TIDEWATER INC - Quarter Report: 2023 September (Form 10-Q)

      

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

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FORM 10-Q

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☒	QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the quarterly period ended September 30, 2023

☐	TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from             to             .

Commission File Number: 1-6311

Tidewater Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware	72-0487776
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)	(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

 

842 West Sam Houston Parkway North, Suite 400

Houston, Texas 77024

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)

 

(713) 470-5300

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code

 

Not Applicable

(Former name, former address and former fiscal year, if changed since last report)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class	Trading Symbol(s)	Name of each exchange on which registered
Common stock, $0.001 par value per share	TDW	New York Stock Exchange
Warrants to purchase shares of common stock	TDW.WS	NYSE American

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.    Yes  ☒    No  ☐ 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§ 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).    Yes  ☒    No  ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

 

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Large accelerated filer  ☒			Accelerated filer  ☐
Non-accelerated filer  ☐ Emerging Growth Company ☐			Smaller reporting company ☐

 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.  ☐

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).    Yes  ☐    No  ☒

 

52,841,838 shares of Tidewater Inc. common stock $0.001 par value per share were outstanding on October 31, 2023. 

 

 

 

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PART I.  FINANCIAL INFORMATION

ITEM 1.       FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

TIDEWATER INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(Unaudited)

(In Thousands, except share and par value data)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

TIDEWATER INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(Unaudited)

(In Thousands, except per share data)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

TIDEWATER INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)

(Unaudited)

(In Thousands)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

TIDEWATER INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(Unaudited)

(In Thousands)

TIDEWATER INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS CONTINUED

(Unaudited)

(In Thousands)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

TIDEWATER INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EQUITY

(Unaudited)

(In Thousands)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements reflect the financial position, results of operations, comprehensive income, cash flows, and changes in stockholders’ equity of Tidewater Inc., a Delaware corporation, and its consolidated subsidiaries, collectively referred to as the “company”, “Tidewater”, “we”, “our”, or “us”.

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with United States (U.S.) generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) for interim financial information and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for interim financial information. Accordingly, certain information and disclosures normally included in our annual financial statements have been condensed or omitted. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, filed with the SEC on February 27, 2023 (2022 Annual Report). In the opinion of management, the accompanying financial information reflects all normal recurring adjustments necessary to fairly state our results of operations, financial position and cash flows for the periods presented and are not indicative of the results that may be expected for a full year.

Our financial statements have been prepared on a consolidated basis. Under this basis of presentation, our financial statements consolidate all subsidiaries (entities in which we have a controlling financial interest), and all intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. We use the equity method to account for equity investments over which we exercise significant influence but do not exercise control and are not the primary beneficiary.

Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation. Unless otherwise specified, all per share information included in this document is on a diluted basis.

In September 2022, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2022-04, Disclosures of Supplier Finance Program Obligations, which requires disclosures about supplier finance programs including the nature of the program, activity during the period, changes from period to period and potential magnitude. The guidance is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2022, with early adoption permitted, and most disclosures are applied retrospectively to each period in which a balance sheet is presented. We adopted this standard on January 1, 2023, and it did not have any impact on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

In October 2021, the FASB issued ASU 2021-08, Accounting for Contract Assets and Contract Liabilities from Contracts with Customers, which amends Topic 805, Business Combinations, to require an acquirer to recognize and measure contract assets and contract liabilities acquired in a business combination in accordance with Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. The guidance is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2022, with early adoption permitted. We adopted this standard on January 1, 2023, and it did not have any impact on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

Solstad Vessels

As of July 5, 2023, the cost of the asset acquisition was allocated to the following individual assets acquired and liabilities assumed based on their relative fair values.

Swire Pacific Offshore Holdings LTD

On April 22, 2022 (Closing Date), we acquired Swire Pacific Offshore Holdings Ltd., a limited company organized under the laws of Bermuda (SPO), which at closing owned 50 offshore support vessels operating primarily in West Africa, Southeast Asia and the Middle East. On the Closing Date, we paid $42.0 million in cash and issued 8,100,000 warrants, each exercisable at $0.001 per share for one share of our common stock (SPO acquisition warrants). In addition, we paid $19.6 million at closing and received an $8.8 million post-closing working capital refund related to pre-closing working capital adjustments, for a total consideration of $215.5 million. Assets acquired and liabilities assumed in the business combination were recorded at their estimated fair values as of the Closing Date under the acquisition method of accounting.

As of March 31, 2023, the following recorded fair value amounts for the assets acquired and liabilities assumed were final, with no material measurement period adjustments made during the year:

Business combination related costs were expensed as incurred in general and administrative expense and consist of various advisory, legal, accounting, travel, training, valuation and other professional fees totaling $0.6 million and $1.4 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023, respectively. Business combination related costs totaled $3.4 million and $12.8 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022, respectively.

The unaudited supplemental pro forma results present consolidated information as if the business combination were completed on January 1, 2022. The pro forma results include, among others: (i) a reduction in depreciation expense for adjustments to property and equipment; and (ii) the reversal of any income or expense related to assets retained by the seller and SPO’s former parent, Banyan Overseas Limited, a limited company organized under the laws of Bermuda (Banyan). The pro forma results do not include any potential synergies or non-recurring charges that may result directly from the business combination.

Expected credit losses are recognized on the initial recognition of our trade accounts receivable and contract assets. In each subsequent reporting period, even if a loss has not yet been incurred, credit losses are recognized based on the history of credit losses and current conditions, as well as reasonable and supportable forecasts affecting collectability. We developed an expected credit loss model applicable to our trade accounts receivable and contract assets that considers our historical performance and the economic environment, as well as the credit risk and its expected development for each segmented group of customers that share similar risk characteristics. It is our practice to write off receivables when all legal options for collection have been exhausted.

