VANCOUVER, BC, May 13, 2024
/PRNewswire/ - Gold Royalty Corp. ("Gold Royalty" or the
"Company") (NYSE American: GROY) is pleased to announce the
filing of its operating and financial results for the three months
ended March 31, 2024. All amounts are
expressed in U.S. dollars unless otherwise noted.
David Garofalo, Chairman and CEO
of Gold Royalty, commented: "We are proud to have delivered on
another growth milestone in the first quarter, generating positive
operating cash flow for the first time. Our recent acquisitions,
royalty generator model, and existing flagship royalties fueled our
record revenue this quarter. We also continued to lower our cost
profile compared to the prior year. With the gold price near
all-time highs and the ramp up of the Côté Gold Mine in the second
half of 2024, we expect to see continued royalty revenue growth
through the remainder of the year.
Our peer-leading long-term growth outlook and fundamentals
continue to improve, driven primarily by Agnico Eagle's long-life
large-scale Odyssey Mine, where underground development is ahead of
expectations, Nevada Gold Mine's REN
deposit which continues to be advanced towards production later
this decade, and at Aura's Borborema gold project where production
is expected by early next year."
First Quarter 2024 Results Summary:
The following table sets forth selected financial information
for the three months ended March 31,
2024:
|
|
For the three months
ended
March 31
|
|
|
2024
|
|
2023
|
(in thousands of
dollars, except per share amounts)
|
|
($)
|
|
($)
|
Revenue
|
|
2,894
|
|
767
|
General, administrative
and project evaluation costs
|
|
(2,875)
|
|
(3,424)
|
Net loss
|
|
(1,405)
|
|
(3,083)
|
Net loss per share,
basic and diluted
|
|
(0.01)
|
|
(0.02)
|
Cash provided by (used
in) operating activities
|
|
336
|
|
(2,061)
|
Non-IFRS and Other
Measures
|
|
|
|
|
Total Revenue, Land
Agreement Proceeds and Interest(1)
|
|
4,185
|
|
1,970
|
Cash Operating
Expenses(1)
|
|
(2,260)
|
|
(2,523)
|
Adjusted Net
Loss(1)
|
|
(930)
|
|
(1,318)
|
Adjusted Net Loss Per
Share, basic and diluted(1)
|
|
(0.01)
|
|
(0.01)
|
Total Gold Equivalent
Ounces ("GEOs")(1)
|
|
2,019
|
|
1,043
|
(1)
|
Total Revenue, Land
Agreement Proceeds and Interest, Cash Operating Expenses, Adjusted
Net Loss, Adjusted Net Loss Per Share, basic and diluted and Total
GEOs are each non-IFRS measures and do not have a standardized
meaning under IFRS. See "Non-IFRS Measures" for further
information.
|
For further detailed information, please refer to the Company's
unaudited condensed interim consolidated financial statements and
management's discussion and analysis for the three months ended
March 31, 2024, copies of which are
available under the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca and
www.sec.gov.
First Quarter 2024 Highlights:
- Record quarterly revenue of $2.9
million and record Total Revenue, Land Agreement Proceeds
and Interest of $4.2 million (2,019
GEOs), which was 112% higher than the same period of 2023. Record
quarterly revenue was driven by the first full quarter of revenue
from the recently acquired interests in the Borborema project,
royalty payments under the recently acquired Cozamin royalty
interest and increased revenue from Canadian Malartic and land
agreement proceeds.
- Achieved its first quarter of positive cash flows from
operations of $0.3 million, which
does not include an additional $1.1
million of land agreement proceeds credited against mineral
properties.
- Cost management initiatives resulted in a continued decrease in
Cash Operating Expenses. Cash Operating Expenses decreased by 10%
to $2.3 million from $2.5 million in the same period of 2023.
- Continued advancement at key development stage assets,
including first gold pour at the Côté Gold Mine, underground shaft
and ramp development ahead of schedule at the Odyssey Mine, and
construction at the Borborema project on track for production in
early 2025.
- Forged a strategic alliance with Taurus Mining Royalty Fund
L.P. which expands the Company's deal origination and
identification in addition to improving its ability to compete for
larger high-quality investments.
