UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM 6-K

 

REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-16 OR
15d-16 UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

For the month of August 2022

 

Commission File Number: 001-37889

 

TOP SHIPS INC.
(Translation of registrant’s name into English)

 

1 VAS. SOFIAS & MEG.

ALEXANDROU STREET

151 24, MAROUSSI

ATHENS, GREECE


(Address of principal executive office)

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F.

 

Form 20-F      ☒          Form 40-F      ☐

 

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1): _____________

 

Note: Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1) only permits the submission in paper of a Form 6-K if submitted solely to provide an attached annual report to security holders.

 

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7): _____________

 

Note: Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7) only permits the submission in paper of a Form 6-K if submitted to furnish a report or other document that the registrant foreign private issuer must furnish and make public under the laws of the jurisdiction in which the registrant is incorporated, domiciled or legally organized (the registrant's "home country"), or under the rules of the home country exchange on which the registrant's securities are traded, as long as the report or other document is not a press release, is not required to be and has not been distributed to the registrant's security holders, and, if discussing a material event, has already been the subject of a Form 6-K submission or other Commission filing on EDGAR.

 

 
 

Information Contained in this Form 6-K Report

 

Attached to this report on Form 6-K as Exhibit 99.1 are the proxy materials for the 2022 Annual Meeting of Shareholders of TOP Ships Inc. (the “Company”).

 

Attached to this report on Form 6-K as Exhibit 99.2 is the proxy card for the 2022 Annual Meeting of Shareholders of the Company.

 

The information contained in this report on Form 6-K is hereby incorporated by reference into the Company's registration statement Form F-3 (File No. 333-234281) that was filed with the SEC and became effective on November 4, 2019.

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

 

     
  TOP SHIPS INC.      
  (Registrant)
     
  By: /s/ Evangelos J. Pistiolis
  Name: Evangelos J. Pistiolis
  Title: Chief Executive Officer

 

 

Date: August 9, 2022

 

Exhibit 99.1

 

 

August 9, 2022

TO THE SHAREHOLDERS OF TOP SHIPS INC.

 

Enclosed is a Notice of the 2022 Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the “Meeting”) of TOP Ships Inc. (the “Company”), which will be held at the offices of Central Mare Inc., 1 Vas. Sofias & Meg. Alexandrou Str., Maroussi-Athens 151 24, Greece, on September 5, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. local time, and related materials.

 

At this Meeting, shareholders of the Company will consider and vote upon the following proposals:

 

1. To elect one Class III Director to serve until the 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders (“Proposal One”);

 

2. To ratify the appointment of Deloitte Certified Public Accountants S.A., as the Company’s independent auditors for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2022 (“Proposal Two”);

 

3. To approve one or more amendments to the Company’s Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation to effect one or more reverse stock splits of the Company’s issued common shares at a ratio of not less than one-for-two and not more than one-for-250 and in the aggregate at a ratio of not more than one-for-250, inclusive, with the Board having the discretion as to whether or not one or more reverse stock splits is to be effected at any time prior to December 31, 2023, with the exact ratio to be set at a whole number within this range to be determined by the Company’s board of directors (the “Board”), or any duly constituted committee thereof, at any time after approval of each amendment in its discretion, and to authorize the Board to implement any such reverse stock split by filing any such amendment with the Registrar of Corporations of the Republic of the Marshall Islands (“Proposal Three”); and

 

4. To transact such other business as may properly come before the meeting or any adjournment thereof.

 

Only holders of record of shares of our common stock, par value $0.01 per share, (the “Common Shares”), shares of our Series D Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Series D Preferred Shares”), shares of our Series F Perpetual Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Series F Preferred Shares”) and shares of our Series E Perpetual Convertible Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Series E Preferred Shares” and, together with the Common Shares, Series F and Series D Preferred Shares, the “Shares”) at the close of business on August 3, 2022 will be entitled to vote at the Meeting. Each shareholder of record on that date is entitled to one (1) vote for each Common Share, one thousand (1,000) votes for each Series D Preferred Share or Series E Preferred Share then held and ten (10) votes for each Series F Perpetual Preferred Share . The holders of the Common Shares, the Series D Preferred Shares, Series F Perpetual Preferred Shares and the Series E Preferred Shares will vote as a single class at the Meeting.

 

Adoption of Proposal One requires the affirmative vote of a plurality of the votes cast by shareholders entitled to vote and voting at the Meeting. Adoption of Proposal Two requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast by shareholders entitled to vote and voting at the Meeting. Adoption of Proposal Three requires the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of all outstanding shares of the Company’s common stock eligible to attend and vote at the Meeting.

