Group 1 - Royal Gold, Inc. (NASDAQ:RGLD) is pursuing a strategic merger with Sandstorm Gold Ltd., which will result in Sandstorm becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of Royal Gold [2][3] - The formal proxy statement for the merger was filed with the SEC on September 15, 2025, and the merger is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2025, pending final approvals [2][3] - Royal Gold has a global portfolio of precious metal royalties, streams, and production-based interests, which provides cash flows and positions it as a mid-cap company in the gold sector [4] Group 2 - Royal Gold, Inc. is recognized as one of the best gold royalty and small-cap gold stocks to invest in currently [1] - The company has previously obtained important regulatory clearances in South Africa and Canada, facilitating the merger process [3]

Core Insights - Royal Gold (RGLD) has a strong track record of exceeding earnings estimates, particularly in the last two quarters, with an average surprise of 9.81% [1][2] - The company reported earnings of $1.51 per share in the last quarter, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.37 per share by 10.22% [2] - Royal Gold's positive Earnings ESP of +6.85% indicates bullish sentiment among analysts regarding its earnings prospects [8] Earnings Performance - In the previous quarter, Royal Gold's earnings were $1.63 per share against an expected $1.49, resulting in a surprise of 9.40% [2] - The company has consistently shown a pattern of beating earnings estimates, which is a positive indicator for future performance [1][2] Analyst Sentiment - Recent estimates for Royal Gold have been trending upward, reflecting increased analyst confidence [5] - The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy) suggests a high likelihood of another earnings beat in the upcoming report [8] Earnings ESP Explanation - The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate, with the Most Accurate Estimate being more reflective of recent analyst revisions [7] - Stocks with a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank of 3 or better have a nearly 70% chance of producing a positive surprise [6]