Portfolio Update
Odyssey Mine (3.0% NSR over the northern portion of
the mine): Agnico Eagle Mines Limited ("Agnico Eagle") owns
and operates the Canadian Malartic
Complex that is one of the world's largest gold mining
operations and is comprised of the open-pit Canadian Malartic mine
and the underground Odyssey mine. The Canadian Malartic complex
will progressively transition from open pit to underground mining
between 2023 and 2028.
On April 25, 2024, Agnico Eagle
announced its first quarter 2024 results, including an update that
construction at the Odyssey mine is progressing well. Ramp
development continued to exceed Agnico Eagle's target and shaft
sinking improved during the quarter. The shaft is expected to
provide hoisting capacity by mid-2025, six months earlier than
previously planned and will provide added development and
production flexibility. As at March 31,
2024 the shaft has reached a depth of approximately 452
meters and Agnico Eagle expects to complete excavation of the shaft
in 2027.
Agnico Eagle further outlined a summary of its first quarter
operating results at the Odyssey mine. At the Barnat pit, good
equipment availability and productivity, drove solid operational
performance despite challenging weather conditions. At Odyssey
South, the mining rate and production were slightly below plan at
approximately 3,300 tpd and 17,700 ounces of gold, respectively.
The underground operations are expected to gain additional
flexibility in the second quarter of 2024, with the start of a
second mining front and the addition of four 65 tonnes haulage
trucks. Stope reconciliation at Odyssey South remains positive,
primarily from the contribution of the internal zones, which
resulted in approximately 16% more gold ounces produced than
anticipated.
For further information see Agnico Eagle's news release dated
April 25, 2024, available under its
profile on www.sedarplus.ca.
Côté Gold Mine (0.75% NSR royalty over the southern
portion of the mine): On March 31,
2024, IAMGOLD Corporation ("IAMGOLD") announced the
first gold pour at the Côté Gold Mine. It stated that its next step
is to focus on ramp-up towards commercial production in the third
quarter of 2024, with the goal of achieving a 90% throughput rate
at year end. IAMGOLD maintained its production guidance for the
project for the year at 220,000 to 290,000 ounces of gold (100%
basis), assuming the remaining milestones are achieved.
For further information see IAMGOLD's news release dated
March 31, 2024, available under its
profile on www.sedarplus.ca.
Borborema Gold Project (2.0% NSR royalty and
gold-linked royalty-convertible loan): On May 7, 2024, Aura Minerals Inc. ("Aura")
announced its first quarter 2024 results including an update on
construction at the Borborema project. Following commencement of
construction in the third quarter of 2023, Aura announced that
construction is well underway with 25% completed to date, and
production expected to start in early 2025. Gold Royalty expects to
receive 1,440 GEOs in 2024 from Aura through fixed pre-production
payments associated with the 2.0% NSR royalty and gold-linked
coupon payments associated with the gold-linked royalty-convertible
loan.
For further information see Aura's news release dated
May 7, 2024, available under its
profile on www.sedarplus.ca.
Ren Project (1.5% NSR royalty and 3.5% NPI): In its
management's discussion and analysis for the year ended
December 31, 2023, Barrick Gold
Corporation ("Barrick") highlighted continued exploration
success at the Ren deposit. The step-out surface drilling program
intercepted the targeted Corona dike at a depth of approximately
900 meters downhole and returned 4.7 meters at 24.90 g/t Au, which
it stated confirmed the continuity of high-grade mineralization and
paving the way for underground platform development in the future
to convert more material to the west.
In its management's discussion and analysis for the three months
ended March 31, 2024, Barrick
included an update on growth and exploration projects. At Carlin,
underground conversion drilling commenced across all sites in the
first quarter, with step-out growth drilling expected to commence
early in the second quarter at a few key project areas.
For further information see Barrick's management's discussion
and analysis for the year ended December 31,
2023 and management's discussion and analysis for the three
months ended March 31, 2024, each
available under its profile on www.sedarplus.ca.
Granite Creek Mine Project (10.0% NPI): On
February 7, 2024, i-80 Gold Corp
("i-80") provided a summary of 2023 activities and 2024
exploration and development plans, including ongoing initiatives at
the Granite Creek Mine Project. The South Pacific Zone
("SPZ") is a priority area of development for i-80 and, and
they have announced plans to advance a development plan that will
include extending a decline in order to provide access to the SPZ
allowing it to become part of Granite Creek mine plan in H1-2024.