 

Consenting to electronic delivery of future proxy materials. You can help us save significant printing and mailing expenses by consenting to access proxy materials, including the notice of the meeting, proxy statement and annual report electronically via e-mail or the internet. You can choose this option by following the instructions at www.proxyvote.com. If you choose to receive your proxy materials and annual report electronically, then prior to next year’s shareholders’ meeting you will receive notification when the proxy materials and annual report are available for online review over the internet, as well as instructions for voting electronically over the internet. Your choice for electronic distribution will remain in effect for subsequent meetings unless you revoke such choice prior to future meetings by revoking your request online.

 

 
 

You are cordially invited to attend the Meeting in person.

 

IT IS IMPORTANT TO VOTE. WHETHER OR NOT YOU PLAN TO ATTEND THE MEETING, PLEASE COMPLETE, DATE, SIGN AND RETURN THE ENCLOSED PROXY IN THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE, WHICH DOES NOT REQUIRE POSTAGE IF MAILED IN THE UNITED STATES. THE VOTE OF EVERY SHAREHOLDER IS IMPORTANT AND YOUR COOPERATION IN RETURNING YOUR EXECUTED PROXY PROMPTLY WILL BE APPRECIATED. ANY SIGNED PROXY RETURNED AND NOT COMPLETED WILL BE VOTED IN FAVOR OF ALL THE PROPOSALS PRESENTED IN THE PROXY STATEMENT.

 

  Very truly yours,
   
  Evangelos J. Pistiolis
  Chief Executive Officer

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS

 

NOTICE IS HEREBY given that the 2022 Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the “Meeting”) of TOP Ships Inc. (the “Company”) will be held at 10:00 a.m. local time on September 5, 2022, at the offices of Central Mare Inc., 1 Vas. Sofias & Meg. Alexandrou Str., Maroussi-Athens 151 24, Greece, for the following purposes, of which Proposals One and Two are more completely set forth in the accompanying Proxy Statement:

 

1. To elect one Class III Director to serve until the 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders (“Proposal One”);

 

2. To ratify the appointment of Deloitte Certified Public Accountants S.A., as the Company’s independent auditors for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2022 (“Proposal Two”);

 

3. To approve one or more amendments to the Company’s Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation to effect one or more reverse stock splits of the Company’s issued common shares at a ratio of not less than one-for-two and not more than one-for-250 and in the aggregate at a ratio of not more than one-for-250, inclusive, with the Board having the discretion as to whether or not one or more reverse stock splits is to be effected at any time prior to December 31, 2023, with the exact ratio to be set at a whole number within this range to be determined by the Company’s board of directors (the “Board”), or any duly constituted committee thereof, at any time after approval of each amendment in its discretion, and to authorize the Board to implement any such reverse stock split by filing any such amendment with the Registrar of Corporations of the Republic of the Marshall Islands (“Proposal Three”); and

 

4. To transact other such business as may properly come before the meeting or any adjournment thereof.

 

The Board has fixed the close of business on August 3, 2022, as the record date for the determination of the shareholders entitled to receive notice and to vote at the Meeting or any adjournment thereof.

 

Only holders of record of shares of our common stock, par value $0.01 per share, (the “Common Shares”), shares of our Series D Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Series D Preferred Shares”), shares of our Series F Perpetual Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Series F Preferred Shares”) and shares of our Series E Perpetual Convertible Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Series E Preferred Shares” and, together with the Common Shares, Series F and Series D Preferred Shares, the “Shares”) at the close of business on August 3, 2022 will be entitled to vote at the Meeting. Each shareholder of record on that date is entitled to one (1) vote for each Common Share, and one thousand (1,000) votes for each Series D Preferred Share or Series E Preferred Share then held and ten (10) votes for each Series F Perpetual Preferred Share . The holders of the Common Shares, the Series D Preferred Shares, Series F Perpetual Preferred Shares and the Series E Preferred Shares will vote as a single class at the Meeting.

