{"success":true,"data":{"pressRelease":{"id":"178536","rtpr_id":"nGNX2LZp8z-20261023","ticker":"AIOK","exchange":"NASDAQ","all_tickers":["AIOK"],"title":"AI OKTO Corp. Declares Special Dividend of $3.50 Per Share","author":"Globe Newswire","published_at":"2026-10-23T13:24:47.090Z","article_body":"LIMASSOL, Cyprus, Oct. 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AI OKTO Corp. (NASDAQ:\nAIOK) (“AI OKTO”, or the “Company”), an international ship-owning\ncompany providing energy transportation services globally, announced today\nthat the Company's board of directors has declared a one-time, special\ndividend of $3.50 per common share, consisting of either cash or the\nCompany’s common shares. The dividend is payable to the Company’s\nshareholders of record at the close of business on November 2, 2026 and is\nexpected to be paid on or about November 25, 2026 (the “Dividend Payment\nDate”). Given that the payment of the special dividend represents more than\n25% of the current trading price of the Company’s common shares, Nasdaq has\nadvised the Company that its common shares will trade with “due bills”.\nMore information on this process is included below.\n\nThe Company expects the dividend will be a taxable dividend to shareholders,\nregardless of whether received in the form of cash or common shares.\n\nFor shareholders that wish to receive the dividend all in cash, no further\naction is required. Alternatively, shareholders can elect to receive the\ndividend all in common shares. The number of common shares issued as a result\nof the dividend will be based on the 5-day volume weighted average price\nthrough October 22, 2026 (“5-day VWAP”) of the Company’s common shares,\nwhich the Company has determined is equal to $4.5159 per share. The market\nvalue of shares received on the Dividend Payment Date may be greater or less\nthan the 5-day VWAP. The Company reserves the right to determine, at any time\nup to midnight on November 24, 2026, to pay the dividend entirely in cash,\nnotwithstanding any elections it has received and without prior notice to\nshareholders.\n\nAn information letter and election form will be mailed to shareholders of\nrecord after the record date. The properly completed election form must be\nreceived by Broadridge Corporate Issuer Solutions, LLC, the Company's transfer\nagent, prior to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on November 19, 2026. If the transfer\nagent does not receive a valid election form from a shareholder by that time,\nthe dividend on such shareholder’s shares will be paid in cash. Any\nshareholder that purchases, and does not sell, common shares during the due\nbill period (as defined below) will be entitled to receive the dividend in\ncash, regardless of whether a valid election form was received by the\nCompany’s transfer agent from the prior holder of those shares. Registered\nshareholders with questions regarding the dividend election may call\nBroadridge Corporate Issuer Solutions, LLC at (888) 789-8409. Shareholders who\nhold their shares through a bank, broker or nominee and have questions\nregarding the dividend election should contact such bank, broker or nominee,\nwho will also be responsible for distributing to them the information letter\nand election form and submitting the election form on their behalf.\n\nDue Bills:\n\nAs the special dividend of $3.50 per common share exceeds 25% of the current\ntrading price of the common shares, Nasdaq has advised the Company that its\ncommon shares will trade with due bills, representing an assignment of the\nright to receive the special dividend in cash, from the record date of\nNovember 2, 2026 through the closing of trading on Nasdaq on November 25,\n2026, which is the expected Dividend Payment Date and the last day of trading\nbefore the November 26, 2026 expected ex-dividend date (this period of time,\nthe “due bill period”).\n\nThis means that holders who purchase these securities during the due bill\nperiod (even if the trades are to be settled after the due bill period) will\nbe entitled to receive the special dividend in cash. Conversely, sellers who\nsell the securities during the due bill period (even if the trades are to be\nsettled after the due bill period) will not be entitled to the special\ndividend. Holders of shares that are purchased during the due bill period will\nnot be entitled to elect to receive the special dividend in common shares.\n\nDue bills obligate a seller of securities to deliver the dividend payable on\nsuch securities to the buyer. The due-bill obligations are settled customarily\nbetween the brokers representing buyers and sellers of the securities. The\nCompany has no obligation for either the amount of the due bill or the\nprocessing of the due bill. Buyers and sellers of the Company’s common\nshares should consult their brokers before trading to ensure they understand\nthe effect of Nasdaq’s due-bill procedures.\n\nAbout AI OKTO Corp.