Royal Gold Reports Net Income of $0.23 per Share for its First Quarter Fiscal 2014 and Concentrate Production Commences at Mt. Milligan

Royal Gold Inc. (NASDAQ:RGLD) (TSX:RGL) (“Royal Gold” or the “Company”) generated net income attributable to Royal Gold stockholders of $15.2 million, or $0.23 per basic share, on revenue of $56.5 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2014. This compares to net income attributable to Royal Gold stockholders of $24.8 million, or $0.42 per basic share, on revenue of $77.9 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2013. The average gold price was $1,326 per ounce in the first quarter, down 20% from the prior year quarter.

Q1 Fiscal Year (“FY”) 2014 Highlights:

• Adjusted EBITDA¹ of $0.77 per basic share or 88% of revenue;
• Cash dividends of $13.0 million, representing a payout ratio of 37% of operating cash flow;
• Completion of the previously announced acquisition of a royalty on the El Morro copper-gold project in Chile for $35 million; and
• Final payment of $12.9 million made to Thompson Creek Metals Company (“Thompson Creek”) as part of the Mt. Milligan gold stream acquisition. Copper and gold concentrate production commenced at Mt. Milligan in September.

Tony Jensen, President and CEO, commented, “Our first quarter results met production expectations on a portfolio basis, with Andacollo reporting a particularly strong quarter. We are pleased with the plant commissioning process at Mt. Milligan to date and look forward to that contribution to our portfolio as concentrate sales commence in the near future. We expect Mt. Milligan’s production to build more significantly in the new calendar year.”

First quarter revenue was primarily impacted by lower average metal prices. First quarter production attributable to Royal Gold was higher at Andacollo, Canadian Malartic, Holt, Dolores and Wolverine than the prior year quarter, offset by lower production at Voisey’s Bay, Peñasquito, Las Cruces, Robinson (copper), Leeville and Cortez.

First quarter income tax expense decreased to $4.8 million, primarily due to expected contributions from Mt. Milligan production to our fiscal 2014 earnings, and the reduction of the accrual for uncertain tax positions during the first quarter. This decrease resulted in an effective tax rate of 24% for the quarter, compared with $16.5 million or 39% in the prior year period. The Company’s cash tax rate for the quarter was 31%. For the full fiscal year, based upon Royal Gold’s current forecasts, we expect our effective tax rate to be between 30% and 34%.

As of September 30, 2013, the Company had a working capital surplus of $687.4 million. Current assets were $715.4 million (including $637.9 million in cash and equivalents), compared to current liabilities of $28.0 million, resulting in a current ratio of approximately 26 to 1. In addition to available working capital, the Company had $350 million available under its revolving line of credit.

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

Mt. Milligan Stream

On August 7, 2013, Thompson Creek announced that commissioning had begun at its new Mt. Milligan mine. They also reported that copper-gold concentrate production began in September, followed by initial concentrate movement on September 24 from the mine site to the Mackenzie load out facility. Thompson Creek expects to send the first ocean shipment to market in the fourth quarter.

Royal Gold’s final commitment payment of $12.9 million to Thompson Creek as part of the Mt. Milligan gold stream acquisition was made in September 2013.

El Morro Royalty Acquisition

In August 2013, Royal Gold, through its wholly owned Chilean subsidiary, acquired a 70% interest in a 2.0% NSR royalty on certain portions of the El Morro copper gold project in Chile (“El Morro”), from Xstrata Copper Chile S.A., for $35 million. Goldcorp Inc. (“Goldcorp”) holds 70% ownership of the El Morro project and is the operator, with the remaining 30% held by New Gold Inc. (“New Gold”). Goldcorp and New Gold reported that as of December 31, 2012, proven and probable reserves totaled 9.5 million ounces of gold and 7 billion pounds of copper for 100% of the property. Our royalty encompasses some legacy BHP concessions that are currently estimated by Royal Gold to cover approximately one-third of the total reserve.