 

IT IS IMPORTANT TO VOTE. WHETHER OR NOT YOU PLAN TO ATTEND THE MEETING, PLEASE COMPLETE, DATE, SIGN AND RETURN THE ENCLOSED PROXY IN THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE, WHICH DOES NOT REQUIRE POSTAGE IF MAILED IN THE UNITED STATES. THE VOTE OF EVERY SHAREHOLDER IS IMPORTANT AND YOUR COOPERATION IN RETURNING YOUR EXECUTED PROXY PROMPTLY WILL BE APPRECIATED. ANY SIGNED PROXY RETURNED AND NOT COMPLETED WILL BE VOTED IN FAVOR OF ALL THE PROPOSALS PRESENTED IN THE PROXY STATEMENT.

 

 
 

All shareholders must present a form of personal photo identification in order to be admitted to the Meeting. In addition, if your shares are held in the name of your broker, bank or other nominee and you wish to attend the Meeting, you must bring an account statement or letter from the broker, bank or other nominee indicating that you were the owner of the shares on August 3, 2022.

 

If you attend the Meeting and do not hold your shares through an account with a brokerage firm, bank or other nominee, you may revoke your proxy and vote in person.

 

  BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
   
  Alexandros Tsirikos
  Chief Financial Officer
   
August 9, 2022  
Athens, Greece  

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

TOP SHIPS INC.

 

 

 

PROXY STATEMENT

FOR

ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS

TO BE HELD ON SEPTEMBER 5, 2022

 

 

 

INFORMATION CONCERNING SOLICITATION AND VOTING

 

GENERAL

 

The enclosed proxy is solicited on behalf of the board of directors of TOP Ships Inc. (the “Board”), a Marshall Islands corporation (the “Company”), for use at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held at the offices of Central Mare Inc., 1 Vas. Sofias & Meg. Alexandrou Str., Maroussi-Athens 151 24, Greece, at 10:00 a.m. local time on September 5, 2022, or at any adjournment or postponement thereof (the “Meeting”), for the purposes set forth herein and in the accompanying Notice of Annual Meeting of Shareholders. This Proxy Statement and the accompanying form of proxy are expected to be mailed on or about August 9, 2022, to shareholders of the Company entitled to vote at the Meeting.

 

VOTING RIGHTS AND OUTSTANDING SHARES

 

The Board has fixed the close of business on August 3, 2022 as the record date (the “Record Date”) for the determination of the shareholders entitled to receive notice and to vote at the Meeting or any adjournment thereof. The Company had issued and outstanding 52,349,820 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Shares”), 100,000 shares of our Series D Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Series D Preferred Shares”), 6,334,442 shares of our Series F Perpetual Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Series F Preferred Shares”) and 13,452 shares of our Series E Preferred Shares, par value $0.01 per share (the “Series E Preferred Shares” and, together with the Common Shares, Series F Preferred Shares and Series D Preferred Shares, the “Shares”). Each shareholder of record on the Record Date is entitled to one (1) vote for each Common Share, one thousand (1,000) votes for each Series D Preferred Share or Series E Preferred Share and ten (10) votes for each Series F Perpetual Preferred Share then held. The holders of the Common Shares, the Series D Preferred Shares, the Series E Preferred Shares and the Series F Preferred Shares shall vote on the Proposals as a single class. One or more shareholders representing at least a majority of the total voting rights of the Company present in person or by proxy at the Meeting shall be a quorum for the purposes of the Meeting. The Shares represented by any proxy in the enclosed form will be voted in accordance with the instructions given on the proxy if the proxy is properly executed and is received by the Company prior to the close of voting at the Meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof. Any proxies returned without instructions will be voted FOR the proposals set forth on the Notice of Annual Meeting of Shareholders.

 

In the event that a quorum is not present at the Meeting or, even if a quorum is so present, in the event that sufficient votes in favor of the positions recommended by the Board on the proposals described in this Proxy Statement are not timely received, the majority of shares present at the Meeting in person or by proxy shall have the power to adjourn the Meeting. If the Meeting is adjourned for reasons other than a lack of quorum, no further notice of the adjourned Meeting will be required other than announcement at the Meeting in order to permit further solicitation of proxies.

 
 

 

The Common Shares are listed on the NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol “TOPS.”

 

REVOCABILITY OF PROXIES

 

A shareholder giving a proxy may revoke it at any time before it is exercised. If you do not hold your shares through an account with a brokerage firm, bank or other nominee, a proxy may be revoked by filing with the Secretary of the Company at the Company’s registered office, 1 Vas. Sofias & Meg. Alexandrou Str., Maroussi-Athens 151 24, Greece, a written notice of revocation by a duly executed proxy bearing a later date, or by attending the Meeting and voting in person. If you hold Shares in street name, through a brokerage firm, bank or other nominee, please contact the brokerage firm, bank or other nominee to revoke your proxy.

