GOGL - Fourth Quarter 2016 Results

Golden Ocean Group Limited (NASDAQ: GOGL / OSE: GOGL) (the "Company" or "Golden Ocean"), a leading dry bulk shipping company, today announced its results for the quarter ended December 31, 2016.

 Highlights

•  Reports net income of $6.5 million and earnings per share of $0.06 for the fourth quarter of 2016, an improvement of $33.2 million compared with a net loss of $26.7 million and a loss per share of $0.25 for the third quarter of 2016.
• Adjusted EBITDA in the fourth quarter was $24.2 million compared with $8.6 million in the third quarter of 2016.
• Reports net loss of $127.7 million and a loss per share of $1.34 for the full year 2016 compared with a net loss of $220.8 million and a loss per share of $7.3 in 2015.
• Took delivery of the Capesize newbuilding Front Mediterranean and immediately sold and delivered the vessel to its new owner, resulting in net positive cash flow of $12.7 million in the fourth quarter.
• Reached agreement with shipyards to defer delivery of ten newbuildings and achieved aggregate price reductions of $15.3 million.
• Took delivery of two Ultramax newbuildings, Golden Virgo and Golden Libra and two Capesize newbuildings, Golden Surabaya and Golden Savanna subsequent to the end of the fourth quarter.

Birgitte Ringstad Vartdal, Chief Executive Officer of Golden Ocean Management AS commented:

"Freight rates improved during the fourth quarter as the dry bulk shipping market saw increased demand, combined with port congestion and a tight Atlantic market. The quarter was also characterized by rate volatility, which could be an early sign of a recovering market. Our results improved in the fourth quarter, and better rates will also have a positive impact on our results for the first quarter of 2017. Against this market backdrop, we continued to execute on our strategic plan by achieving further deferrals of vessel deliveries and securing price reductions related to the deferred newbuildings."

Per Heiberg, Chief Financial Officer of Golden Ocean Management AS, added:

"As earnings have strengthened and are now above the levels anticipated in our first quarter 2016 restructuring, we expect that a cash sweep will be triggered in the second quarter of 2017.  Given our significant leverage to an improving market, any sustained period of market strength will allow us to begin to deleverage the Company's balance sheet."

The full report is available in the link below.

The Board of Directors
Hamilton, Bermuda
February 28, 2017

Questions should be directed to: 

Birgitte Ringstad Vartdal: Chief Executive Officer, Golden Ocean Management AS
+47 22 01 73 53

Per Heiberg: Chief Financial Officer, Golden Ocean Management AS
+47 22 01 73 45

Forward Looking Statements
Matters discussed in this report may constitute forward-looking statements.  The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides safe harbor protections for forward-looking statements, which 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. Words such as "believe," "anticipate," "intends," "estimate," "forecast," "project," "plan," "potential," "may," "should," "expect," "pending" and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this report are based upon various assumptions.  Although we believe 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, we cannot assure you that we will achieve or accomplish these expectations, beliefs or projections. The information set forth herein speaks only as of the date hereof, and we disclaim any intention or obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of developments occurring after the date of this communication.

In addition to these important factors and matters discussed elsewhere herein, important factors that, in our view, could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements include the strength of world economies, fluctuations in currencies and interest rates, general market conditions, including fluctuations in charter hire rates and vessel values, changes in demand in the dry bulk market, changes in our operating expenses, including bunker prices, drydocking and insurance costs, the market for our  vessels, availability of financing and refinancing, changes in governmental rules and regulations or actions taken by regulatory authorities, potential liability from pending or future litigation, general domestic and international political conditions, potential disruption of shipping routes due to accidents, political events or acts by terrorists, and other important factors described from time to time in the reports filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

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

Attachments:

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