Activity in the allowance for credit losses for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 is as follows:

The balance in our allowance for credit losses at September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, includes $11.3 million and $11.7 million respectively, previously reported in the allowance for credit losses related to amounts due from affiliates, which are now combined with trade and other receivables.

See “Note (13) Segment and Geographic Distribution of Operations” for revenue by segment and in total for the worldwide fleet.

Contract Balances

At September 30, 2023, we had $5.6 million of deferred mobilizations costs included within prepaid expenses and other current assets and $3.0 million of deferred mobilization costs included in other assets.

At September 30, 2023, we had $6.6 million of deferred mobilization revenue included within accrued expenses related to unsatisfied performance obligations that will be recognized during the remainder of 2023 and 2024. 

Earnings per share

Until the second quarter of 2022, we reported annual and quarterly losses from operations and reported basic and diluted losses per share based on the actual average shares of common stock outstanding during the relevant period. For the three months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, and for the nine months ended September 30, 2023, we reported net income from operations. Our diluted earnings per share for the these periods is based on our weighted average common shares outstanding and is computed using the treasury stock method for our outstanding “in-the-money” warrants, restricted stock units and stock options.

Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)

The following tables present the changes in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (OCI) by component, net of tax:

Dilutive Equity Instruments

The following table presents the changes in the number of common shares, incremental “in-the-money” warrants, restricted stock units and stock options outstanding:

We also have “out-of-the-money” warrants outstanding exercisable for 861,310 shares of common stock at  September 30, 2023 at an exercise price of $100.00, which expire in November 2024. Prior to August 1, 2023, we had outstanding Series A Warrants, exercise price of $57.06 and Series B Warrants, exercise price of $62.28, both with an expiration date of July 31, 2023. During July 2023, an aggregate of 2.0 million Series A Warrants and Series B Warrants were exercised and 1.9 million shares of common stock were issued in exchange for $111.5 million in cash proceeds. The remaining unexercised Series A Warrants and Series B Warrants, 3.1 million in the aggregate, expired according to their terms on July 31, 2023. No warrants, restricted stock units or stock options, whether in the money or out of the money, are included in our earnings (loss) per share calculations if the effect of such inclusion is antidilutive.

Income tax rates and taxation systems in the jurisdictions where we and our subsidiaries conduct business vary and our subsidiaries are frequently subjected to minimum taxation regimes. In some jurisdictions, tax liabilities are based on gross revenues, statutory deemed profits or other factors, rather than on net income. We use a discrete effective tax rate method to calculate taxes for interim periods instead of applying the annual effective tax rate to an estimate of the full fiscal year due to the level of volatility and unpredictability of earnings in our industry, both overall and by jurisdiction.

For the nine months ended September 30, 2023, income tax expense reflects tax liabilities in various jurisdictions based on either revenue (deemed profit regimes) or pre-tax profits.

The tax liabilities for uncertain tax positions are primarily attributable to permanent establishment issues related to foreign jurisdictions, subpart F income inclusions and withholding taxes on foreign services. Penalties and interest related to income tax liabilities are included in income tax expense. Income tax payable is included in other current liabilities.

As of December 31, 2022, our balance sheet reflected approximately $439.7 million of net deferred tax assets prior to a valuation allowance of $441.9 million. As of September 30, 2023, we had net deferred tax assets of approximately $449.6 million prior to a valuation allowance of $451.9 million. The net deferred tax assets amounts as of September 30, 2023 include $64.4 million of deferred tax assets from the SPO acquisition offset by a valuation allowance of $64.4 million.

Management assesses all available positive and negative evidence to permit use of existing deferred tax assets.

With limited exceptions, we are no longer subject to tax audits by U.S. federal, state, local or foreign taxing authorities for years prior to March 2016. We are subject to ongoing examinations by various foreign tax authorities and do not believe that the results of these examinations will have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

U.S. Defined Benefit Pension Plan

We sponsor a defined benefit pension plan (pension plan) that was frozen in 2010 covering certain U.S. employees. We have not made contributions to the pension plan since 2019. Actuarial valuations are performed annually, and an assessment of the future pension obligations and market value of the assets will determine if contributions are made in the future.

During the second quarter of 2023, we entered into an agreement committing the pension plan to use a portion of its assets to purchase an annuity from an insurance company (the “Insurer”) to transfer approximately $11.8 million of the pension plan’s pension liabilities. Under the terms of this agreement, we irrevocably transferred to the Insurer all future pension plan benefit obligations for approximately 500 Tidewater participants (“Transferred Participants”) effective in April 2023. This annuity transaction was funded entirely with existing pension plan assets. The Insurer assumed responsibility for administrative and customer service support of the pension plan, including distribution of payments to the Transferred Participants. We recognized a $1.8 million settlement gain in the second quarter of 2023 in connection with this transaction.

Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan

We support a non-contributory and non-qualified defined benefit supplemental executive retirement plan (supplemental plan) that was closed to new participants during 2010. We contributed $1.2 million to the supplemental plan during each of the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively, and expect to contribute $0.4 million during the remainder of 2023. Our obligations under the supplemental plan were $17.0 million and $17.3 million at September 30, 2023 and  December 31, 2022, respectively, and are included in “accrued expenses” and “other liabilities” in the consolidated condensed balance sheet.

Net Periodic Benefit Costs

The net periodic benefit cost for our defined benefit pension plans and supplemental plan (referred to collectively as “Pension Benefits”) is comprised of the following components:

The components of the net periodic pension cost are included in the caption “Interest income and other, net.”