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

PROPOSAL ONE

 

ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

 

The Board consists of five members. As provided in the Company’s Third Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation, as amended, the Board has been divided into three classes and each director is elected to serve for a three-year term. Directors elected to the Board serve until the annual meeting of shareholders three years after their election and until a director’s successor is duly elected. The terms of the director in Class III expires at the Meeting. The terms of the directors in Class I will expire at the 2024 Annual Meeting of Shareholders and the terms of the directors in Class II will expire at the 2023 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.

 

The Board has nominated Alexandros Tsirikos, currently the Class III Director whose term expires at the Meeting or whenever his successor is duly elected.

 

Unless the proxy is marked to indicate that such authorization is expressly withheld, the persons named in the enclosed proxy intend to vote the shares authorized thereby FOR the election of the following nominee. It is expected that the nominee will be able to serve, but if before the election it develops that the nominee is unavailable, the persons named in the accompanying proxy will vote for the election of such substitute nominee as the current Board may recommend.

 

Nominee for Election to the Company’s Board of Directors

 

Information concerning the nominee for director of the Company is set forth below:

 

Name Age Position
Alexandros Tsirikos 49

Director and Chief Financial

Officer

  

Alexandros Tsirikos has served as the Company’s Chief Financial Officer since April 1, 2009. Mr. Tsirikos is a U.K. qualified Chartered Accountant (ACA) and has been employed with TOP Ships Inc. since July 2007 as our Corporate Development Officer. Prior to joining TOP Ships Inc., Mr. Tsirikos was a manager with PricewaterhouseCoopers, or PwC, where he worked as a member of the PwC Advisory team and the PwC Assurance team, thereby drawing experience both from consulting as well as auditing. As a member of PwC’s Advisory team, he led and participated in numerous projects in the public and the private sectors, including strategic planning and business modeling, investment analysis and appraisal, feasibility studies, costing and project management. As a member of the PwC’s Assurance team, Mr. Tsirikos was part of the International Financial Reporting Standards, or IFRS, technical team of PwC Greece and lead numerous IFRS conversion projects for listed companies. He holds a Master’s of Science in Shipping Trade and Finance from City University of London and a bachelor’s degree with honors in Business Administration from Boston University in the United States. He speaks English, French and Greek.

 

Required Vote. Approval of Proposal One will require the affirmative vote of a plurality of the votes cast by shareholders entitled to vote and voting at the Meeting.

 

THE BOARD UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS A VOTE IN FAVOR OF THE PROPOSED DIRECTOR. PROXIES RECEIVED BY MANAGEMENT WILL BE VOTED IN FAVOR OF SUCH PROPOSED DIRECTOR UNLESS A CONTRARY VOTE IS SPECIFIED.

 

 
 

PROPOSAL TWO

 

RATIFICATION OF APPOINTMENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS

 

The Board is submitting for ratification at the Meeting the selection of Deloitte Certified Public Accountants S.A. (“Deloitte”) as the Company’s independent auditors for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2022.

 

Deloitte has advised the Company that Deloitte does not have any direct or indirect financial interest in the Company, nor has such firm had any such interest in connection with the Company other than in its capacity as the Company’s independent auditors.

 

All services rendered by the independent auditors are subject to review by the Audit Committee.

 

Required Vote. Approval of Proposal Two will require the affirmative vote of the majority of the votes cast by shareholders entitled to vote and voting at the Meeting.

 

THE BOARD UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR RATIFICATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF DELOITTE CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS S.A. AS INDEPENDENT AUDITORS OF THE COMPANY FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2022. UNLESS REVOKED AS PROVIDED ABOVE, PROXIES RECEIVED BY MANAGEMENT WILL BE VOTED IN FAVOR OF SUCH APPROVAL UNLESS A CONTRARY VOTE IS SPECIFIED.

