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INSW vs TNK
Which Stock Would AI Choose? International Seaways (INSW) vs. Teekay Tankers (TNK) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- International Seaways (INSW) and Teekay Tankers (TNK) are both major players in the global crude oil and petroleum product tanker shipping industry, though they differ significantly in scale, fleet composition, and market positioning.
- INSW operates a substantially larger and more diversified fleet of approximately 70 vessels across crude and product tanker classes, while TNK focuses on a more concentrated fleet of mid-sized tankers — primarily Suezmax and Aframax/LR2 vessels — with a specialized ship-to-ship transfer business.
- INSW has delivered notably stronger year-to-date and one-year relative performance, driven by robust VLCC (Very Large Crude Carrier) spot rates, aggressive fleet renewal, and a historic dividend payout, while TNK has shown steadier but more measured gains.
- Both companies benefit from supportive tanker market fundamentals, including constrained effective vessel supply, aging global fleet dynamics, and geopolitical disruptions that have lengthened voyage distances, though spot-rate volatility remains a shared risk.
- TNK trades at a lower trailing P/E (price-to-earnings) ratio and carries significantly less debt than INSW, offering a potentially more conservative value profile, while INSW offers higher net margins and operating leverage to strong tanker rate environments.
- Tickeron's AI-driven analysis currently rates INSW as a Strong Buy and TNK as a Hold, reflecting the divergence in recent technical strength, fundamental momentum, and market sentiment between the two names.
Introduction
For investors and traders evaluating opportunities in the maritime energy transportation sector, INSW (International Seaways, Inc.) and TNK (Teekay Tankers Ltd.) represent two distinct approaches to the tanker shipping market. Both companies generate revenue by transporting crude oil and refined petroleum products across global trade routes, yet they differ meaningfully in fleet scale, diversification, capital allocation philosophy, and recent stock price momentum. This comparison examines how these two tanker operators stack up across key dimensions — including recent performance, business model characteristics, financial strength, and market sentiment — to help investors understand the trade-offs embedded in each name. Given the current geopolitical climate and evolving tanker supply-demand dynamics, the relative positioning of these two stocks has drawn considerable attention from both institutional and retail market participants.
INSW Overview and Recent Performance
International Seaways is one of the largest publicly traded tanker companies in the world, providing seaborne transportation services for crude oil and petroleum products. The company's operating fleet spans approximately 70 vessels totaling 8.4 million deadweight tons, encompassing VLCCs, Suezmaxes, Aframaxes, LR2s (Long Range 2 tankers), LR1s (Long Range 1 tankers), and MR (Medium Range) product carriers. This diversified fleet gives INSW exposure across both crude and refined product tanker cycles. In recent months, INSW has delivered standout financial performance: first-quarter 2026 revenues reached $325 million, up 77.5% year-over-year, with adjusted earnings of $3.90 per share that surpassed consensus estimates by over 57%. The company declared its largest quarterly dividend in history at $4.55 per share in June 2026, reflecting a raised payout ratio of 85% of adjusted net income.
Strategic developments have further shaped sentiment. INSW acquired full ownership of Tankers International — a leading VLCC commercial pool — and simultaneously launched a new Suezmax pool, broadening its commercial platform. The company has aggressively pursued fleet renewal, selling seven older vessels for approximately $216 million in proceeds while taking delivery of two LR1 newbuilds, with two more expected later in 2026. Management has also locked in approximately 45% of second-quarter operating days at daily TCE (Time Charter Equivalent) rates exceeding $100,000, well above the cash breakeven level of roughly $14,900 per day. As of early July 2026, INSW shares have gained approximately 85% year-to-date, with the stock trading near the upper end of its 52-week range.
TNK Overview and Recent Performance
Teekay Tankers is a leading owner and operator of mid-sized crude tankers, with a fleet of 34 double-hull vessels comprising 14 Suezmax tankers, 18 Aframax/LR2 tankers, and two Suezmax newbuilds scheduled for 2027 delivery. The company also charters in three additional tankers and operates a ship-to-ship transfer business that performs full-service lightering and lightering support operations in the U.S. Gulf and Caribbean, as well as marine services for the Australian government. TNK's more focused fleet composition — centered on the Suezmax and Aframax vessel classes rather than the larger VLCC segment — means its earnings are particularly sensitive to mid-sized tanker rate dynamics.