\n\nAI OKTO Corp. is an international ship-owning company providing energy\ntransportation services globally. The Company’s fleet comprises of two LPG\ncarrier vessels with an aggregate cargo carrying capacity of 0.01 million dwt\nand an age of approximately 11 years each, one of which, LPG carrier Dream\nArrax, the Company has agreed to divest, with expected delivery within 2026.\n\nAI OKTO is incorporated under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall\nIslands. The Company's common shares trade on the Nasdaq Capital Market under\nthe symbol “AIOK”.\n\nFor more information, please visit the Company’s website at www.aiokto.com.\nInformation on our website does not constitute a part of this press release.\n\nCautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements\n\nMatters discussed in this press release may constitute forward-looking\nstatements. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides safe\nharbor protections for forward-looking statements in order to encourage\ncompanies to provide prospective information about their business.\nForward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives,\ngoals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions\nand other statements, which are other than statements of historical facts,\nincluding statements regarding the declaration and anticipated payment of the\nspecial dividend.\n\nThe Company desires to take advantage of the safe harbor provisions of the\nPrivate Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and is including this\ncautionary statement in connection with this safe harbor legislation. The\nwords “believe,” “anticipate,” “intends,” “estimate,”\n“forecast,” “project,” “plan,” “potential,” “may,”\n“should,” “expect” “pending” and similar expressions identify\nforward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this press\nrelease are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn,\nupon further assumptions, including without limitation, our management's\nexamination of historical operating trends, data contained in our records and\nother data available from third parties. Although we believe that these\nassumptions were reasonable when made, because these assumptions are\ninherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies which are\ndifficult or impossible to predict and are beyond our control, we cannot\nassure you that we will achieve or accomplish these expectations, beliefs or\nprojections. Please see the Company’s filings with the Securities and\nExchange Commission for a more complete discussion of these and other risks\nand uncertainties. The information set forth herein speaks only as of the date\nhereof, and the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update\npublicly or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new\ninformation, future events or other developments occurring after the date of\nthis communication.\n\nCONTACT DETAILS\n\nFor further information please contact:\n\nInvestor Relations\nAI OKTO Corp.\nEmail: ir@aiokto.com\n\n(https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d41c0bb5-d1b0-4545-a851-d26504db074a)\n\n\n\nGlobeNewswire, Inc. 2026","article_body_html":"","raw_payload":{"data":{"id":"nGNX2LZp8z-20261023","title":"AI OKTO Corp. Declares Special Dividend of $3.50 Per Share","author":"Globe Newswire","ticker":"AIOK","created":"2026-10-23T13:24:47.090Z","tickers":["AIOK"],"exchange":"NASDAQ","article_body":"LIMASSOL, Cyprus, Oct. 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AI OKTO Corp. (NASDAQ:\nAIOK) (“AI OKTO”, or the “Company”), an international ship-owning\ncompany providing energy transportation services globally, announced today\nthat the Company's board of directors has declared a one-time, special\ndividend of $3.50 per common share, consisting of either cash or the\nCompany’s common shares. The dividend is payable to the Company’s\nshareholders of record at the close of business on November 2, 2026 and is\nexpected to be paid on or about November 25, 2026 (the “Dividend Payment\nDate”). Given that the payment of the special dividend represents more than\n25% of the current trading price of the Company’s common shares, Nasdaq has\nadvised the Company that its common shares will trade with “due bills”.\nMore information on this process is included below.\n\nThe Company expects the dividend will be a taxable dividend to shareholders,\nregardless of whether received in the form of cash or common shares.\n\nFor shareholders that wish to receive the dividend all in cash, no further\naction is required. Alternatively, shareholders can elect to receive the\ndividend all in common shares. The number of common shares issued as a result\nof the dividend will be based on the 5-day volume weighted average price\nthrough October 22, 2026 (“5-day VWAP”) of the Company’s common shares,\nwhich the Company has determined is equal to $4.5159 per share. The market\nvalue of shares received on the Dividend Payment Date may be greater or less\nthan the 5-day VWAP. The Company reserves the right to determine, at any time\nup to midnight on November 24, 2026, to pay the dividend entirely in cash,\nnotwithstanding any elections it has received and without prior notice to\nshareholders.