 

 

  

 
 

PROPOSAL THREE

 

APPROVAL OF AMENDMENT TO THE AMENDED AND RESTATED

ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION TO EFFECT ONE OR MORE REVERSE

STOCK SPLITS OF THE ISSUED COMMON SHARES AT A

RATIO RANGING FROM ONE-FOR-TWO TO ONE-FOR-250

 

General

 

The Board believes that it is in the best interest of the Company and the shareholders and is hereby soliciting shareholder approval of one or more amendments to the Company’s Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation, as amended, to effect one or more reverse stock splits of the Company’s issued Common Shares at a ratio of not less than one-for-two and not more than one-for-250 and in the aggregate at a ratio of not more than one-for-250, inclusive (the “Amendment”). A vote FOR the Proposal will constitute approval of the Amendment providing for the combination of any number of shares of the Company’s issued Common Shares between and including two and 250 into one share of Common Shares and will grant the Board the authority to select which of the approved exchange ratios within that range will be implemented. If the shareholders approve this proposal, the Board will have the authority, but not the obligation, in its sole discretion, and without further action on the part of the shareholders, on one or more occasions to select an approved reverse stock split ratio and effect the approved reverse stock split by filing the Amendment with the Registrar of Corporations of the Republic of the Marshall Islands at any time after the approval of the Amendment until December 31, 2023. If implemented, a reverse stock split will become effective as of the beginning of the business day after the filing of the Amendment with the Registrar of Corporations of the Republic of the Marshall Islands. The Amendment will not change the number of authorized shares or par value of the Common Shares. After a reverse stock split, if implemented, the number of authorized Common Shares will remain at 1,000,000,000 Common Shares.

 

The Board believes that shareholder approval of an exchange ratio range (rather than an exact exchange ratio) provides the Board with maximum flexibility to achieve the purposes of the reverse stock split. If shareholders approve the Proposal, the reserve stock split will be effected, if at all, only upon a determination by the Board that the reverse stock split is in the Company’s and the shareholders’ best interests at that time. In connection with any determination to effect the reverse stock split, the Board will set the time for such a split and select a specific exchange ratio within the range. These determinations will be made by the Board with the intention to create the greatest marketability of the Common Shares based upon prevailing market conditions at that time.

 

The Board reserves its right to elect not to proceed, and abandon, the reverse stock split if it determines, in its sole discretion, that implementing this proposal is not in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders.

 

Purpose and Background of Reverse Stock Split

 

The purpose for seeking approval to effect the reverse stock split is to increase the market price of each Common Share. The Company believes that the increased market price of the Common Shares expected as a result of implementing a reverse stock split will improve the marketability and liquidity of the Common Shares and will encourage interest and trading in the Common Shares. In addition, the Company believes that effecting one or more reverse stock splits will help to ensure compliance with the minimum bid price of $1.00 per share listing that is a requirement to maintain the listing on the Company’s Common Shares on the NASDAQ Capital Market.

 

The Company and the Board believe that maintaining the listing of the Common Shares on the NASDAQ Capital Market is in the best interest of the Company and its shareholders and therefore proposes to undertake one or more reverse stock splits to cause the Common Shares to remain trading above the minimum bid price requirement of the NASDAQ Capital Market.

 
 

 

The Board intends to effect one or more reverse stock splits in connection with Proposal Three only if it believes that a decrease in the number of Common Shares outstanding is likely to improve the trading price for the Company’s Common Shares, and only if the implementation of a reverse stock split is determined by the Board to be in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders. There can be no assurance that any reverse stock split, if and when implemented, will achieve any of the desired results. There also can be no assurance that the Company will be successful in maintaining compliance with NASDAQ Capital Market requirements or that the price per share of the Company’s Common Shares immediately after any such reverse stock split, if implemented, will increase proportionately with any reverse stock split, or that any increase will be sustained for any period of time.

 

Fractional Shares

 

No fractional Common Shares or will be created or issued in connection with any reverse stock split. Shareholders of record who otherwise would be entitled to receive fractional Common Shares as a consequence of a reverse stock split will be entitled, upon surrender to the exchange agent of certificates representing such Common Shares or, in the case of non-certificated Common Shares, such proof of ownership as required by the exchange agent, to a cash payment in lieu thereof at a price equal to the fraction to which the shareholder would otherwise be entitled multiplied by the closing price per Common Share on the NASDAQ Capital Market on the last trading day prior to the effective date of the reverse stock split, as adjusted for the reverse stock split as appropriate or, if such price is not available, a price to be determined by the Board. The ownership of a fractional interest will not give the holder of any voting, dividend or other rights except to receive payment therefor as described herein.