In the first quarter of 2026, TNK reported earnings of $3.69 per share on revenues of approximately $286 million, reflecting the favorable tanker rate environment. The company has been executing a disciplined fleet renewal plan, acquiring three modern Aframax tankers while divesting older Suezmax vessels at attractive gains. TNK's balance sheet remains exceptionally conservative: the company held nearly $712 million in cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments as of mid-2025, with total debt of just $43.3 million. Its current ratio has improved from 2.70 in 2022 to 9.40 as of the first quarter of 2026, signaling ample liquidity. TNK maintains a regular quarterly dividend of $0.25 per share, supplemented periodically by special dividends when earnings are strong. Over the past year, TNK shares have appreciated approximately 57%, though year-to-date gains of roughly 29% have lagged behind INSW's more pronounced rally.
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Head-to-Head Comparison
When comparing INSW and TNK side by side, several key contrasts emerge. The most immediate difference is scale and diversification: INSW's market capitalization of approximately $4.4 billion is nearly double TNK's $2.5 billion, and its fleet spans the full spectrum of tanker classes — from VLCCs down to MR product carriers. TNK's fleet is concentrated almost entirely in the Suezmax and Aframax/LR2 segments, giving it a narrower but more specialized operational footprint.
On profitability metrics, INSW holds an edge in net margins (55.4% versus 42.6% for TNK) and return on equity (21.0% versus 16.3%), reflecting stronger operating leverage in the current rate environment. However, TNK trades at a notably lower trailing P/E ratio of approximately 5.8 compared to INSW's roughly 8.0, which may appeal to value-oriented investors. Balance sheet strength presents another interesting contrast: TNK carries minimal debt at just $43.3 million and maintains a current ratio of 9.40, while INSW holds $610 million in total debt — though its net loan-to-value ratio of under 7% remains quite conservative by industry standards.
In terms of recent momentum, INSW has been the clear outperformer. Its year-to-date gain of roughly 85% through early July 2026 significantly exceeds TNK's approximately 29% advance. This divergence partly reflects INSW's heavier exposure to the VLCC segment, which has experienced particularly strong spot rate improvement, and partly reflects the market's favorable reception to INSW's aggressive capital return program and fleet renewal initiatives. TNK's more measured performance is consistent with its more conservative financial posture and focused fleet strategy. Both stocks carry negative beta readings (INSW: -0.12, TNK: -0.22), meaning they have historically moved modestly inversely to broader equity markets — a characteristic that may interest investors seeking portfolio diversification.
Risk factors are broadly similar: both companies face exposure to volatile spot tanker rates, geopolitical uncertainty, environmental regulation costs, and the potential for new vessel deliveries to outpace scrapping. INSW's larger fleet and higher spot-market exposure (approximately 82% of TCE revenues) mean its earnings can swing more dramatically with rate cycles, while TNK's lightering business and government services contracts provide a modest buffer against pure spot-rate volatility.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Based on the observable technical and fundamental data available as of recent weeks, Tickeron's AI-driven analysis currently favors INSW over TNK in the current market environment. INSW receives a Strong Buy rating compared to TNK's Hold designation, a divergence driven by several quantifiable factors: INSW exhibits a higher number of bullish technical indicators (6 bullish versus 4 for TNK), stronger fundamental valuation scores (3 green fundamental ratings versus 2 for TNK), and a superior profit-versus-risk rating. The AI's preference does not suggest that TNK is a weak company — its fundamentals remain solid and its balance sheet is arguably cleaner — but rather that INSW's trend consistency, earnings momentum, and relative positioning within the tanker sector are generating more confirmable bullish signals at this juncture. As always, these probabilistic assessments reflect current conditions and may shift if rate environments, geopolitical developments, or company-specific catalysts alter the comparative landscape.
Disclaimer
The information on this webpage is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice, a recommendation to purchase or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation related to investments. It does not consider your personal financial situation, goals, or risk profile, and all investing carries inherent risks, including the possibility of losing your entire investment. For more details, please review our full disclaimer.
To compare these two companies we present long-term analysis, their fundamental ratings and make comparative short-term technical analysis which are presented below. The conclusion is INSW is a Buy and TNK is a StrongBuy.
Long-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a long-term outlook for a ticker by using Fundamental Analysis (FA) ratings. The rating of 1 to 100, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, is divided into thirds. The first third (a green rating of 1-33) indicates that the ticker is undervalued; the second third (a grey number between 34 and 66) means that the ticker is valued fairly; and the last third (red number of 67 to 100) reflects that the ticker is undervalued. We use an FA Score to show how many ratings show the ticker to be undervalued (green) or overvalued (red).