Ewan Downie, CEO of i-80 stated,
"The results from our 2023 definition programs demonstrate the
potential for the SPZ to be a significant deposit located on strike
from one of North America's
largest gold mining operations. Mineralization remains open at
depth and along strike to the north with the average intercept
grade in the northern extension definition program of approximately
15 g/t gold with true widths ranging up to 15 metres."
i-80 also announced on May 7, 2024
that the work being conducted in 2024 at Granite Creek is expected
to include definition and expansion drilling, underground
development and test mining of the South Pacific Zone, and a
Feasibility Study.
For further information see i-80's news releases dated
February 7, 2024 and May 7, 2024, available under its profile on
www.sedarplus.ca.
Cozamin Mine (1.0% NSR over a portion of the mine): On
January 24, 2024, Capstone Copper
Corp. ("Capstone") reported 2023 production and 2024
guidance. Production from Cozamin in 2024 is anticipated by
Capstone to be similar to 2023 at 22,000 to 24,000 tonnes of copper
on a 100% basis. Operating costs in 2024 are forecasted by Capstone
to be higher than those in 2023 driven by a higher proportion of
cut-and-fill mining methods compared to longhole stoping, along
with a stronger Mexican peso.
On May 2, 2024, Capstone announced
its first quarter 2024 results which outlined that first quarter
2024 production was 15% higher than the first quarter 2023 due to
higher grades consistent with the mine plan.
For further information see Capstone's news releases dated
January 24, 2024 and May 2, 2024 available under its profile on
www.sedarplus.ca.
Royalty Generator Model Update
Our Royalty Generator Model continues to generate positive
results with one new royalty added in the three months ended
March 31, 2024. We have generated 40
royalties since the acquisition of Ely Gold Royalties Inc. in 2021
through this model.
We currently have 31 properties subject to land agreements and 6
properties under lease generating land agreement proceeds. The
model continues to incur low operating costs with only $0.002 million spent on maintaining the mineral
interests in the first quarter of 2024.
2024 Outlook
The Company remains on track to meet its previously disclosed
forecast of between approximately 5,000 and 5,600 GEOs in 2024
which equates to approximately $10.0
million to $11.2 million in
Total Revenue, Land Agreement Proceeds and Interest at a gold price
of $2,000 per ounce. This would
represent a midpoint increase in GEOs of approximately 100%
relative to 2023.
The Company's recurring Cash Operating Expenses are currently
expected to be consistent with 2023 and the Company expects to
achieve positive operating cash flow in 2024 when a number of its
growth projects ramp up in production, including the long-life
cornerstone mines at Côté and Odyssey and a full year of cash
inflows from the recently acquired Cozamin and Borborema
royalties.
The 2024 outlook regarding total GEOs is based on public
forecasts, expected development timelines and other disclosure by
the owners and operators of the properties underlying our interests
and our assessment thereof.
Investor Webcast
An investor webcast will be held on Tuesday, May 14, 2024 starting at 11:00 am ET (8:00 am
PT) to discuss these results. Management will be providing
an update to interested stakeholders on the Company's quarterly
results including key recent catalysts that have been announced on
the assets underlying the Company's royalties. The presentation
will be followed by a question-and-answer session where
participants will be able to ask any questions they may have of
management.
To register for the Q1 2024 investor webcast, please click the
link below:
https://www.bigmarker.com/vid-conferences/GROY-2024-Q1-Results
A replay of the event will be available on the Gold Royalty
website following the presentation.
About Gold Royalty Corp.
Gold Royalty Corp. is a gold-focused royalty company offering
creative financing solutions to the metals and mining industry. Its
mission is to invest in high-quality, sustainable, and responsible
mining operations to build a diversified portfolio of precious
metals royalty and streaming interests that generate superior
long-term returns for our shareholders. Gold Royalty's diversified
portfolio currently consists primarily of net smelter return
royalties on gold properties located in the Americas.
Qualified Person
Alastair Still, P.Geo., Director
of Technical Services of the Company, is a "qualified person" as
such term is defined under Canadian National Instrument 43-101
("NI 43-101") and has reviewed and approved the technical
information disclosed in this news release.
Notice to Investors
For further information regarding the project updates regarding
properties underlying the Company's interests, please refer to the
disclosures of the operators thereof, including the news releases
referenced herein. Disclosure relating to properties in which Gold
Royalty holds royalty or other interests is based on information
publicly disclosed by the owners or operators of such properties.
