GOGL – First Quarter 2021 Results

Golden Ocean Group Limited (NASDAQ:GOGL) (the "Company" or "Golden Ocean"), a leading dry bulk shipping company, today announced its results for the quarter ended March 31, 2021.

Highlights

Net income of $23.6 million and earnings per share of $0.14 for the first quarter of 2021, the best first quarter result in the history of the Company, compared with net income of $25.4 million and earnings per share of $0.18 for the fourth quarter of 2020.
Adjusted EBITDA of $54.6 million for the first quarter of 2021, compared with $59.3 million for the fourth quarter of 2020.
Reported TCE rates for Capesize and Panamax/Ultramax vessels of $16,611 per day and $14,777 per day, respectively, in the first quarter of 2021. Reported TCE rate for the whole fleet of $15,886 per day.
Entered into a Heads of Agreement with affiliates of Hemen Holding Ltd ("Hemen"), a related party, to acquire 15 modern dry bulk vessels and three newbuildings for a total consideration of $752 million.
Successfully completed a $338.0 million private placement at NOK 53.00 per share (approximately $6.24 per share based on the prevailing exchange rate at the time), to part finance the above-referenced vessel acquisition.
Completed subsequent offering following the private placement and issued 2,710,377 new shares at NOK 53.00 per share, raising gross proceeds of NOK 143.6 million (or approximately $16.9 million).
Capitalised on the spot market strength and converted from a floating to a fixed rate until second quarter of 2022 in the time charters relating to three Capesize vessels: Golden Fulham at $28,500, Golden Incus at $32,250 and Golden Bexley at $31,000.
Took delivery of three Capesize vessels and five Panamax vessels as of the date of this report.
Estimated TCE rates for the second quarter of 2021, inclusive of charter coverage and calculated on a load-to-discharge basis, are:
- approximately $29,000 per day contracted for 64% of the available days for Capesize vessels;
- approximately $18,800 per day contracted for 84% of the available days for Panamax vessels.
  
  We expect the spot TCEs for the full second quarter of 2021 to be lower than the TCEs currently contracted, due to the impact of ballast days at the end of the second quarter of 2021 as well as fluctuations in freight rates.
Published our third annual ESG report for 2020, which can be found on the Company's website.
Announces a cash dividend of $0.25 per share for the first quarter of 2021.

Ulrik Andersen, Chief Executive Officer, commented:

"As pleased as we are to have generated the best first quarter result in the history of the Company, we are more excited for what lies ahead. The combination of counter-seasonal strength and the volatility in rates is indicative of a tightening market balance, and we have grown increasingly optimistic about the potential for a prolonged period of higher rates. Golden Ocean is well-positioned for this market, particularly following our recent acquisition of 18 vessels, including three newbuildings. Our focus on larger vessel classes that have the greatest leverage to improving markets and our ability to maintain extremely competitive cash breakeven levels will result in significant cash flow generation. Golden Ocean has historically returned value created to its shareholders, and the resumption of our dividend payment is a strong reflection of our expectation that the market will remain strong for the foreseeable future."

The Board of Directors

Hamilton, Bermuda

May 20, 2021

Questions should be directed to:

Ulrik Andersen: Chief Executive Officer, Golden Ocean Management AS

+47 22 01 73 53

Peder Simonsen: Chief Financial Officer, Golden Ocean Management AS

+47 22 01 73 45

The full report is available in the link below.

Forward Looking Statements

Matters discussed in this earnings report may constitute forward-looking statements. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, or the PSLRA, provides safe harbor protections for forward-looking statements in order to encourage companies to provide prospective information about their business. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements, which are other than statements of historical facts.

The Company is taking advantage of the safe harbor provisions of the PSLRA and is including this cautionary statement in connection therewith. This document and any other written or oral statements made by the Company or on its behalf may include forward-looking statements, which reflect the Company's current views with respect to future events and financial performance. This earnings report includes assumptions, expectations, projections, intentions and beliefs about future events. These statements are intended as "forward-looking statements." The Company cautions that assumptions, expectations, projections, intentions and beliefs about future events may and often do vary from actual results and the differences can be material. When used in this document, the words "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "intend," "plan," "targets," "projects," "likely," "will," "would," "could" and similar expressions or phrases may identify forward-looking statements.

The forward-looking statements in this report 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 the Company's records and other data available from third parties. Although the Company 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 the Company's control, the Company cannot assure you that it will achieve or accomplish these expectations, beliefs or projections. As a result, you are cautioned not to rely on any forward-looking statements.

In addition to these important factors and matters discussed elsewhere herein, important factors that, in the Company's view, could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements, include among other things: the Company's future operating or financial results; the Company's continued borrowing availability under its debt agreements and compliance with the covenants contained therein; the Company's ability to procure or have access to financing, the Company's liquidity and the adequacy of cash flows for the Company's operations; the Company's ability to successfully employ its existing and newbuilding dry bulk vessels; changes in the Company's operating expenses, including bunker prices, dry docking and insurance costs; the Company's ability to fund future capital expenditures and investments in the construction, acquisition and refurbishment of the Company's vessels (including the amount and nature thereof and the timing of completion thereof, the delivery and commencement of operations dates, expected downtime and lost revenue); planned, pending or recent acquisitions, business strategy and expected capital spending or operating expenses, including drydocking, surveys, upgrades and insurance costs; risks associated with vessel construction; the Company's expectations regarding the availability of vessel acquisitions and its ability to complete acquisition transactions planned; vessel breakdowns and instances of off-hire; potential conflicts of interest involving members of the Company's board of directors, or the Board, and senior management; potential liability from pending or future litigation; potential exposure or loss from investment in derivative instruments; general dry bulk shipping market trends, including fluctuations in charter hire rates and vessel values; changes in supply and demand in the dry bulk shipping industry, including the market for the Company's vessels and the number of newbuildings under construction; the strength of world economies; stability of Europe and the Euro; fluctuations in interest rates and foreign exchange rates; changes in seaborne and other transportation; changes in governmental rules and regulations or actions taken by regulatory authorities; general domestic and international political conditions; potential disruption of shipping routes due to accidents or political events; and other important factors described from time to time in the reports filed by the Company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Company's most recently filed Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2020.

The Company cautions readers of this report not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of their dates. Except to the extent required by applicable law or regulation, the Company undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this annual report or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of the Company's future performance, and actual results and future developments may vary materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements.

This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.

Attachment

GOGL - 1st Quarter 2021 Results

GOGL – First Quarter 2021 Results