The following is a summary of all debt outstanding:

Supplier Facility Agreements

We have signed agreements for the construction of eight new vessels. Upon delivery of each vessel, we may enter into Facility Agreements to finance a portion of the construction and delivery costs. Three vessels have been delivered through September 30, 2023, and we entered into Facility Agreements for approximately EUR11.2 million ($11.8 million) in financing. Each of the three Facility Agreements bear interest at rates ranging from 2.7% to 6.0% and are payable in ten equal principal semi-annual installments, with the first installment commencing six months following delivery of the vessel. Payments for the three delivered vessels begin in the fourth quarter of 2023. The Facility Agreements are secured by the vessels, guaranteed by Tidewater as parent guarantor and contain no financial covenants.

Senior Secured Term Loan

Tidewater entered into a Credit Agreement, by and among Tidewater, as parent guarantor, TDW International Vessels (Unrestricted), LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company (“TDW International”), as borrower, certain other unrestricted subsidiaries of Tidewater, as other security parties, the lenders party thereto, DNB Bank ASA, New York Branch (“DNB Bank”), as facility agent and DNB Markets, Inc. (“DNB Markets”), as bookrunner and mandated lead arranger (the “Credit Agreement”), which was fully drawn on  July 5, 2023, in a single advance of $325.0 million yielding net proceeds of approximately $318.3 million, which were used to fund a portion of the purchase price for the Solstad Acquisition.

The Senior Secured Term Loan is composed of a $100.0 million Tranche A loan and a $225.0 million Tranche B loan, each maturing on July 5, 2026. The Tranche A loan is required to be repaid by $50.0 million within one year, with the remaining $50.0 million due at maturity. The Tranche B loan amortizes over the three-year term of the Senior Secured Term Loan. The Tranche A loan bears interest at the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”) plus 5% initially, increasing to 8% over the term of the Term Loan. The Tranche B loan bears interest at SOFR plus 3.75%. The Tranche A loan and the Tranche B loan may each be prepaid at any time without premium or penalty. The security for the Senior Secured Term Loan includes mortgages over the Solstad Vessels and associated assignments of insurances and assignments of earnings in respect of such vessels, a pledge of 100% of the equity interests in TDW International, a pledge of 66% of the equity interests in TDW International Unrestricted, Inc., an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, and negative pledges over certain vessels indirectly owned by TDW International Unrestricted, Inc. The obligations of the borrower are guaranteed by Tidewater, subject to a cap equal to 50% of the purchase price for the Solstad Acquisition.

The Credit Agreement contains three financial covenants: (i) a minimum free liquidity test equal to the greater of $20.0 million or 10% of net interest-bearing debt, (ii) a minimum equity ratio of 30%, in each case for us and our consolidated subsidiaries and (iii) an interest coverage ratio of not less than 2:1. The Credit Agreement also contain certain equity cure rights with respect to such financial covenants. The Credit Agreement also includes (i) customary vessel management and insurance covenants in the vessel mortgages, (ii) negative covenants, and (iii) certain customary events of default. We are currently in compliance with all of these financial covenants.

10.375% Senior Unsecured Notes due July 2028

On July 3, 2023, Tidewater completed a previously announced offering of $250.0 million aggregate principal amount of senior unsecured bonds in the Nordic bond market (the “Senior Unsecured Notes”). The bonds were privately placed, at an issue price of 99%, outside the United States pursuant to Regulation S under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. We used the net proceeds from the offering of approximately $243.1 million to fund a portion of the purchase price of the Solstad Acquisition.

The Senior Unsecured Notes were issued pursuant to the Bond Terms, dated as of June 30, 2023 (the “Bond Terms”), between the Nordic Trustee AS, as Bond Trustee and us. An application will be made for the Senior Unsecured Notes to be listed on the Nordic ABM. The Senior Unsecured Notes are senior unsecured obligations and are not guaranteed by any of our subsidiaries.

The Senior Unsecured Notes will mature on July 3, 2028. Interest on the Senior Unsecured Notes will accrue at a rate of 10.375% per annum payable semi-annually in arrears on January 3 and July 3 of each year in cash, beginning January 3, 2024. Prepayment of the Senior Unsecured Notes prior to July 3, 2025 requires the payment of make-whole amounts, and prepayments after that date are subject to prepayment premiums that decline over time.

The Senior Unsecured Notes contain two financial covenants: (i) a minimum free liquidity test equal to the greater of $20.0 million and 10% of net interest-bearing debt, and (ii) a minimum equity ratio of 30%. The Bond Terms also contain certain equity cure rights with respect to such financial covenants. Our ability to make certain distributions to our stockholders after November 16, 2023, is subject to certain limits, including in some circumstances a minimum liquidity test and a maximum net leverage ratio. The Senior Unsecured Notes are also subject to negative covenants as set forth in the Bond Terms. The Bond Terms contain certain customary events of default, including, among other things: (i) default in the payment of any amount when due; (ii) default in the performance or breach of any other covenant in the Bond Terms, which default continues uncured for a period of 20 business days; and (iii) certain voluntary or involuntary events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization. We are currently in compliance with all of these financial covenants.

Super Senior Revolver

We have entered into a Super Senior Revolving Credit Facility Agreement maturing on November 16, 2026 that provides access to $25.0 million for general working capital purposes. No amounts have been drawn on this credit facility.

Currency Devaluation and Fluctuation Risk

Due to our international operations, we are exposed to foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations against the U.S. dollar. For some of our international contracts, a portion of the revenue and local expenses are incurred in local currencies with the result that we are at risk for changes in the exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and foreign currencies. We generally do not hedge against any foreign currency rate fluctuations associated with foreign currency contracts that arise in the normal course of business, which exposes us to the risk of exchange rate losses. To minimize the financial impact of these items, we attempt to contract a significant majority of our services in U.S. dollars. In addition, we attempt to minimize the financial impact of these risks by matching the currency of our operating costs with the currency of our revenue streams when considered appropriate. We continually monitor the currency exchange risks associated with all contracts not denominated in U.S. dollars.

