Imperial Petroleum Inc. Granted 180-Day Extension by Nasdaq to Regain Compliance With Minimum Bid Price Rule

ATHENS, Greece, Dec. 15, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Imperial Petroleum Inc. (Nasdaq: IMPP) (the “Company”), a ship-owning company providing petroleum products, crude oil, and drybulk seaborne transportation services, today announced that the Company received formal notification from the Listing Qualification Department of the Nasdaq Stock Market (“Nasdaq”) notifying the Company that it has been granted an additional 180-day compliance period, or until June 12, 2023, to regain compliance with the minimum $1.00 bid price per share requirement of Nasdaq's Marketplace Rule 5550(a)(2) (the "Rule").

If at any time until June 12, 2023, the bid price of the Company's common stock closes at or above $1.00 per share for a minimum of 10 consecutive trading days, the Company will regain compliance with the Rule, and the matter will be closed.

In accordance with Nasdaq Marketplace Rule 5810(c)(3)(A), Nasdaq staff determined that the Company was eligible for an additional 180-day period to regain compliance based on the Company meeting the continued listing requirement for the market value of publicly held shares and all other applicable requirements for initial listing on the Nasdaq Stock Market, with the exception of the bid price requirement, and the Company’s written notice of its intention to cure the deficiency during the second compliance period and if necessary, by effecting a reverse stock split.

If the Company does not meet the minimum bid requirement during the additional 180-day grace period, Nasdaq will provide written notification to the Company that its shares will be subject to delisting. At such time, the Company may appeal the delisting determination to a Nasdaq Hearings Panel. The Company would remain listed pending the Panel's decision. There can be no assurance that if the Company does appeal a subsequent delisting determination, that such appeal would be successful.

This current notification from Nasdaq has no immediate effect on the listing or trading of the Company’s shares of common stock. During this time, the Company’s common stock will continue to be listed and trade on the Nasdaq Capital Market.

The Company will actively monitor the closing bid price of its common stock between now and June 12, 2023, and intends to consider all available options to resolve the deficiency and regain compliance within the additional compliance period provided.

ABOUT IMPERIAL PETROLEUM INC.

Imperial Petroleum Inc. is a ship-owning company providing petroleum products, crude oil and drybulk seaborne transportation services. The Company owns a total of 10 vessels; five M.R. product tankers, one Aframax oil tanker, two suezmax tankers and two handysize dry bulk carriers, with a capacity of approximately 737,000 deadweight tons (dwt). Imperial Petroleum Inc.’s shares of common stock and 8.75% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock are listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market and trade under the symbols “IMPP” and “IMPPP”, respectively.

Forward-Looking Statements

Matters discussed in this release may constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and financial performance and may include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, or impact or duration of the COVID-19 pandemic and underlying assumptions and other statements, which are other than statements of historical facts. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions, including, without limitation, management’s examination of historical operating trends, data contained in our records and other data available from third parties. Although IMPERIAL PETROLEUM INC. believes that these assumptions were reasonable when made, because these assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies which are difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond our control, IMPERIAL PETROLEUM INC. cannot assure you that it will achieve or accomplish these expectations, beliefs or projections. Important factors that, in our view, could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements include risks discussed in our filings with the SEC and the following: the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and efforts throughout the world to contain its spread, the strength of world economies and currencies, general market conditions, including changes in charter hire rates and vessel values, charter counterparty performance, changes in demand that may affect attitudes of time charterers to scheduled and unscheduled drydockings, shipyard performance, changes in IMPERIAL PETROLEUM INC’s operating expenses, including bunker prices, drydocking and insurance costs, ability to obtain financing and comply with covenants in our financing arrangements, or actions taken by regulatory authorities, potential liability from pending or future litigation, domestic and international political conditions, the conflict in Ukraine and related sanctions, potential disruption of shipping routes due to accidents and political events or acts by terrorists.

Risks and uncertainties are further described in reports filed by IMPERIAL PETROLEUM INC. with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.