\n\nAn information letter and election form will be mailed to shareholders of\nrecord after the record date. The properly completed election form must be\nreceived by Broadridge Corporate Issuer Solutions, LLC, the Company's transfer\nagent, prior to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on November 19, 2026. If the transfer\nagent does not receive a valid election form from a shareholder by that time,\nthe dividend on such shareholder’s shares will be paid in cash. Any\nshareholder that purchases, and does not sell, common shares during the due\nbill period (as defined below) will be entitled to receive the dividend in\ncash, regardless of whether a valid election form was received by the\nCompany’s transfer agent from the prior holder of those shares. Registered\nshareholders with questions regarding the dividend election may call\nBroadridge Corporate Issuer Solutions, LLC at (888) 789-8409. Shareholders who\nhold their shares through a bank, broker or nominee and have questions\nregarding the dividend election should contact such bank, broker or nominee,\nwho will also be responsible for distributing to them the information letter\nand election form and submitting the election form on their behalf.\n\nDue Bills:\n\nAs the special dividend of $3.50 per common share exceeds 25% of the current\ntrading price of the common shares, Nasdaq has advised the Company that its\ncommon shares will trade with due bills, representing an assignment of the\nright to receive the special dividend in cash, from the record date of\nNovember 2, 2026 through the closing of trading on Nasdaq on November 25,\n2026, which is the expected Dividend Payment Date and the last day of trading\nbefore the November 26, 2026 expected ex-dividend date (this period of time,\nthe “due bill period”).\n\nThis means that holders who purchase these securities during the due bill\nperiod (even if the trades are to be settled after the due bill period) will\nbe entitled to receive the special dividend in cash. Conversely, sellers who\nsell the securities during the due bill period (even if the trades are to be\nsettled after the due bill period) will not be entitled to the special\ndividend. Holders of shares that are purchased during the due bill period will\nnot be entitled to elect to receive the special dividend in common shares.\n\nDue bills obligate a seller of securities to deliver the dividend payable on\nsuch securities to the buyer. The due-bill obligations are settled customarily\nbetween the brokers representing buyers and sellers of the securities. The\nCompany has no obligation for either the amount of the due bill or the\nprocessing of the due bill. Buyers and sellers of the Company’s common\nshares should consult their brokers before trading to ensure they understand\nthe effect of Nasdaq’s due-bill procedures.\n\nAbout AI OKTO Corp.\n\nAI OKTO Corp. is an international ship-owning company providing energy\ntransportation services globally. The Company’s fleet comprises of two LPG\ncarrier vessels with an aggregate cargo carrying capacity of 0.01 million dwt\nand an age of approximately 11 years each, one of which, LPG carrier Dream\nArrax, the Company has agreed to divest, with expected delivery within 2026.\n\nAI OKTO is incorporated under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall\nIslands. The Company's common shares trade on the Nasdaq Capital Market under\nthe symbol “AIOK”.\n\nFor more information, please visit the Company’s website at www.aiokto.com.\nInformation on our website does not constitute a part of this press release.\n\nCautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements\n\nMatters discussed in this press release may constitute forward-looking\nstatements. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides safe\nharbor protections for forward-looking statements in order to encourage\ncompanies to provide prospective information about their business.\nForward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives,\ngoals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions\nand other statements, which are other than statements of historical facts,\nincluding statements regarding the declaration and anticipated payment of the\nspecial dividend.\n\nThe Company desires to take advantage of the safe harbor provisions of the\nPrivate Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and is including this\ncautionary statement in connection with this safe harbor legislation. The\nwords “believe,” “anticipate,” “intends,” “estimate,”\n“forecast,” “project,” “plan,” “potential,” “may,”\n“should,” “expect” “pending” and similar expressions identify\nforward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this press\nrelease are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn,\nupon further assumptions, including without limitation, our management's\nexamination of historical operating trends, data contained in our records and\nother data available from third parties. Although we believe that these\nassumptions were reasonable when made, because these assumptions are\ninherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies which are\ndifficult or impossible to predict and are beyond our control, we cannot\nassure you that we will achieve or accomplish these expectations, beliefs or\nprojections. Please see the Company’s filings with the Securities and\nExchange Commission for a more complete discussion of these and other risks\nand uncertainties. The information set forth herein speaks only as of the date\nhereof, and the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update\npublicly or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new\ninformation, future events or other developments occurring after the date of\nthis communication.