 

Procedure for Exchange of Stock Certificates

 

As soon as practicable after the effective date of a reverse stock split, shareholders holding Common Shares in physical certificate form will be sent a letter of transmittal from the Company notifying them that the reverse stock split has been effected. The letter of transmittal will contain instructions on how shareholders should surrender to the Company’s exchange agent certificates representing pre-split shares in exchange for certificates representing post-split shares. The Company expects that its transfer agent will act as its exchange agent for purposes of implementing the exchange of share certificates. No new certificates will be issued to a shareholder until such shareholder has surrendered such shareholder’s outstanding certificate(s) together with the properly completed and executed letter of transmittal to the exchange agent. Any pre-split shares submitted for transfer, whether pursuant to a sale or other disposition, or otherwise, will automatically be exchanged for post-split shares. SHAREHOLDERS SHOULD NOT DESTROY ANY SHARE CERTIFICATE(S) AND SHOULD NOT SUBMIT ANY CERTIFICATE(S) UNTIL REQUESTED TO DO SO.

 

Shareholders holding shares in book-entry form with the transfer agent need not take any action to receive post-split shares or cash payment in lieu of any fractional share interest, if applicable. If a shareholder is entitled to post-split shares, a transaction statement will automatically be sent to the shareholder’s address of record indicating the number of shares of common stock held following the reverse stock split.

 

Upon a reverse stock split, the Company intends to treat shares held by shareholders in “street name” through a bank, broker or other nominee in the same manner as registered shareholders whose shares are registered in their names. Banks, brokers or other nominees will be instructed to effect the reverse stock split for their beneficial holders holding shares in “street name.” However, these banks, brokers or other nominees may have different procedures than registered shareholders for processing the reverse stock split and making payment for fractional shares. If a shareholder holds shares with a bank, broker or other nominee and has any questions in this regard, shareholders are encouraged to contact their bank, broker or other nominee.

 

Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences

 

The following is a summary of the material U.S. federal income tax consequences of the reverse stock split to U.S. Holders (as defined below) of our Common Shares. This summary is based on the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), the Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder, and administrative rulings and court decisions in effect as of the date of this proxy statement, all of which may be subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect. This summary only addresses holders who hold their shares as capital assets within the meaning of the Code and does not address all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation that may be relevant to U.S. Holders subject to special tax treatment, such as financial institutions, dealers or traders in securities or currencies, partnerships, S corporations, insurance companies, regulated investment companies, real estate investment trusts, persons that own shares as part of a hedge, straddle, or conversion transaction, persons whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar, persons subject to the “base erosion and anti-avoidance” tax, persons that own, directly or constructively, 10% or more of our equity interests, expatriates and tax-exempt entities. In addition, this summary does not consider the effects of U.S. federal alternative minimum tax or estate or gift tax consequences, or any applicable state, local, foreign or other tax laws and does not address the U.S. federal income tax consequences of the reverse stock split to persons who are not U.S. Holders.

 

 
 

As used herein, the term “U.S. Holder” means a beneficial owner of common stock that is a U.S. citizen or resident, corporation or other entity taxable as a corporation created or organized in or under the laws of the U.S., any state thereof or the District of Columbia, an estate the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source, or a trust if a court within the United States is able to exercise primary jurisdiction over the administration of the trust and one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust.

 

If a partnership holds our Common Shares, the tax treatment of a partner will generally depend upon the status of the partner and upon the activities of the partnership. If you are a partner in a partnership holding our Common Shares, you are encouraged to consult your tax advisor.

 

We have not sought and will not seek any ruling from the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”), or an opinion from counsel with respect to the U.S. federal income tax consequences discussed below. There can be no assurance that the tax consequences discussed below would be accepted by the IRS or a court. The authorities on which this summary is based are subject to various interpretations, and it is therefore possible that the U.S. federal income tax treatment may differ from the treatment described below.

 

We urge holders to consult with their own tax advisors as to any U.S. federal, state, or local or foreign tax consequences applicable to them that could result from the reverse stock split.

 

The reverse stock split is intended to constitute a “reorganization” within the meaning of Section 368 of the Code and is not intended to be part of a plan to increase periodically a shareholder’s proportionate interest in our earnings and profits. Assuming the reverse stock split so qualifies, for U.S. federal income tax purposes,

 

              A U.S. Holder should not recognize any gain or loss on the reverse stock split (except for cash, if any, received in lieu of a fractional Common Share);

 

              The U.S. Holder’s aggregate tax basis of the common stock received pursuant to the reverse stock split, including any fractional Common Share not actually received, should be equal to the aggregate tax basis of such holder’s Common Shares surrendered in the exchange;

 

              The U.S. Holder’s holding period for the Common Shares received pursuant to the reverse stock split should include such holder’s holding period for the Common Shares surrendered in the exchange; and

 

              Cash payments received by the U.S. Holder for a fractional Common Share generally should be treated as if such fractional share had been issued pursuant to the reverse stock split and then redeemed by us, and such U.S. Holder generally should recognize capital gain or loss with respect to such payment, measured by the difference between the amount of cash received and such U.S. Holder’s tax basis in such fractional share. However, in certain circumstances, it is possible that the cash received in lieu of a fractional share could be characterized as a dividend for such purposes. U.S. Holders are encouraged to consult their tax adviser on the treatment of the receipt of cash in lieu of fractional shares in their specific situation.

