GOGL - Third Quarter 2016 Results

HAMILTON, Bermuda, Nov. 22, 2016 -- Golden Ocean Group Limited (NASDAQ: GOGL / OSE: GOGL) (the "Company" or "Golden Ocean"), a leading dry bulk shipping company, today announced its preliminary results for the quarter ended September 30, 2016.

Highlights

• Reports a net loss of $26.7 million and a loss per share of $0.25 for the third quarter of 2016, an improvement of $12.5 million compared with a net loss of $39.2 million and a loss per share of $0.37 for the second quarter of 2016.
  
• Took delivery of one Ultramax newbuilding, the Golden Leo, and paid a final installment of $15.7 million on delivery.
  
• Acquired the Golden Lyderhorn following the vessel owner's exercise of its option to sell the vessel to the Company, and subsequently sold the vessel to an unrelated third party. 
  
• Completed a 1-for-5 reverse share split in August 2016.
  
• Took delivery of the Capesize newbuilding Front Mediterranean subsequent to the end of the third quarter and immediately sold and delivered the vessel to its new owner, resulting in net cash flow of $12.7 million in the fourth quarter.
  

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

"Following significant steps the Company took to strengthen its balance sheet and delay vessel deliveries earlier this year, we are pleased to see that the dry bulk market has strengthened lately. Revenues in the third quarter improved due to better market conditions and utilization of our ice class vessels in specialized trade during the quarter. We expect increased rates for our Capesize vessels will positively impact our fourth quarter results. While the dry bulk market has not yet stabilized and may experience weakness over the next several quarters, we believe we are well positioned for an eventual market recovery due to our large fleet of modern vessels with an average age of approximately four years, our very attractive breakeven levels and our strong cash position."

The full report is available in the link below.

The Board of Directors
Hamilton, Bermuda
November 22, 2016

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:

http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/cab6f102-0fea-4439-bb4f-72419465f34c