On October 22, 2013, Goldcorp reported that the Environmental Assessment Commission of Atacama analyzed a final report prepared by the Chilean environmental permitting authority (“SEA”) and unanimously decided on the reinstatement of the environmental permit for the El Morro project, which had been suspended since April 27, 2012. The permit was suspended pending the definition and implementation by the SEA of a community consultation process which corrects certain deficiencies in that process as specifically identified by the Antofagasta Court of Appeals. Goldcorp states that it is optimizing project economics, evaluating alternatives for long-term power supply, and continuing with community engagement to advance the project.

Pascua-Lama Royalty

On October 31, 2013, Barrick Gold Corp. (“Barrick”) reported that it has decided to temporarily suspend construction activities at Pascua-Lama, except those required for environmental protection and regulatory compliance. Barrick said its decision to re-start will depend on improved project economics such as go-forward costs, the outlook for metal prices, and reduced uncertainty associated with legal and other regulatory requirements. Barrick also indicated that its decision will maintain the option value of this major world class resource and its potential to generate significant cash flows during its 25 year mine life and beyond.

Royal Gold holds a 0.78% to 5.23% sliding scale net smelter royalty on the Chilean side of the Pascua-Lama project and is not responsible for capital costs or other costs of the project. The Company does not expect Barrick’s decision will have any impact on the carrying value of its investment in the royalty at Pascua-Lama.

PROPERTY HIGHLIGHTS

Highlights at certain of the Company’s principal producing and development properties during the quarter ended September 30, 2013, as compared to the prior year quarter, are listed below:

Producing Properties

Andacollo – Gold production was 10% higher than the prior year period based on increased mill throughput as a result of blasting and process improvement initiatives. The mine has produced about 91% of its calendar year guidance to date. However, Teck indicates that it expects grade to decline over the coming quarters as the mine plan moves into Phase 3 of the pit.

Cortez – Production decreased as Barrick continued to prioritize open pit and underground production at Cortez Hills that is not subject to our royalty interest. Stockpiled roaster ore that is normally sent to Goldstrike for processing was also displaced by Cortez Hill ore during the quarter.

Holt – Production increased 32% over the prior year quarter, due to higher grade ore sources and correspondingly, improved mill recoveries.

Las Cruces – Production decreased 11% as First Quantum experienced lower sales volumes. First Quantum continues to test the plant with higher ore throughput rates and lower grades as it prepares to enter lower copper grade areas of the mine, which is expected in late calendar 2014.

Mulatos – Production decreased 2% as increased crusher throughput and a higher recovery ratio nearly offset a reduction in grade of ore stacked on the heaps. Alamos expects to have sufficient Escondida high-grade zone reserves to continue processing until the first quarter of calendar 2014, at which point the Escondida Deep zone is expected to provide additional feed to continue mill production to the end of the second quarter of calendar 2014. The Mulatos royalty is capped at 2.0 million gold ounces of production. As of September 30, 2013, approximately 1.16 million cumulative ounces of gold have been produced.

Peñasquito – Gold and silver production was lower by 23% and 12% respectively, over the prior year quarter, while production of lead and zinc was also lower. Goldcorp reported that the sulphide plant achieved average throughput of approximately 110,000 tonnes per day during the quarter with water availability as expected. Goldcorp narrowed its full year guidance to 370-390,000 ounces of gold as they expect higher grade ore to be processed during the last quarter of the year. They also reported that progress on the Northern Well Field project continues on schedule, and they expect construction activities to commence in the fourth calendar quarter of 2013.

Robinson – Gold production was flat and copper production decreased as the planned mine sequence moved to the Liberty pit which has lower copper grades. The Robinson mine’s calendar year 2013 results remain on course to meet or exceed levels from calendar year 2012 as their year-to-date copper production is at 75% of calendar year 2012 and year-to-date gold production has already exceeded calendar 2012 levels.