 

 

U.S. Holders will be required to provide their social security or other taxpayer identification numbers (or, in some instances, additional information) to the exchange agent in connection with the reverse stock split to avoid backup withholding requirements that might otherwise apply. This information is generally provided on IRS Form W-9. The letter of transmittal will require each U.S. Holder to deliver such information when the common stock certificates are surrendered following the effective date of the reverse stock split. Failure to provide such information may result in backup withholding, currently at a rate of 24%.

 

THE FOREGOING IS A SUMMARY OF THE MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES OF THE REVERSE STOCK SPLIT TO U.S. HOLDERS UNDER CURRENT LAW AND IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY. THE FOREGOING DOES NOT PURPORT TO ADDRESS ALL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES OR TAX CONSEQUENCES THAT MAY ARISE UNDER THE TAX LAWS OF OTHER JURISDICTIONS OR THAT MAY APPLY TO PARTICULAR CATEGORIES OF SHAREHOLDERS. YOU ARE ENCOURAGED TO CONSULT YOUR OWN TAX ADVISOR AS TO THE PARTICULAR TAX CONSEQUENCES OF THE REVERSE STOCK SPLIT TO YOU, INCLUDING THE APPLICATION OF U.S. FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL AND FOREIGN TAX LAWS, AND THE EFFECT OF POSSIBLE CHANGES IN TAX LAWS THAT MAY AFFECT THE TAX CONSEQUENCES DESCRIBED ABOVE.

 

Required Vote. Approval of Proposal Three will require the affirmative of a majority of the voting power of the total number of Shares issued and outstanding and entitled to vote at the Meeting.

 

THE BOARD UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR APPROVAL OF THE AMENDMENT TO THE AMENDED AND RESTATED ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION TO EFFECT ONE OR MORE REVERSE STOCK SPLITS. PROXIES RECEIVED BY MANAGEMENT WILL BE VOTED IN FAVOR OF SUCH PROPOSED APPROVAL UNLESS A CONTRARY VOTE IS SPECIFIED.

 

 

 

 
 

As a foreign private issuer listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market, we are required to disclose certain self-identified diversity characteristics about our directors pursuant to Nasdaq board diversity and disclosure rules approved by the Commission in August 2021. The Board Diversity Matrix set forth below contains the requisite information as of the date of this proxy statement.

 

Board Diversity Matrix (As of August 9, 2022)
Country of Principal Executive Offices: Greece
Foreign Private Issuer: Yes
Disclosure Prohibited under Home Country Law No
Total Number of Directors 5
  Female Male Non- Binary

Did Not Disclose

Gender

Part I: Gender Identity  
Directors 0 5 0 0
Part II: Demographic Background  
Underrepresented Individual in Home Country Jurisdiction   0
LGBTQ+   0
Did Not Disclose Demographic Background   0
Directors who are Aboriginal Peoples:   0
Directors with Disabilities   0

 

 

 

 

  

 
 

SOLICITATION

 

The cost of preparing and soliciting proxies will be borne by the Company. Solicitation will be made primarily by mail, but shareholders may be solicited by telephone, e-mail, or personal contact.

 

EFFECT OF ABSTENTIONS

 

Abstentions will not be counted in determining whether Proposals One or Two have been approved.

 

OTHER MATTERS

 

No other matters are expected to be presented for action at the Meeting. Should any additional matter come before the Meeting, it is intended that proxies in the accompanying form will be voted in accordance with the judgment of the person or persons named in the proxy.

 

REPORTS TO SHAREHOLDERS

 

The Company’s latest annual report to shareholders (the “Annual Report”) and this Proxy Statement are available on the Company’s website at www.topships.org. Upon request, and without charge, the Company will furnish each person to whom this Proxy Statement is delivered with a copy of the Company’s Annual Report. To request a copy, please call Top Ships Inc. at (011) 30-210-812-8180, or write to Alexandros Tsirikos at Top Ships Inc., 1 Vas. Sofias & Meg. Alexandrou Str., Maroussi - Athens 151 24, Greece.