INSW’s FA Score shows that 3 FA rating(s) are green whileTNK’s FA Score has 1 green FA rating(s).
- INSW’s FA Score: 3 green, 2 red.
- TNK’s FA Score: 1 green, 4 red.
Short-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a short-term outlook for a ticker by using Technical Analysis (TA) indicators. We use Odds of Success as the percentage of outcomes which confirm successful trade signals in the past.
If the Odds of Success (the likelihood of the continuation of a trend) for each indicator are greater than 50%, then the generated signal is confirmed. A green percentage from 90% to 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bullish trend. A red percentage from 90% - 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bearish trend. All grey percentages are below 50% and are considered not to confirm the trend signal.
INSW’s TA Score shows that 5 TA indicator(s) are bullish while TNK’s TA Score has 7 bullish TA indicator(s).
- INSW’s TA Score: 5 bullish, 3 bearish.
- TNK’s TA Score: 7 bullish, 2 bearish.
Price Growth
INSW (@Oil & Gas Pipelines) experienced а +4.23% price change this week, while TNK (@Oil & Gas Pipelines) price change was +4.70% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Oil & Gas Pipelines industry was -0.80%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +6.86%, and the average quarterly price growth was +19.49%.
Reported Earning Dates
INSW is expected to report earnings on Aug 12, 2026.
TNK is expected to report earnings on Oct 29, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Oil & Gas Pipelines (-0.80% weekly)Oil & Gas Pipelines industry includes companies that transport natural gas and crude oil through pipelines. These companies also collect and market the fuels. The pipeline segment could be considered as a midstream operation – functioning as a link between the upstream and downstream operations in the oil and gas industry. Some of the largest U.S. pipeline players include Enterprise Products Partners L.P, TC Energy Corporation and Energy Transfer, L.P.
| INSW | TNK | INSW / TNK | |
| Capitalization | 4.76B | 2.75B | 173% |
| EBITDA | 750M | 686M | 109% |
| Gain YTD | 116.156 | 51.506 | 226% |
| P/E Ratio | 8.76 | 4.68 | 187% |
| Revenue | 985M | 1.15B | 85% |
| Total Cash | N/A | 1.21B | - |
| Total Debt | 610M | 27.8M | 2,194% |
INSW | TNK | ||
|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 46 | 46 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 17 Undervalued | 34 Fair valued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 8 | 25 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 37 | 36 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 35 | 37 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 20 | 44 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 50 | 50 |
Tickeron ratings are formulated such that a rating of 1 designates the most successful stocks in a given industry, while a rating of 100 points to the least successful stocks for that industry.
INSW's Valuation (17) in the Marine Shipping industry is in the same range as TNK (34). This means that INSW’s stock grew similarly to TNK’s over the last 12 months.
INSW's Profit vs Risk Rating (8) in the Marine Shipping industry is in the same range as TNK (25). This means that INSW’s stock grew similarly to TNK’s over the last 12 months.
TNK's SMR Rating (36) in the Marine Shipping industry is in the same range as INSW (37). This means that TNK’s stock grew similarly to INSW’s over the last 12 months.
INSW's Price Growth Rating (35) in the Marine Shipping industry is in the same range as TNK (37). This means that INSW’s stock grew similarly to TNK’s over the last 12 months.
INSW's P/E Growth Rating (20) in the Marine Shipping industry is in the same range as TNK (44). This means that INSW’s stock grew similarly to TNK’s over the last 12 months.
| INSW | TNK | |
|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 7 days ago 59% | 3 days ago 90% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 58% | 3 days ago 70% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 84% | 3 days ago 76% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 73% | 3 days ago 86% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 79% | 3 days ago 81% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 80% | 3 days ago 79% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 77% | 5 days ago 82% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 17 days ago 69% | 17 days ago 72% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | N/A | 5 days ago 88% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 72% | N/A |
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INSW and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, INSW has been closely correlated with TNK. These tickers have moved in lockstep 88% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if INSW jumps, then TNK could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To INSW | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| INSW | 100% | +1.02% | ||
| TNK - INSW | 88% Closely correlated | +2.60% | ||
| TK - INSW | 83% Closely correlated | +3.10% | ||
| DHT - INSW | 81% Closely correlated | +0.11% | ||
| FRO - INSW | 81% Closely correlated | +0.69% | ||
| TEN - INSW | 81% Closely correlated | +1.08% | ||
More | ||||
TNK and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, TNK has been closely correlated with INSW. These tickers have moved in lockstep 88% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if TNK jumps, then INSW could also see price increases.