third quarter of 2026
Filed Oct 8, 2026NOVAGOLD reported a third-quarter loss as Donlin Gold BFS activity and transaction-related professional fees increased spending, while cash and term deposits totaled approximately $343.4 million.
The company maintained substantial liquidity and reaffirmed its ability to fund the Donlin Gold BFS and prepay the Barrick promissory note, but reported earnings of ($36.0) million, increased fiscal 2026 operating-expenditure guidance by $11.5 million, and expects professional fees to remain elevated into fiscal 2027.
Key metrics
shortened, hover for the filing’s print| Metric | Value | q/q | y/y |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earnings, third quarter of 2026other | ($36.0) million | – | – |
| Earnings per share, third quarter of 2026other | ($0.08) | – | – |
| Net third quarter operational cash expendituresother | $28.1M | – | – |
| NOVAGOLD share of Donlin Gold project funding, third quarter of 2026other | $24.8M | – | – |
| Corporate general and administrative costs, third quarter of 2026other | $3.3M | – | – |
| Cash and term deposits as of August 31, 2026other | 343,386 | – | – |
| Total assets as of August 31, 2026other | 573,286 | – | – |
| Total liabilities as of August 31, 2026other | 186,031 | – | – |
| Cash used in operating activities, third quarter of 2026 change versus comparative prior year periodother | $2.4 million higher | – | $2.4 million higher |
| Cash provided by investing activities, third quarter of 2026 change versus comparative prior year periodother | $331.6M | – | increased by $331.6 million |
| Cash provided by financing activities, third quarter of 2026 change versus comparative prior year periodother | $25.5M | – | decreased by $25.5 million |
fiscal year 2026 outlook
- Operating expensesapproximately $110.0 million
- NoteHigher corporate general and administrative costs of approximately $31.2 million, excluding share-based compensation
- NoteUnchanged Donlin Gold funding guidance of approximately $78.8 million
- NoteDonlin Gold BFS targeted for completion in 2027
- NoteTransactions are expected to close by year-end
- NoteDetailed Design Packages anticipated by end of 2026 or early 2027
- NotePotential issuance of the Dam Safety Certificates expected in 2028
- NoteFinal SEIS anticipated in April 2027
- NoteNOVAGOLD expects to raise additional capital in the future to support subsequent project activities, including the commencement of detailed engineering
What drove it
- Incremental Donlin Gold expenditures reflected ongoing Bankable Feasibility Study activities.
- Higher general and administrative expenses were primarily driven by professional fees related to the pending Transactions announced on July 22, 2026.
- Higher interest income partially offset the increased expenditures and expenses.
- Donlin Gold appointed Endeavour Financial and Macquarie Capital to support evaluation of project finance, infrastructure financing, and potential governmental agency and/or sovereign wealth fund support.
- The Donlin Gold team grew from approximately 35 to 77 employees since the beginning of 2026 to support site, BFS and contractor activities.
Concerns
- Professional fees are expected to remain elevated for the remainder of fiscal 2026 and into the early part of fiscal 2027.
- Fiscal 2026 operating expenditure guidance increased by $11.5 million, including $7.7 million of additional legal and professional fees incurred through the third quarter and $3.8 million of anticipated fourth-quarter expenses.
- NOVAGOLD expects to raise additional capital in the future to support subsequent project activities, including detailed engineering.
- The Transactions remain subject to shareholder approval, court approval, regulatory and stock exchange approval, and customary closing conditions.
- The Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement is open for public comment until October 23, 2026, and the Final SEIS is anticipated in April 2027.
What to watch
- The Special Meeting of Shareholders scheduled for November 3, 2026.
- Closing of the Transactions, currently expected by year-end.
- The planned fourth-calendar-quarter 2026 exercise of the option to prepay the Barrick promissory note.
- Progress toward completion of the Donlin Gold BFS in 2027.
- Completion of Detailed Design Packages by end of 2026 or early 2027 and the anticipated timing of Dam Safety Certificates in 2028.
- Financing strategy development by Endeavour Financial and Macquarie Capital.
Balance sheet and cash flow
- Cash resources comprising cash and cash equivalents and term deposits totaled approximately $343.4 million as of August 31, 2026.