Voisey’s Bay – Nickel and copper production decreased over the prior year quarter as the mine completed the planned extraction of higher grade ore in calendar 2012 versus ore encountered in calendar 2013. Additionally, copper shipments completed during the June quarter were ahead of Voisey’s typical copper shipment schedule causing a reduction in the September 2013 quarterly shipments.

Wolverine – Silver production increased 9%, driven primarily by an increase in the mine’s targeted production. Last month, Yukon Zinc announced an increase in their production target, from 60% to 75% of design output, effective October 10, 2013. As a result, they planned to commence a three-week operating period for the mill, followed by a one week shut down for maintenance. Yukon Zinc estimates they will average 1,200 tonnes per day over the four-week period.

First quarter 2014 production and revenue for the Company’s principal royalty interests are shown in Table 1 and historical production data is shown in Table 2. For more detailed information about each of our principal royalty properties, please refer to the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC and available on the SEC’s website located at www.sec.gov, or our website located at www.royalgold.com.

CORPORATE PROFILE

Royal Gold is a precious metals royalty and stream company engaged in the acquisition and management of precious metal royalties, streams, and similar production based interests. The Company owns interests on 204 properties on six continents, including interests on 36 producing mines and 21 development stage projects. Royal Gold is publicly traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “RGLD,” and on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol “RGL.” The Company’s website is located at www.royalgold.com.

Note: Management’s conference call reviewing the first quarter will be held today at 10:00 a.m. Mountain Time (noon Eastern Time) and will be available by calling (800) 603-2779 (North America) or (973) 200-3960 (international), passcode: Royal Gold. The call will be simultaneously broadcast on the Company’s website at www.royalgold.com under the “Presentations” section. A replay of this webcast will be available on the Company’s website approximately two hours after the call ends.

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Cautionary “Safe Harbor” Statement Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: With the exception of historical matters, the matters discussed in this press release are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from projections or estimates contained herein. Such forward-looking statements include statements about the Company’s effective tax rate estimates; the contribution of Mt. Milligan to the Company’s revenue; the operators’ expectations regarding shipments from Mt. Milligan; indefinite suspension of construction at Pascua-Lama; completion of water management systems and the receipt of regulatory and legal approvals at Pascua-Lama; changes in grade and mill throughput at Andacollo; construction activities at Peñasquito; timing of shipping schedules at Voisey’s Bay; as well as other anticipated developments at various mines. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the projections include, among others, precious metals, copper and nickel prices; actual tax rates; performance of and production at the Company's royalty properties; decisions and activities of the operators of the Company’s royalty properties; delays in the operators’ securing or their inability to secure necessary governmental permits; changes in operators’ project parameters and timelines as plans continue to be refined; economic and market conditions; unanticipated grade, geological, metallurgical, processing, regulatory and legal or other problems the operators of the mining properties may encounter; completion of feasibility studies; the ability of the various operators to bring projects into production as expected; and other subsequent events, as well as other factors described in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Most of these factors are beyond the Company’s ability to predict or control. The Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statement made herein. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

SCHEDULE A

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

The Company computes and discloses Adjusted EBITDA. Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure. Adjusted EBITDA is defined by the Company as net income plus depreciation, depletion and amortization, non-cash charges, income tax expense, interest and other expense, and any impairment of mining assets, less non-controlling interests in operating income of consolidated subsidiaries, interest and other income, and any royalty portfolio restructuring gains or losses. Other companies may define and calculate this measure differently. Management believes that Adjusted EBITDA is a useful measure of the performance of our royalty portfolio. Adjusted EBITDA identifies the cash generated in a given period that will be available to fund the Company's future operations, growth opportunities, shareholder dividends and to service the Company's debt obligations. This information differs from measures of performance determined in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance determined in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Below is a reconciliation of net income to Adjusted EBITDA.

Royal Gold Inc.
Karli Anderson
Vice President Investor Relations
(303) 575-6517