Legal Proceedings

We are named defendants or parties in certain lawsuits, claims or proceedings incidental to our business and involved from time to time as parties to governmental investigations or proceedings arising in the ordinary course of business. Although the outcome of such lawsuits or other proceedings cannot be predicted with certainty and the amount of any liability that could arise with respect to such lawsuits or other proceedings cannot be predicted accurately, we do not expect these matters to have a material adverse effect on our financial position, operating results or cash flows.

Other Financial Instruments

Our primary financial instruments consist of cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, trade receivables and trade payables with book values that are considered to be representative of their respective fair values. The carrying value for cash equivalents is considered to be representative of its fair value due to the short duration and conservative nature of the cash equivalent investment portfolio. In the second quarter of 2022, we agreed to a transaction with PEMEX, the Mexican national oil company, to exchange $8.6 million in accounts receivable for an equal face amount of seven-year 8.75% PEMEX corporate bonds (PEMEX Note). The PEMEX Note is classified as “available for sale.” For the three and nine months ended  September 30, 2023, we recorded $0.2 million and $0.5 million in mark-to-market losses in other comprehensive income, respectively, valuing the PEMEX Note at $7.6 million in our consolidated balance sheet as of September 30, 2023. The PEMEX Note mark-to-market valuations are considered to be Level 2.

As of September 30, 2023, our property and equipment consist primarily of 219 active vessels located around the world, excluding one vessel we have classified as held for sale. As of  December 31, 2022, our property and equipment consisted primarily of 183 active vessels, which excluded eight vessels classified as held for sale. We have five Alucat crew boats under construction for which we have made down payments totaling approximately EUR2.6 million ($2.9 million) in 2022 and 2023 and will incur debt with the shipyard upon deliveries in 2023 and 2024 totaling approximately EUR10.5 million ($11.1 million). These crew boats, upon completion, will be employed in our African market. 

A summary of properties and equipment is as follows:

A summary of accrued expenses is as follows:

A summary of other current liabilities is as follows:

A summary of other liabilities is as follows:

Each of our five operating segments is managed by a senior executive reporting directly to our Chief Executive Officer, the chief operating decision maker. Discrete financial information is available for each of the segments, and our Chief Executive Officer uses the results of each of the operating segments for resource allocation and performance evaluation. 

The following table provides a comparison of segment revenues, vessel operating profit (loss), depreciation and amortization, and additions to properties and equipment for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022. Vessel revenues relate to vessels owned and operated by us while other operating revenues relate to other miscellaneous marine-related businesses.

The following table provides a comparison of total assets at  September 30, 2023 and  December 31, 2022:

During the nine months ending September 30, 2023, we sold or recycled seven of our vessels held for sale, leaving one vessel valued at $0.6 million remaining in the held for sale account as of September 30, 2023. We also sold four vessels from our active fleet. The total vessel and other sales for the nine-month period ending  September 30, 2023 contributed approximately $9.6 million in proceeds, and we recognized a net $4.5 million gain on the dispositions. In the nine-month period ending September 30, 2022, we added one vessel to assets held for sale, sold or recycled ten of our vessels held for sale, and re-activated one vessel from assets held for sale back into the active fleet, leaving eight vessels valued at $6.8 million remaining in the held for sale account as of September 30, 2022.

We consider the valuation approach for our assets held for sale to be a Level 3 fair value measurement due to the level of estimation involved in valuing assets to be recycled or sold. We estimate the net realizable value of our assets held for sale using various methodologies including third party appraisals, sales comparisons, sales agreements and recycle yard tonnage prices. Estimates generally fall in ranges rather than exact numbers due to the nature of sales of offshore vessels and industry conditions. Our value ranges depend on our expectation of the ultimate disposition of the vessel. We will in all circumstances attempt to achieve maximum value for our vessels, but also recognize that certain vessels are more likely to be recycled, especially given the time and effort required to achieve a sale and the costs incurred to maintain a vessel while searching for a buyer. We establish ranges that in many cases have recycle value as the low end of the range and an expected open market sale value at the top of the range. When there is no expectation within the range that is considered more likely than any other, we apply equal probability weighting to the low and high ends of the valuation range. In addition, in conjunction with the reactivation of a vessel from assets held for sale to the active fleet in the first quarter of 2022 and the concurrent valuation of such vessel at its fair value, we recaptured $0.5 million of impairment charged to expense. We do not separate our asset impairment expense by segment because of the significant movement of our assets between segments.

The following table presents the activity in our asset held for sale account for the periods indicated:

ITEM 2.       MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain of the statements included in this Form 10-Q constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which includes any statements that are not historical facts. Such statements often contain words such as “expect,” “believe,” “think,” “anticipate,” “predict,” “plan,” “assume,” “estimate,” “forecast,” “goal,” “target,” “projections,” “intend,” “should,” “will,” “shall” and other similar words. Forward-looking statements are made based on management’s current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects upon Tidewater Inc. and its subsidiaries. There can be no assurance that future developments affecting Tidewater Inc. and its subsidiaries will be those anticipated by management. These forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, and there are certain important factors that could cause actual results to differ, possibly materially, from expectations or estimates reflected in such forward-looking statements, including, among others: fluctuations in worldwide energy demand and oil and natural gas prices; industry overcapacity; limited capital resources available to replenish our asset base as needed, including through acquisitions or vessel construction, and to fund our capital expenditure needs; uncertainty of global financial market conditions and potential constraints in accessing capital or credit if and when needed with favorable terms, if at all; changes in decisions and capital spending by customers in the energy industry and the industry expectations for offshore exploration, field development and production; consolidation of our customer base; loss of a major customer; changing customer demands for vessel specifications, which may make some of our older vessels technologically obsolete for certain customer projects or in certain markets; rapid technological changes; delays and other problems associated with vessel maintenance; the continued availability of qualified personnel and our ability to attract and retain them; the operating risks normally incident to our lines of business, including the potential impact of liquidated counterparties; our ability to comply with covenants in our indentures and other debt instruments; acts of terrorism and piracy; the impact of regional or global public health crises or pandemics; the impact of potential information technology, cybersecurity or data security breaches; integration of acquired businesses and entry into new lines of business; disagreements with our joint venture partners; natural disasters or significant weather conditions; unsettled political conditions, war, civil unrest and governmental actions, such as expropriation or enforcement of customs or other laws that are not well developed or consistently enforced; the risks associated with our international operations, including local content, local currency or similar requirements especially in higher political risk countries where we operate; interest rate and foreign currency fluctuations; labor changes proposed by international conventions; increased regulatory burdens and oversight; changes in laws governing the taxation of foreign source income; retention of skilled workers; our participation in industry wide, multi-employer, defined pension plans; enforcement of laws related to the environment, labor and foreign corrupt practices; increased global concern, regulation and scrutiny regarding climate change; increased stockholder activism; the potential liability for remedial actions or assessments under existing or future environmental regulations or litigation; the effects of asserted and unasserted claims and the extent of available insurance coverage; the resolution of pending legal proceedings; and other risks and uncertainties detailed in this Form 10-Q and other filings we make with the SEC. If one or more of these or other risks or uncertainties materialize (or the consequences of any such development changes), or should our underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results or outcomes may vary materially from those reflected in our forward-looking statements. Forward-looking and other statements in this Form 10-Q regarding our environmental, social and other sustainability plans, goals or activities are not an indication that these statements are necessarily material to investors or required to be disclosed in our filings with the SEC. In addition, historical, current, and forward-looking environmental, social and sustainability-related statements may be based on standards still developing, internal controls and processes that we continue to evolve, and assumptions subject to change in the future. Statements in this Form 10-Q are made as of the date of this filing, and Tidewater disclaims any intention or obligation to update publicly or revise such statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. In addition, see “Risk Factors” included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and in this Form 10-Q for a discussion of certain risks relating to our business and investment in our securities.

In certain places in this Form 10-Q, we may refer to reports published by third parties that purport to describe trends or developments in energy production and drilling and exploration activity and we specifically disclaim any responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of such information and have undertaken no steps to update or independently verify such information.

The forward-looking statements should be considered in the context of the risk factors listed above, discussed in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, and discussed in our 2022 Annual Report on Form 10-K (Annual Report) as updated by subsequent filings with the SEC. Investors and prospective investors are cautioned not to rely unduly on such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Management disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect new information, future events, or developments.

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (MD&A) should be read in conjunction with the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and related notes thereto included in “Item 1. Financial Statements” and with our 2022 Annual Report. The following discussion and analysis contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Our actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors, including those set forth under “Risk Factors” in Item 1A of our Annual Report and elsewhere in this Quarterly Report.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND CURRENT BUSINESS OUTLOOK

Tidewater

We are one of the most experienced international operators in the offshore energy industry with a history spanning over 65 years. Our vessels and associated vessel services provide support for all phases of offshore oil and natural gas exploration, field development and production as well as windfarm development and maintenance. These services include towing of, and anchor handling for, mobile offshore drilling units; transporting supplies and personnel necessary to sustain drilling, workover and production activities; offshore construction and seismic and subsea support; geotechnical survey support for windfarm construction, and a variety of other specialized services such as pipe and cable laying. In addition, we have one of the broadest geographic operating footprints in the offshore vessel industry. Our global operating footprint allows us to react quickly to changing local market conditions and to be responsive to the changing requirements of the many customers with which we believe we have strong relationships.

On March 7, 2023, we entered into an Agreement for the Sale and Purchase of Vessels, Charter Parties and Other Assets, which was amended on June 30, 2023 (the “Acquisition Agreement”), with certain subsidiaries of Solstad Offshore ASA, a Norwegian public limited company (collectively, the “Sellers”), pursuant to which we agreed to acquire from the Sellers (the “Solstad Acquisition”): (i) 37 platform supply vessels owned by the Sellers (the “Solstad Vessels”); and (ii) the charter parties governing certain of the Solstad Vessels. On July 5, 2023, we completed the Solstad Acquisition for an aggregate cash purchase price of approximately $594.2 million, consisting of the $577.0 million base purchase price plus an initial $3.0 million purchase price adjustment; $3.2 million for working capital items comprised of fuel and lubricants; and $11.0 million in estimated transaction costs, consisting primarily of advisory and legal fees. The purchase price was funded through a combination of cash on hand and net proceeds from both the Senior Secured Term Loan and the 10.375% Senior Unsecured Notes due July 2028.

On April 22, 2022, we completed the acquisition of SPO and its 50 offshore support vessels operating primarily in West Africa, Southeast Asia and the Middle East. As consideration for the acquisition, we paid $42.0 million in cash and issued 8,100,000 warrants, each of which was exercisable at $0.001 per share for one share of our common stock (SPO acquisition warrants). In addition, we paid $19.6 million at closing and received an $8.8 million post-closing working capital refund related to pre-closing working capital adjustments, for a total consideration of $215.5 million. In 2022, we completed two public offerings of approximately 8.1 million shares of our common stock and with the proceeds from these offerings coupled with a small redemption of SPO acquisition warrants related to indemnified liabilities, we redeemed 100% of the outstanding SPO acquisition warrants.