- Cash and term deposits were 343,386 as of August 31, 2026, 370,216 as of May 31, 2026, and 125,169 as of August 31, 2025. All amounts are in thousands of U.S. dollars unless otherwise stated.
- Total assets were 573,286 as of August 31, 2026.
- Total liabilities were 186,031 as of August 31, 2026.
- Cash provided by investing activities increased by $331.6 million from the comparative prior year period, primarily due to the prior-year payment of $210.1 million to complete the June 2025 Barrick transaction, $137.0 million in net proceeds from maturing term deposits and $1.2 million in net proceeds from the sale of marketable securities, partially offset by $16.7 million of incremental Donlin Gold funding versus the prior year.
- Cash provided by financing activities decreased by $25.5 million from the comparative prior year period, primarily due to $25.5 million in net proceeds from the exercise of an underwriter's overallotment option related to the May 2025 equity offering received last year versus no financing activity during the third quarter of 2026.
Analysis
NOVAGOLD remains a development-stage company with no production and reported earnings of ($36.0) million, or ($0.08) per share, for the third quarter of 2026. Net third quarter operational cash expenditures were $28.1 million, comprising $24.8 million to fund NOVAGOLD's share of Donlin Gold and $3.3 million in corporate general and administrative costs. Management attributed the quarter's results to incremental BFS expenditures and higher transaction-related professional fees, partially offset by higher interest income.
Liquidity remained the central financial support for the development plan. Cash resources, including cash and cash equivalents and term deposits, totaled approximately $343.4 million as of August 31, 2026. The company stated that these resources are sufficient to complete the Donlin Gold BFS, exercise its option to prepay the Barrick promissory note in the fourth calendar quarter of 2026, and cover corporate general and administrative costs for at least the next twelve months. Cash and term deposits were 343,386 at August 31, 2026, compared with 370,216 at May 31, 2026 and 125,169 at August 31, 2025, with all table amounts reported in thousands of U.S. dollars.
The company increased fiscal 2026 operating-expenditure guidance by $11.5 million to approximately $110.0 million. The revised outlook includes approximately $31.2 million of corporate general and administrative costs, excluding share-based compensation, and unchanged Donlin Gold funding guidance of approximately $78.8 million. The increase reflects $7.7 million of additional legal and professional fees incurred through the third quarter and $3.8 million of anticipated fourth-quarter costs. NOVAGOLD also said its share of Donlin Gold expenditures is expected to remain elevated over the next 12 to 18 months as BFS activities advance and would increase further if the Transactions close by year-end 2026.
Operationally, Donlin Gold's BFS remains on schedule for completion in 2027, with Fluor coordinating engineering and specialist contractor work. The company has added Endeavour Financial and Macquarie Capital to evaluate and arrange project and infrastructure financing alternatives while the BFS proceeds. The strategic priority is the acquisition of Paulson's 40% interest in Donlin Gold, which would result in New NOVAGOLD owning, directly and indirectly, 100% of the project. The Transactions are expected to close by year-end but remain contingent on shareholder, court, regulatory and stock exchange approvals and customary closing conditions.
Permitting and stakeholder engagement remain material execution items. Donlin Gold's federal and state permits and approvals remain in effect while legal appeals proceed, but the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers published the SEIS on September 23, 2026, with public comment open until October 23, 2026 and a Final SEIS anticipated in April 2027. Management also expects to require additional future capital for subsequent project activities, including detailed engineering, making transaction completion, BFS execution, permitting milestones and financing progress the principal items to monitor.
Not in the filing
stated, not guessed- Total revenue
- Revenue comparison with prior-year period
- Revenue comparison with prior-quarter period
- Segment revenue
- Gross profit
- Gross margin
- Operating income or loss
- Net income or loss explicitly labeled as GAAP
- GAAP diluted earnings per share
- Non-GAAP earnings or loss
- Non-GAAP earnings per share
- Operating cash flow amount
- Free cash flow
- Debt balance
- Share repurchases
- Dividends
- Prior guidance outlook document
AlphAI analysis generated from the company’s SEC earnings filing (Form 8-K Item 2.02, or Form 6-K for a foreign private issuer). Every figure was cross-checked against the filing text; consensus estimates, price targets and share-price reactions are not shown because they are not in the filing. AI-generated research, not investment advice.