The Company generally has limited or no access to the properties
underlying its interests and is largely dependent on the disclosure
of the operators of its interests and other publicly available
information. The Company generally has limited or no ability to
verify such information. Although the Company does not have any
knowledge that such information may not be accurate, there can be
no assurance that such third-party information is complete or
accurate.
Unless otherwise indicated, the technical and scientific
disclosure contained or referenced in this news release, including
any references to mineral resources or mineral reserves, was
prepared by the project operators in accordance with Canadian
National Instrument 43-101, which differs significantly from the
requirements of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
("SEC") applicable to domestic issuers. Accordingly, the
scientific and technical information contained or referenced in
this news release may not be comparable to similar information made
public by U.S. companies subject to the reporting and disclosure
requirements of the SEC.
Forward-Looking Statements:
Certain of the information contained in this news release
constitutes "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking
statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian and U.S.
securities laws (collectively, "forward-looking statements"),
including but not limited to statements regarding: estimated
future total GEOs, Total Revenues and Land Agreement Proceeds, Cash
Operating Expenses, expected future cash flows; expectations
regarding the operations and/or development of the projects
underlying the Company's royalty interests, including the estimates
of the operators thereof their timing and ability to achieve
production; and expectations regarding the Company's growth and
statements regarding the Company's plans and strategies. Such
statements can be generally identified by the use of terms such as
"may", "will", "expect", "intend", "believe", "plans", "anticipate"
or similar terms. Forward-looking statements are based upon certain
assumptions and other important factors, including assumptions of
management regarding the accuracy of the disclosure of the
operators of the projects underlying the Company's projects, their
ability to achieve disclosed plans and targets, macroeconomic
conditions, commodity prices, and the Company's ability to finance
future growth and acquisitions. Forward-looking statements are
subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors which
may cause the actual results to be materially different from those
expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements including,
among others, any inability to any inability of the operators of
the properties underlying the Company's royalty interests to
execute proposed plans for such properties or to achieved planned
development and production estimates and goals, risks related to
the operators of the projects in which the Company holds interests,
including the successful continuation of operations at such
projects by those operators, risks related to exploration,
development, permitting, infrastructure, operating or technical
difficulties on any such projects, the influence of macroeconomic
developments, the ability of the Company to carry out its
growth plans and other factors set forth in the Company's Annual
Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2023 and its other publicly filed
documents under its profiles at www.sedarplus.ca and www.sec.gov.
Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors
that could cause actual results to differ materially from those
contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors
that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended.
There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be
accurate, as actual results and future events could differ
materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly,
readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking
statements. The Company does not undertake to update any
forward-looking statements, except in accordance with applicable
securities laws.
Non-IFRS Measures
The Company has included in this document, certain performance
measures, including: (i) Adjusted Net Loss and Adjusted Net Loss
Per Share; (ii) total GEOs; (iii) Total Revenue, Land Agreement
Proceeds and Interest; and (iv) Cash Operating Expenses which are
each non-IFRS measures. The presentation of such non-IFRS measures
is intended to provide additional information and should not be
considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of
performance prepared in accordance with IFRS. These non-IFRS
measures do not have any standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS,
and other companies may calculate these measures differently.