 

 

  By Order of the Board of Directors
   
  Alexandros Tsirikos
  Chief Financial Officer
   
August 9, 2022  
Athens, Greece  

 

 

 

Exhibit 99.2

 

Signature [PLEASE SIGN WITHIN BOX] Date Signature (Joint Owners) Date TO VOTE, MARK BLOCKS BELOW IN BLUE OR BLACK INK AS FOLLOWS: KEEP THIS PORTION FOR YOUR RECORDS DETACH AND RETURN THIS PORTION ONLY THIS PROXY CARD IS VALID ONLY WHEN SIGNED AND DATED. D90140 - Z83368 The Board of Directors recommends you vote FOR proposals 2 and 3: Nominee: 01) Alexandrios Tsirikos Please sign exactly as your name(s) appear(s) hereon . When signing as attorney, executor, administrator, or other fiduciary, please give full title as such . Joint owners should each sign personally . All holders must sign . If a corporation or partnership, please sign in full corporate or partnership name by authorized officer . 2. To ratify the appointment of Deloitte Certified Public Accountants S . A . as the Company's independent auditors for the fiscal year ending December 31 , 2022 . 3. To approve of one or more amendments to the Company's Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation, as amended, to effect one or more reverse stock splits of the Company's issued common shares at a ratio of not less than one - for - two and not more than one - for - 250 and in the aggregate at a ratio of not more than one - for - 250 , inclusive . NOTE: To transact such other business as may properly come before the meeting or any adjournment thereof. 1. To elect one Class III Director to serve until the 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders: For Withhold For All All All Except ! ! ! For Against Abstain ! ! ! ! ! ! To withhold authority to vote for any individual nominee(s), mark "For All Except" and write the number(s) of the nominee(s) on the line below . TOP SHIPS INC. The Board of Directors recommends you vote FOR the following: TOP SHIPS INC. 1 VAS. SOFIAS & MEG. ALEXANDROU STR. MAROUSSI ATHENS 15124, GREECE VOTE BY INTERNET - www . proxyvote . com or scan the QR Barcode above Use the Internet to transmit your voting instructions and for electronic delivery of information . Vote by 11 : 59 P . M . EDT on September 1 , 2022 . Have your proxy card in hand when you access the website and follow the instructions to obtain your records and to create an electronic voting instruction form . ELECTRONIC DELIVERY OF FUTURE PROXY MATERIALS If you would like to reduce the costs incurred by our company in mailing proxy materials, you can consent to receiving all future proxy statements, proxy cards and annual reports electronically via e - mail or the Internet . To sign up for electronic delivery, please follow the instructions above to vote using the Internet and, when prompted, indicate that you agree to receive or access proxy materials electronically in future years . VOTE BY PHONE - 1 - 800 - 690 - 6903 Use any touch - tone telephone to transmit your voting instructions . Vote by 11 : 59 P . M . EDT on September 1 , 2022 . Have your proxy card in hand when you call and then follow the instructions . VOTE BY MAIL Mark, sign and date your proxy card and return it in the postage - paid envelope we have provided or return it to Vote Processing, c/o Broadridge, 51 Mercedes Way, Edgewood, NY 11717 . SCAN TO VIEW MATERIALS & VOTE 

 
 

Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Annual Meeting: The Notice and Proxy Statement is available at www.proxyvote.com. D90141 - Z83368 TOP SHIPS INC. Annual Meeting of Shareholders September 5, 2022 1:00 P.M. EDT This proxy is solicited by the Board of Directors The shareholder(s) hereby appoint(s) Evangelos Pistiolis and Alexandros Tsirikos, or either of them, as proxies, each with the power to appoint his substitute, and hereby authorize(s) them to represent and to vote, as designated on the reverse side of this ballot, all of the shares of common stock of TOP SHIPS INC . that the shareholder(s) is/are entitled to

 

 

 

vote at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held at 1 : 00 P . M . , EDT on September 5 , 2022 , at the offices of Central Mare Inc . , 1 Vas . Sofias & Meg . Alexandrou Str . , Maroussi Athens 15124 , Greece, and any adjournment or postponement thereof . This proxy, when properly executed, will be voted in the manner directed herein . If no such direction is made, this proxy will be voted in accordance with the Board of Directors' recommendations . Continued and to be signed on reverse side