Royal Gold (RGLD) Risk Analysis

We have paid a cash dividend on our common stock since calendar year 2000. Our Board of Directors has discretion in determining whether to declare a dividend based on a number of factors, including metal prices, economic or market conditions, earnings, cash flow, financial condition, and funding requirements for future opportunities or operations. In addition, corporate law limitations or future contractual restrictions could limit our ability to pay dividends in the future. If our Board of Directors reduces or eliminates future dividends, our stock price could fall, and the success of your investment would depend largely on any future stock price appreciation. We have increased our dividend in prior years. There can be no assurance, however, that we will continue to do so or that we will pay any dividends.

Mining operations are subject to extensive laws and regulations governing land use and the protection of the environment. In addition, many countries have implemented laws and regulations designed to address the effects of climate change, including rules to disclose and reduce industrial emissions and other environmental impacts to which operators or we may be subject. These laws and regulations are constantly evolving in a manner generally expected to result in stricter standards, more liability, and increased costs. Compliance with these laws and regulations can impose substantial costs and burdens on the operators of the properties subject to our interests and perhaps on us as well. In addition, an operator's failure to comply with these laws and regulations could result in injunctive action, orders to suspend or cease operations, damages, or civil or criminal penalties on the operator. If any of these events were to occur, our revenue or the value of our interests could be adversely affected. Climate change may also pose physical risks to the properties in which we hold an interest. This could include adverse effects on operations as a result of increasing occurrences of extreme weather events, flooding, water shortages, changes in rainfall and storm patterns, changes in sea levels, heat stress, wildfires, and other negative weather and climate patterns. For example, Andacollo experienced flooding due to a significant rainfall event in July 2022, which caused operations to shut down for five days and negatively affected production over the following six months. In 2023 and 2024, Andacollo faced drought conditions, causing water restrictions that impacted production. These events could damage assets, adversely affect production, harm human life, halt mining operations, temporarily close supporting infrastructure or reduce labor productivity, among other effects. Market impacts due to climate change and the transition to a low-carbon economy will be varied and complex. Supply and demand for certain commodities, products and services may shift in connection with evolving consumer and investor sentiments. Market perceptions of the mining sector, and, in particular, the role that certain metals will or will not play in the transition to a low-carbon economy, remain uncertain. Potential financial impacts may include increased production costs due to changing input prices, re-pricing of land and assets, increased global competition for key materials needed for new technologies, potential cost increases by insurers and lenders, and potential increases in taxation of the mining and metals sector. In addition, governments and investors are increasingly seeking enhanced disclosures on the risks, challenges, governance implications, and financial impacts of climate change faced by companies and demanding that companies take a proactive approach to addressing and reducing perceived environmental risks, including the physical, transition, and liability risks associated with climate change, relating to their operations. Adverse publicity or climate-related litigation that affects any of the operators of the principal properties in which we hold interests could adversely affect our business. As a holder of stream and royalty interests, we generally will not have any influence on litigation such as this or access to non-public information concerning such litigation. In addition, we may not have access to sufficient information on the operations in respect of which we hold stream and royalty interests in order to adequately comply with climate change regulations or meet stockholder expectations on adequate disclosure or to quantify the potential effects of climate change on our business. Challenges relating to climate change could limit the ability of operators to access the capital markets, and such limitations could have a corresponding adverse effect on their business and operations. Although we do not conduct mining operations on the properties in which we hold stream and royalty interests and are not legally required to contribute to environmental or other operating costs on the properties, our own governmental regulators and stockholders may nonetheless demand that we assist the operators of the properties with addressing these environmental risks. If this were to occur, the value of our interests or of our common stock could be adversely affected. Further, due to expansive environmental laws, it is possible that we could become subject to environmental liabilities for historic periods during which we owned or operated properties or relative to our current ownership interests in mining claims or leases. These liabilities could adversely affect our results of operations or financial condition. Finally, lenders may be unwilling to provide financing to the mining industry, including companies like Royal Gold that acquire stream and royalty interests in mining projects, due to such lenders' concerns regarding market perceptions of the mining sector and lender commitments to net-zero emissions targets. If we encounter difficulties in accessing the commercial debt market, our ability to finance new acquisitions of stream and royalty interests could be adversely affected. In addition, if we have to rely on issuing equity to finance transactions, our stock price could be adversely affected, and our stockholders' ownership could be diluted.

The Transactions involve the combination of companies that currently operate as independent public companies. The combination of independent businesses is complex, costly and time consuming, and significant management attention and resources will be required to integrate the business practices and operations of Sandstorm and Horizon into Royal Gold. This may divert our focus and resources from other strategic opportunities and/or operational matters during this integration stage. The success and the ability to realize the anticipated benefits of the Transactions will depend upon our ability to effectively manage the integration of Sandstorm and Horizon. Potential difficulties and risks that may accompany the Transactions include the following: - the inability to successfully combine the business or personnel of Royal Gold, Sandstorm and Horizon in a manner that permits the combined company to achieve, on a timely basis, or at all, the cost savings and other benefits anticipated to result from the Transactions;- complexities associated with managing and supporting the combined businesses and the expanded operations and portfolio; and - potential unknown liabilities and unforeseen increased expenses or delays associated with the Transactions.