Prior to August 1, 2023, we had outstanding Series A Warrants, exercise price of $57.06 and Series B Warrants, exercise price of $62.28, both with an expiration date of July 31, 2023. During July 2023, an aggregate of 2.0 million Series A Warrants and Series B Warrants were exercised and 1.9 million shares of common stock were issued in exchange for $111.5 million in cash proceeds. The remaining unexercised Series A Warrants and Series B Warrants, 3.1 million in the aggregate, expired according to their terms on July 31, 2023.

At September 30, 2023, we owned 220 vessels with an average age of 11.7 years (including three stacked vessels and one vessel designated as assets held for sale) which are available to serve the global energy industry. At September 30, 2023, the average age of our 219 active vessels was 11.6 years. In addition, at September 30, 2023, we have five crew boats under construction which are scheduled to be delivered in 2023 and 2024.

MD&A Objective and Principal Factors That Drive Our Results, Cash Flows and Liquidity

Our MD&A is designed to provide information about our financial condition and results of operations from management’s perspective.

Our revenues, net earnings and cash flows from operations are largely dependent upon the activity level of our offshore marine vessel fleet. As is the case with the numerous other vessel operators in our industry, our business activity is largely dependent on the level of exploration, field development and production activity of our customers. Our customers’ business activity, in turn, is dependent on current and expected crude oil and natural gas prices, which fluctuate depending on expected future levels of supply and demand for crude oil and natural gas, and on estimates of the cost to find, develop and produce crude oil and natural gas reserves. Our objective throughout the MD&A is to discuss how these factors affected our historical results and, where applicable, how we expect these factors to impact our future results and future liquidity.

Our revenues in all segments are driven primarily by our active fleet size, active vessel utilization and day rates. Because a sizeable portion of our operating and depreciation costs do not change proportionally with changes in revenue, our operating profit is largely dependent on revenue levels.

Operating costs consist primarily of crew costs, repair and maintenance costs, insurance costs, fuel, lube oil and supplies costs and other vessel operating costs. Fleet size, fleet composition, geographic areas of operation, supply and demand for marine personnel, and local labor requirements are the major factors impacting overall crew costs in all segments. In addition, our newer, more technologically sophisticated vessels generally require a greater number of specially trained, more highly compensated fleet personnel than our older, smaller and less sophisticated vessels. Crew costs may increase if competition for skilled personnel intensifies.

Costs related to the recertification of vessels are deferred and amortized over 30 months on a straight-line basis. Maintenance costs incurred at the time of the recertification drydocking not related to the recertification of the vessel are expensed as incurred. Costs related to vessel improvements that either extend the vessel’s useful life or increase the vessel’s functionality are capitalized and depreciated.

Insurance costs are dependent on a variety of factors, including our safety record and pricing in the insurance markets, and can fluctuate over time. Our vessels are generally insured for up to their estimated fair market value in order to cover damage or loss. We also purchase coverage for potential liabilities stemming from third-party losses with limits that we believe are reasonable for our operations, but do not generally purchase business interruption insurance or similar coverage. Insurance limits are reviewed annually, and third-party coverage is purchased based on the expected scope of ongoing operations and the cost of third-party coverage.

Fuel and lube costs can fluctuate in any given period depending on the number and distance of vessel mobilizations, the number of active vessels off charter, drydockings, and changes in fuel prices. We also incur vessel operating costs aggregated as “other” vessel operating costs. These costs consist of brokers’ commissions, training costs, satellite communication fees, agent fees, port fees and other miscellaneous costs. Brokers’ commissions are incurred primarily in our non-United States operations where brokers sometimes assist in obtaining work. Brokers generally are paid a percentage of day rates and, accordingly, commissions paid to brokers generally fluctuate in accordance with vessel revenue.

We discuss our liquidity in terms of cash flow that we generate from our operations. Our primary sources of capital have been our cash on hand, internally generated funds including operating cash flow, vessel sales and long-term debt financing. From time to time, we also issue stock or stock-based financial instruments either in the open market or as currency in acquisitions. This ability is impacted by existing market conditions.

Industry Conditions and Outlook

As we look forward into the remainder of 2023 and into 2024, we expect the supply-demand balance in the global offshore oil and gas markets to continue to be favorable for ongoing offshore activities by the major oil and gas producers. Factors driving this outlook include demand for hydrocarbons continuing to grow internationally, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries Plus (OPEC+) remaining proactive in maintaining adequate and stable oil prices, combined with a diminishing global supply of vessels to support the offshore energy industry. Energy prices are expected to remain volatile for the remainder of 2023 and into 2024 due to ongoing geopolitical conflicts, global inflationary trends and associated actions from central banks as well as uncertainties surrounding the growth rates expected in key world economies.

Our business is directly impacted by the level of activity in worldwide offshore oil and natural gas exploration, development and production, which in turn is influenced by trends in oil and natural gas prices and the condition of the energy markets and, in particular, the willingness of energy companies to spend on operational activities and capital projects. Crude oil and natural gas prices are affected by a host of geopolitical and economic forces, including the fundamental principles of supply and demand. Offshore oil and gas exploration and development activities generally require higher oil or natural gas prices to justify the much higher expenditure levels of offshore activities compared to onshore activities. Prices are subject to significant uncertainty and, as a result, are extremely volatile. Over the past several years, oil and natural gas commodity pricing has been affected by a global pandemic, which included lock downs by major oil consuming nations, a war in eastern Europe between Russia and Ukraine, OPEC+ production quotas, capital discipline within the major oil and gas companies, inflationary economies of major consuming nations and increased activism related to the perceived oil and gas sector responsibility for climate change. Recent events include escalation of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict which could affect oil producing nations in the Middle East and disrupt world oil supplies. These factors have at various times caused or exacerbated significant swings in oil and gas pricing, which in turn has affected the capital budgets of oil and gas companies.