\n\nCONTACT DETAILS\n\nFor further information please contact:\n\nInvestor Relations\nAI OKTO Corp.\nEmail: ir@aiokto.com\n\n(https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d41c0bb5-d1b0-4545-a851-d26504db074a)\n\n\n\nGlobeNewswire, Inc. 2026"},"type":"article","timestamp":"2026-10-23T13:24:47.138298734Z","server_sent_at_ms":1792761887138},"received_at":"2026-10-23T13:24:47.196Z","source_url":null},"analysis":{"id":"166446","press_release_id":"178536","analysis_json":{"industry":{"label":"Marine Transportation","sector":"Industrials"},"redFlags":["dividend can be paid in shares (dilutive) or fully in cash at company's discretion without prior notice","dividend exceeds 25% of share price -- due-bill mechanics may confuse traders and distort price around ex-date","fleet reduced to effectively one vessel after agreed divestiture of Dream Arrax","micro-cap Marshall Islands shipping structure"],"eventType":"dividend","narrative":"AI OKTO declared a one-time special dividend of $3.50 per common share, payable in cash or shares to holders of record on November 2, 2026.\n\nThe dividend exceeds 25% of the share price, so Nasdaq requires due-bill trading from the record date through the November 25 expected payment date; share elections are based on a 5-day VWAP of $4.5159.\n\nThe company reserves the right to pay the dividend entirely in cash regardless of elections, and the payout is taxable either way.","sentiment":"bullish","agentHooks":{"shouldPost":true,"suggestedAngle":"$3.50 special dividend (>25% of price) with scrip option and due-bill period -- watch ex-date mechanics and company cash-override right."},"keyFigures":{"customDimensions":{"record_date":"2026-11-02","payment_date":"2026-11-25","share_dividend_vwap":"$4.5159","special_dividend_per_share":3.5}},"namedEntities":{"people":[],"products":["LPG carrier Dream Arrax"],"companies":[{"name":"AI OKTO Corp.","ticker":"AIOK"},{"name":"Broadridge Corporate Issuer Solutions, LLC","relationship":"transfer agent"}],"dollarAmounts":[{"amount":"$3.50","context":"special dividend per common share"},{"amount":"$4.5159","context":"5-day VWAP used to set share issuance count for scrip election"}]},"materialImpact":{"score":4,"reasoning":"One-time special dividend of $3.50/share representing more than 25% of the trading price is a large capital return for a micro-cap shipowner. Not fully cash-certain, however, as the company can override elections and pay in shares."},"tickerRelevance":{"others":[],"primary":"AIOK"},"globalImportance":25,"audienceRelevance":20,"eventTypeSecondary":[],"importanceComponents":{"tickerTier":"micro-cap","eventGravity":"large special dividend >25% of price","sectorWeight":"shipping/LPG","cashCertainty":"company may override scrip elections"}},"event_type":"dividend","event_type_secondary":null,"sentiment":"bullish","material_impact_score":4,"narrative":"AI OKTO declared a one-time special dividend of $3.50 per common share, payable in cash or shares to holders of record on November 2, 2026.\n\nThe dividend exceeds 25% of the share price, so Nasdaq requires due-bill trading from the record date through the November 25 expected payment date; share elections are based on a 5-day VWAP of $4.5159.\n\nThe company reserves the right to pay the dividend entirely in cash regardless of elections, and the payout is taxable either way.","key_figures":{"customDimensions":{"record_date":"2026-11-02","payment_date":"2026-11-25","share_dividend_vwap":"$4.5159","special_dividend_per_share":3.5}},"named_entities":{"people":[],"products":["LPG carrier Dream Arrax"],"companies":[{"name":"AI OKTO Corp.","ticker":"AIOK"},{"name":"Broadridge Corporate Issuer Solutions, LLC","relationship":"transfer agent"}],"dollarAmounts":[{"amount":"$3.50","context":"special dividend per common share"},{"amount":"$4.5159","context":"5-day VWAP used to set share issuance count for scrip election"}]},"model_name":"glm-5.3-flashx","prompt_hash":"sha256:5c812bd9e28b810d","schema_hash":"sha256:05005c02d9cffac9","created_at":"2026-10-23T13:24:52.309Z","global_importance":25,"audience_relevance":20,"importance_components":{"tickerTier":"micro-cap","eventGravity":"large special dividend >25% of price","sectorWeight":"shipping/LPG","cashCertainty":"company may override scrip elections"}},"durationMs":5098,"modelName":"glm-5.3-flashx"}}