEGIES (US) LLC10 percent owner | Sell | 300 | $2.21 |
| Jun 8, 2009 | INTEGRATED CORE STRATEGIES (US) LLC10 percent owner | Sell | 6,750 | $2.23 |
| Jun 8, 2009 | INTEGRATED CORE STRATEGIES (US) LLC10 percent owner | Sell | 2,000 | $2.18 |
| Jun 8, 2009 | INTEGRATED CORE STRATEGIES (US) LLC10 percent owner | Sell | 19,003 | $2.20 |
| Jun 8, 2009 | INTEGRATED CORE STRATEGIES (US) LLC10 percent owner | Sell | 200 | $2.21 |
Source: GSL SEC Form 4 filings, latest Apr 9, 2026. For informational purposes only — not investment advice.
See the full GSL insider & 13F page →Global Ship Lease, Inc. company profile
Overview
Global Ship Lease, Inc. (NYSE:GSL) is a containership leasing company founded in 2007 and headquartered in London, United Kingdom. The company went public in 2008 and has built a focused business model around owning and chartering mid-sized container vessels to major shipping lines. GSL operates a fleet of approximately 65 containerships with a combined capacity of over 340,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), positioning itself as a specialized player in the container shipping infrastructure market.
Business
Global Ship Lease operates in the container shipping leasing industry, which serves as critical infrastructure for global trade. The company owns and operates containerships - specialized cargo vessels designed to carry standardized shipping containers that transport goods worldwide. These containers, measured in Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs), are the backbone of international commerce, moving everything from consumer electronics to clothing across oceans. GSL focuses specifically on mid-sized and smaller containerships ranging from 2,000 to 10,000 TEU capacity. To put this in perspective, the largest container ships today can carry over 20,000 TEUs, while GSL's vessels represent the smaller to medium segment that serves regional routes and secondary ports. This segment is particularly important because these ships can access ports that larger vessels cannot, providing essential connectivity in global supply chains. The company operates as a ship lessor rather than a shipping operator. Instead of managing cargo logistics, GSL purchases containerships and leases them to major container shipping lines (such as Maersk, CMA CGM, or Hapag-Lloyd) under long-term charter agreements. These charter contracts typically last 2-5 years and provide GSL with predictable rental income while the shipping lines handle all operational aspects including crew, fuel, maintenance, and cargo booking. As of recent reports, GSL maintains approximately $1.9 billion in contracted future revenues with an average remaining contract duration of 2.3 years, demonstrating the stability of their business model. The company has been actively expanding through strategic acquisitions and fleet renewals, recently adding high-specification ECO vessels while disposing of older, less efficient ships.
Competitive moat
Global Ship Lease operates in a business with moderate economic moats primarily derived from capital intensity and specialized market positioning. The container shipping leasing industry requires substantial upfront capital investments - individual containerships cost $50-150 million depending on size and specifications - creating natural barriers to entry for new competitors. GSL's specific competitive advantages include their focus on mid-sized vessels (2,000-10,000 TEU), which serve routes and ports that larger ships cannot access. This creates a somewhat protected niche, as the trend toward ever-larger container ships has left gaps in medium-sized capacity. Their vessels can serve secondary ports and regional routes that remain essential for global trade connectivity, providing some insulation from competition with mega-ships. The company has built long-term relationships with major shipping lines and maintains a track record of operational reliability, which is crucial in an industry where vessel downtime can cost charterers millions. Their contracted revenue base of $1.9 billion over 2.3 years provides near-term cash flow visibility that many competitors lack. However, GSL's moat is not particularly deep or durable. The shipping industry is inherently cyclical and competitive, with charter rates fluctuating significantly based on supply-demand dynamics. New vessel construction, while capital-intensive, can still flood the market during boom periods. Additionally, the push toward larger, more fuel-efficient ships poses a long-term threat to demand for GSL's mid-sized vessels. Key competitive threats include major shipping lines building their own fleets rather than chartering, increased construction of fuel-efficient vessels that could displace older ships, and potential disruption from alternative transportation modes or trade pattern changes. Environmental regulations requiring expensive retrofits or early retirement of older vessels also pose risks. The company's relatively small scale compared to major shipowners like Seaspan or Danaos limits their negotiating power and access to the best vessel acquisition opportunities.
Risks & safety
GSL demonstrates strong financial stability with manageable debt levels and solid cash generation, though typical of asset-heavy shipping companies, it carries meaningful leverage. **Debt and Solvency:** 1. Net debt-to-EBITDA ratio of approximately 0.8x, down from over 8x in 2018 2. Total debt of approximately $680 million against $2.4 billion in assets 3. Debt-to-equity ratio of 0.47, indicating moderate leverage 4. No major refinancing needs until 2026, with average debt maturity of 4.2 years 5. Blended cost of debt reduced to 3.85%, with interest rate hedging through 2026 **Cash Flow and Liquidity:** 1. Strong operating cash flow of $430 million in 2024 2. Current cash position of $141 million with additional restricted cash 3. Current ratio of 1.14, indicating adequate short-term liquidity 4. $1.9 billion in contracted future revenues providing cash flow visibility **Valuation Metrics:** 1. Trading at 2.1x forward P/E ratio, indicating potential undervaluation 2. EV/EBITDA of 2.5x, below historical shipping industry averages 3. Price-to-book ratio of 0.53, suggesting shares trade below asset value 4. Graham number significantly above current trading price **Other Considerations:** The company maintains conservative financial management with consistent debt reduction and has demonstrated ability to generate substantial free cash flow in favorable market conditions.
Recent development
Over the past few years, Global Ship Lease has executed a comprehensive fleet modernization and financial strengthening strategy. The company has systematically upgraded its vessel portfolio by acquiring newer, more fuel-efficient ships while disposing of older assets. In 2024, GSL purchased four high-specification ECO 9,000 TEU vessels and sold three of their oldest ships at premiums to book value, demonstrating their opportunistic approach to fleet renewal. The company has dramatically improved its capital structure, reducing gross debt by over $130 million in 2024 alone and lowering their debt-to-EBITDA ratio from 8.4x in 2018 to just 0.8x currently. They extended average debt maturity to 4.2 years while reducing their cost of debt to 3.85%, providing financial flexibility and reducing refinancing risks. GSL has significantly enhanced shareholder returns, increasing their annualized dividend from $1.50 to $2.10 per share - a 40% increase in less than 12 months. They introduced supplemental dividends and maintained an active share buyback program, returning substantial capital to shareholders while maintaining growth investments. The company has been proactive in environmental compliance, retrofitting vessels with energy-saving technologies, installing automated data capture systems, and making ships biofuel-compatible in collaboration with charterers. These initiatives position GSL ahead of increasingly stringent maritime environmental regulations. Market positioning improvements include securing long-term charter contracts during favorable market conditions, with the company adding $714 million in contracted revenues during 2024. They capitalized on Red Sea disruptions and supply chain constraints that increased demand for their mid-sized vessels, achieving strong charter rates and extending contract durations to an average of 2.3 years.
GSL company profile · for informational purposes only — not investment advice.
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