Despite the volatility in spot oil prices seen in recent years, our customers tend to consider less volatile medium and long-term prices in making offshore investment decisions. We continue to see positive upstream investment momentum in both the international and domestic markets. We believe these markets are driven by resilient long-cycle offshore developments, production capacity expansions and increased exploration and development activities.

We are one of the world’s largest operators of offshore support vessels and we have operations in most of the world’s offshore oil and gas basins. We continue to believe that there will be sufficient opportunities for us to operate our vessels in this sector for many years to come. We have also pursued opportunities in the sustainability arena, including the support of offshore wind energy generation and the improvement of our fleet performance regarding emissions and environmental impact. Although our business is impacted by a number of macro factors, including those factors discussed here, which influence our outlook and expectations given the current volatile conditions in our industry, our fleet is currently close to full utilization and our day rates have increased in recent quarters. We are of the opinion that the underlying fundamentals, particularly energy source supply and demand, will support a multi-year increase in offshore upstream development spending. Our outlook expectations are based on the market as we see it today and subject to changing conditions in and impacting our industry.

Climate Change

Climate change is expected to increase the frequency and intensity of certain adverse weather patterns, which may impact our business. Due to concern over the risk of climate change, several countries have adopted, or are considering the adoption of, regulatory frameworks to reduce the emission of carbon dioxide, methane and other gases (greenhouse gas emissions). In addition, the increased regulation of greenhouse gas emissions is expected to create greater incentives for the use of alternative energy sources. Consideration of climate change-related issues and the responses to those issues through international agreements and national, regional, or state regulatory frameworks are integrated into our strategy, planning, forecasting and risk management processes, where applicable.

In March 2022, the SEC proposed rule changes that would require registrants to include certain climate-related disclosures in their registration statements and periodic reports, including information about climate-related risks reasonably likely to have a material impact on their business, results of operations, or financial condition, and certain climate-related financial statement metrics in a note to their audited financial statements. The required information about climate-related risks also would include disclosure of a registrant’s greenhouse gas emissions, which have become a commonly used metric to assess a registrant’s exposure to such risks. We expect final rules to be published during the fourth quarter of 2023.

For detailed discussion of climate change and related governmental regulation, including associated risks and possible impact on our business, financial conditions and results of operations, please see “Risk Factors” in Item 1A of our 2022 Annual Report.

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Each of our five operating segments is managed by a senior executive reporting directly to our Chief Executive Officer, the chief operating decision maker. Discrete financial information is available for each of the segments, and our Chief Executive Officer uses the results of each of the operating segments for resource allocation and performance evaluation.

The following table presents our statement of operations for the periods indicated:

Consolidated Results – Three Months Ended September 30, 2023 compared to June 30, 2023

Revenues for the quarters ended September 30, 2023 and June 30, 2023, were $299.3 million and $215.0 million, respectively. The $84.3 million increase in revenue is primarily due to the addition to our fleet of 37 vessels acquired from Solstad in July 2023 and increases in average day rates across most of our vessel fleet. Average day rates increased by 11.4%, from $16,042 per day in the second quarter of 2023 to $17,865 in the third quarter of 2023. Active utilization increased from 79.4% in the second quarter of 2023 to 82.1% in the third quarter of 2023. The 37 vessels acquired from Solstad contributed $59.1 million to the increase in revenue. These vessels had utilization of 93.9% and average day rates of $19,377 in the third quarter.

Vessel operating costs for the quarters ended September 30, 2023 and June 30, 2023, were $164.2 million and $118.3 million, respectively. The 37 vessels acquired from Solstad contributed $35.1 million to the increase in vessel operating costs. The remaining increase is primarily due to higher personnel costs and higher repairs and maintenance on our vessels.

Depreciation and amortization expense for the quarters ended September 30, 2023 and June 30, 2023, were $57.7 million and $32.8 million, respectively, primarily due to the depreciation on the 37 vessels from Solstad and amortization of an increased deferred drydock balance.

General and administrative expenses for the quarters ended September 30, 2023 and June 30, 2023, were $21.0 million and $26.0 million, respectively. The decrease was primarily due to lower personnel related costs, despite a $1.0 million increase in one-time acquisition, restructuring and integration related costs.

We reported gains on asset dispositions, net totaling $0.9 million in the third quarter of 2023, primarily as a result of the sales of three vessels and other assets. We reported gains on asset dispositions, net totaling $1.4 million in the second quarter of 2023, primarily as a result of the sales of three vessels and other assets.

Interest expense for the quarters ended September 30, 2023 and June 30, 2023, was approximately $19.3 million and $4.7 million, respectively. The increase in interest expense is primarily due to the July 5, 2023, addition of $575.0 million in long term debt, bearing interest in the aggregate at approximately 10.0%, to fund the Solstad vessel acquisition.

Interest income and other, net for the quarters September 30, 2023 and June 30, 2023, was $0.6 million and $2.8 million, respectively. We had an increase in interest income in the third quarter associated with the investment of the $111.5 million in cash received from the exercise of Series A and B Warrants in July 2023. The higher interest income was partially offset by a $1.2 million charge resulting from a reduction in certain indemnification assets related to assumed tax liabilities acquired from SPO that were adjusted to reflect the expiration of the statute of limitations. This charge and the corresponding decrease in income tax expense resulted in no impact on net income. In addition, second quarter interest income and other, net included a $1.8 million settlement gain in connection with an agreement committing our pension plan to use a portion of its assets to purchase an annuity from an insurance company so as to transfer its liabilities.