Adjusted Net Loss and Adjusted Net Loss Per
Share
Adjusted Net Loss is calculated by adding back land agreement
proceeds credited against mineral properties, loan interest earned
on the gold-linked loan, convertible debentures-accretion,
transaction related and non-recurring general administrative
expenses* and share of loss and deducting the following from net
loss: dilution income in associate, changes in fair value of
derivative liabilities, embedded derivatives, short-term
investments and gold-linked loan, gain on loan modification,
foreign exchange gain (loss) and other income (expense). Adjusted
Net Loss Per Share, basic and diluted have been determined by
dividing the Adjusted Net Loss by the weighted average number of
common shares for the applicable period. Management believes that
they are useful measures of performance as they adjust for items
which are not always reflective of the underlying operating
performance of our business and/or are not necessarily indicative
of future operating results. The following is a reconciliation of
net loss to Adjusted Net Loss, Per Share, basic and diluted for the
periods indicated:
|
|
For the three months
ended
March 31
|
|
|
2024
|
|
2023
|
(in thousands of
dollars, except per share amounts)
|
|
($)
|
|
($)
|
Net loss
|
|
(1,405)
|
|
(3,083)
|
Land agreement proceeds
credited against mineral properties
|
|
1,050
|
|
1,203
|
Loan
interest
|
|
241
|
|
—
|
Convertible debentures
- accretion
|
|
395
|
|
—
|
Transaction related and
non-recurring expenses
|
|
95
|
|
459
|
Share of loss in
associate
|
|
52
|
|
128
|
Dilution gain in
associate
|
|
(9)
|
|
—
|
Change in fair value of
derivative liabilities
|
|
—
|
|
(230)
|
Change in fair value of
gold-linked loan
|
|
(639)
|
|
—
|
Change in fair value of
short-term investments
|
|
(101)
|
|
(58)
|
Change in fair value of
embedded derivatives
|
|
(191)
|
|
—
|
Foreign exchange (gain)
loss
|
|
(87)
|
|
48
|
Loan modification
(gain) loss
|
|
(310)
|
|
249
|
Other income
|
|
(21)
|
|
(34)
|
Adjusted Net
Loss
|
|
(930)
|
|
(1,318)
|
Weighted average number
of common shares
|
|
145,778,698
|
|
144,289,573
|
Adjusted Net Loss
per Share, basic and diluted
|
|
(0.01)
|
|
(0.01)
|
* Transaction related,
and non-recurring general administrative expenses comprised of
operating expenses that are not expected to be incurred on an
ongoing basis. During the quarter ended March 31, 2024,
transaction related and non-recurring professional fees related to
select project evaluation costs and post- closing activities
relating the issuance of the Company's outstanding convertible
debentures.
|
Total GEOs
Total GEOs are determined by dividing Total Revenue, Land
Agreement Proceeds and Interest by the average gold prices for the
applicable period:
(in thousands of
dollars, except Average Gold Price/oz and GEOs)
|
|
Average
Gold Price/oz
|
|
Total Revenue,
Land Agreement
Proceeds and Interest
|
|
GEOs
|
For three months ended
March 31, 2023
|
|
1,889
|
|
1,970
|
|
1,043
|
For three months ended
March 31, 2024
|
|
2,072
|
|
4,185
|
|
2,019
|
Total Revenue, Land Agreement Proceeds and
Interest
Total Revenue, Land Agreement Proceeds and Interest are
determined by adding land agreement proceeds credited against
mineral properties and interest received under the gold-linked
loan. The Company has included this information as management
believes certain investors use this information to evaluate our
performance in comparison to other gold royalty companies in the
precious metal mining industry. The following is a reconciliation
of Total Revenue, Land Agreement Proceeds and Interest to total
revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023,
respectively:
|
|
For the three months
ended
March 31
|
|
|
2024
|
|
2023
|
(in thousands of
dollars)
|
|
($)
|
|
($)
|
Royalty
|
|
1,062
|
|
234
|
Advance minimum royalty
and pre-production royalty
|
|
830
|
|
331
|
Land agreement
proceeds
|
|
2,052
|
|
1,405
|
Loan
interest
|
|
241
|
|
—
|
Total Revenue, Land
Agreement Proceeds and Interest
|
|
4,185
|
|
1,970
|
Land agreement proceeds
credited against mineral properties
|
|
(1,050)
|
|
(1,203)
|
Loan
interest
|
|
(241)
|
|
—
|
Revenue
|
|
2,894
|
|
767
|
Cash Operating Expenses
Cash Operating Expenses are determined by deducting depreciation
and share-based compensation from general, administrative and
project evaluation costs. The Company has included this information
as management believes certain investors use this information to
evaluate our performance in comparison to other gold royalty
companies in the precious metal mining industry. The following is a
reconciliation of Cash Operating Expenses to general,
administrative and project evaluation costs.
|
|
For the three months
ended
March 31
|
|
|
2024
|
|
2023
|
(in thousands of
dollars)
|
|
($)
|
|
($)
|
General and
administrative costs
|
|
(2,856)
|
|
(3,251)
|
Project evaluation
costs
|
|
(19)
|
|
(173)
|
General, administrative
and project evaluation costs
|
|
(2,875)
|
|
(3,424)
|
Depreciation
|
|
20
|
|
21
|
Share-based
compensation
|
|
595
|
|
880
|
Cash Operating
Expenses
|
|
(2,260)
|
|
(2,523)
|
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SOURCE Gold Royalty Corp.