During the quarters ended September 30, 2023 and June 30, 2023, we recognized foreign exchange losses of $2.1 million and $3.8 million, respectively, due to the weakening of the U.S. Dollar against other currencies in areas in which we operate.

The income tax expense for the three months ended September 30, 2023 was $9.3 million compared to an income tax expense of $11.3 million for the three months ending June 30, 2023. The tax expense for the three months ended September 30, 2023 is mainly attributable to taxes on our operations in foreign countries. Tax expense will vary disproportionally to overall net income due to the mix of profits and losses in these foreign tax regimes.

Consolidated Results – Nine Months Ended September 30, 2023 compared to September 30, 2022

Revenues for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, were $707.3 million and $460.9 million, respectively. The $246.4 million increase in revenue is primarily due to the full nine month effect of the 49 vessels acquired from SPO in the second quarter of 2022; the third quarter of 2023 effect of the acquisition of 37 vessels from Solstad in July 2023; and increases in average day rates across most of our vessel fleet in 2023. Overall, we had 31 more average active vessels, calculated on a full nine- month basis, in the first nine months of 2023 than in the first nine months of 2022. Average day rates increased by 31.0%, from $12,449 per day in 2022 to $16,313 in 2023. Active utilization decreased from 83.0% in 2022 to 80.8% in 2023, primarily due to a heavy drydock schedule in 2023 and the movement of 22 vessels in 2023 between segments. The SPO vessels added $199.4 million to revenue in the nine months ended September 30, 2023, compared to $101.2 million in the nine months ended September 30, 2022. The vessels acquired from Solstad were part of our fleet for almost all of the third quarter of 2023 but not in our fleet in 2022. The Solstad vessels added $59.1 million to revenue in the nine months ended September 30, 2023.

Vessel operating costs for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, were $398.0 million and $281.8 million, respectively. The increase is primarily due to the additional active vessels in our fleet from the SPO and Solstad acquisitions in the first nine months of 2023 as compared to the first nine months of 2022 and our continued recovery from the low vessel utilization levels caused by the pandemic and increased activity as higher crude oil prices and improved long-term industry outlook have resulted in more offshore investments from our customers.

Depreciation and amortization expense for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, were $121.2 million and $89.3 million, respectively. The increase is primarily due to higher depreciation expense from the additional vessels acquired and higher overall amortization due to higher drydock activity in 2023.

General and administrative expenses for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, were $70.6 million and $73.3 million, respectively, as lower personnel related costs more than offset costs associated with the expansion of the Singapore and Dubai offices in connection with the SPO acquisition, bad debt expense and professional fees incurred in connection with pursuing Solstad acquisition financing options that were ultimately not utilized.

We reported gains on asset dispositions, net totaling $4.5 million in the nine months ended September 30, 2023, primarily as a result of the sales of 11 vessels and other assets. We reported losses on asset dispositions, net totaling $0.8 million in the nine months ended September 30, 2022, primarily as a result of the sales of ten vessels and other assets.

Long-lived asset impairment during the nine months ended September 30, 2022, was $0.7 million consisting of a $1.2 million of impairment expense related to obsolete marine service and vessel supplies and parts inventory partially offset by a $0.5 million credit related to recovery of impairment on a vessel reclassified from assets held for sale back to the active fleet. There was no long-lived asset impairment expense in the nine months ended September 30, 2023.

Interest expense for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, was approximately $28.2 million and $12.9 million. The increase in interest expense is primarily due to the July 5, 2023, addition of $575.0 million in long term debt, bearing interest of approximately 10.0%, to fund the Solstad vessel acquisition.

Interest income and other, net for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, was $3.5 million and $4.4 million, respectively. During the nine months ended September 30, 2023, we recognized a $1.2 million charge resulting from a reduction in certain indemnification assets related to assumed tax liabilities acquired from SPO that were adjusted to reflect the expiration of the statute of limitations. This charge and the corresponding decrease in income tax expense resulted in no impact on net income. We recognized a $1.8 million settlement gain in 2023 in connection with an agreement committing our pension plan to use a portion of its assets to purchase an annuity from an insurance company so as to transfer its liabilities. We also had an increase in interest income in 2023 associated with the investment of the $111.5 million in cash received from the exercise of Series A and B Warrants in July 2023. Interest income for 2022 was largely attributable to the $1.3 million bargain purchase gain on our acquisition of the remaining 51% of Sonatide, our joint venture in Angola of which we previously owned 49%, and $1.9 million in interest and other income related to a litigation settlement for one of our vessels.

In the nine months ended September 30, 2022, we recognized a $14.2 million loss to value the warrant liability at fair value on the date that we amended the SPO share purchase agreement to allow us to reclassify the warrants from liabilities to equity based on the difference in the Tidewater common stock price on amendment date and the acquisition date closing common stock price.

During the nine months ended September 30, 2023, we recognized foreign exchange losses of $3.6 million due to the strengthening of the U.S. Dollar against other currencies. During the nine months ended September 30, 2022, we recognized foreign exchange losses of $4.9 million.

The income tax expense for the nine months ended September 30, 2023, was $32.5 million compared to an income tax expense of $18.2 million for the nine months ending September 30, 2022. The tax expense for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 is mainly attributable to taxes on our operations in foreign countries. Tax expense will vary disproportionally to overall net income due to the mix of profits and losses in these foreign tax regimes.

The following table compares vessel revenues and vessel operating costs by geographic segment for our owned and operated vessel fleet and the related percentage of vessel revenue for the periods indicated: