U.S. Energy Corp. (NASDAQ: USEG, “
U.S. Energy” or
the “
Company”) today announced that its Board of
Directors has authorized the extension of the previously announced
share repurchase program under which the Company may purchase up to
$5.0 million of its outstanding shares of common stock in the open
market, in accordance with all applicable securities laws and
regulations, including Rule 10b-18 of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934, as amended. The repurchase program was originally approved
in April 2023 and extended in March 2024, and was to expire on June
30, 2025. The expiration date has now been extended until June 30,
2026. A total of up to approximately $3.8 million remains available
under the repurchase program for future repurchases.
The Company’s decision to repurchase its shares,
as well as the timing of such repurchases, will depend on a variety
of factors, including the ongoing assessment of the Company’s
capital needs, the market price of the Company’s common stock,
general market conditions and other corporate considerations, as
determined by management. The repurchase program may be suspended
or discontinued at any time.
MANAGEMENT COMMENTARY
“U.S. Energy is committed to a focused and
disciplined capital allocation strategy that emphasizes creating
value in our shares by advancing our industrial gas project,
maintaining a clean balance sheet, and ensuring ample liquidity,"
said Ryan Smith, U.S. Energy’s Chief Executive Officer, who
continued, "The continuation of our share repurchase program
reflects our belief that this represents a highly attractive use of
capital. We expect this program to continue delivering multiple
benefits to the Company and its stockholders, including supporting
the market value of our common stock, providing a tax-efficient
method of returning capital to shareholders, and driving accretion
to key per-share metrics.”
REPURCHASE PROGRAM TO DATE
Since initiating the repurchase program in April
2023, we have repurchased 985,000 shares, representing 2.8% of our
total shares outstanding, at an average price of $1.24 per
share.
AFFILIATE SHARE REPURCHASE
Immediately following the closing of U.S.
Energy’s recently completed underwritten offering, and separate
from the ongoing repurchase program, discussed above, the Company
repurchased from certain affiliates of Sage Road Capital, which is
controlled by Joshua L. Batchelor, a member of the Board of
Directors of the Company, an aggregate of 635,400 common shares at
a price per share equal to $2.47775, the net price per share
received by U.S. Energy as part of the recently completed
underwritten offering, with cash on hand. Affiliates of Sage
Road Capital own shares across multiple managed funds, and as of
January 29, 2025, continue to own 6,304,037 Company shares.
More information regarding the stock repurchase
can be found in the Current Report on Form 8-K filed by the Company
today with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
ABOUT U.S. ENERGY CORP.
We are a growth company focused on consolidating
high-quality assets in the United States with the potential to
optimize production and generate free cash flow through low-risk
development while maintaining an attractive shareholder returns
program. We are committed to being a leader in reducing our
carbon footprint in the areas in which we operate. More information
about U.S. Energy Corp. can be found at www.usnrg.com.
ACCOMPANYING FINANCIAL
DISCLOSURES
Under the stock repurchase program, shares may
be repurchased from time to time in the open market or through
negotiated transactions at prevailing market rates, or by other
means in accordance with federal securities laws. Repurchases will
be made at management’s discretion at prices management considers
to be attractive and in the best interests of both the Company and
its stockholders, subject to the availability of shares, general
market conditions, the trading price of the common stock,
alternative uses for capital, and the Company’s financial
performance. Open market purchases are expected to be conducted in
accordance with the limitations set forth in Rule 10b-18 of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) and other
applicable laws and regulations. Repurchases may also be made under
a Rule 10b5-1 plan, which would permit shares to be repurchased
when the Company might otherwise be precluded from doing so under
insider trading laws.
The repurchase program may be suspended,
terminated or modified at any time for any reason, including market
conditions, the cost of repurchasing shares, the availability of
alternative investment opportunities, liquidity, and other factors
deemed appropriate. These factors may also affect the timing and
amount of share repurchases. The repurchase program does not
obligate the Company to purchase any particular number of shares.
There is no guarantee as to the exact number or value of shares
that will be repurchased by the Company, if any.
All shares purchased by the Company under the
stock repurchase program will be retired and returned to
treasury.
INVESTOR RELATIONS CONTACT
Mason McGuire IR@usnrg.com(303) 993-3200www.usnrg.com
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Certain of the matters discussed in this
communication which are not statements of historical fact
constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the
federal securities laws, including the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995, that involve a number of risks and
uncertainties. Words such as “strategy,” “expects,” “continues,”
“plans,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “would,” “will,” “estimates,”
“intends,” “projects,” “goals,” “targets” and other words of
similar meaning are intended to identify forward-looking statements
but are not the exclusive means of identifying these
statements.
Important factors that may cause actual results
and outcomes to differ materially from those contained in such
forward-looking statements include, without limitation: (1) risks
associated with the stock buyback, including, but not limited to,
the purchase price of shares acquired, the availability of funding
for such buyback, the effect of such buyback on the Company’s cash
on hand, and the effect of such buyback, if any, on the value of
the Company’s securities; (2) the ability of the Company to grow
and manage growth profitably and retain its key employees; (3)
risks associated with the integration of recently acquired assets;
(4) the Company’s ability to comply with the terms of its senior
credit facilities; (5) the ability of the Company to retain and
hire key personnel; (6) the business, economic and political
conditions in the markets in which the Company operates; (7) the
volatility of oil and natural gas prices; (8) the Company’s success
in discovering, estimating, developing and replacing oil, natural
gas and helium reserves; (9) risks of the Company’s operations not
being profitable or generating sufficient cash flow to meet its
obligations; (10) risks relating to the future price of oil,
natural gas, NGLs and helium; (11) risks related to the status and
availability of oil, natural gas and helium gathering,
transportation, and storage facilities; (12) risks related to
changes in the legal and regulatory environment governing the oil,
gas and helium industry, and new or amended environmental
legislation and regulatory initiatives; (13) risks relating to
crude oil production quotas or other actions that might be imposed
by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and other
producing countries; (14) technological advancements; (15) changing
economic, regulatory and political environments in the markets in
which the Company operates; (16) general domestic and international
economic, market and political conditions, including the military
conflict between Russia and Ukraine and the global response to such
conflict; (17) actions of competitors or regulators; (18) the
potential disruption or interruption of the Company’s operations
due to war, accidents, political events, severe weather, cyber
threats, terrorist acts, or other natural or human causes beyond
the Company’s control; (19) pandemics, governmental responses
thereto, economic downturns and possible recessions caused thereby;
(20) inflationary risks and recent changes in inflation and
interest rates, and the risks of recessions and economic downturns
caused thereby or by efforts to reduce inflation; (21) risks
related to military conflicts in oil producing countries; (22)
changes in economic conditions; limitations in the availability of,
and costs of, supplies, materials, contractors and services that
may delay the drilling or completion of wells or make such wells
more expensive; (23) the amount and timing of future development
costs; (24) the availability and demand for alternative energy
sources; (25) regulatory changes, including those related to carbon
dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions; (26) uncertainties inherent
in estimating quantities of oil, natural gas and helium reserves
and projecting future rates of production and timing of development
activities; (27) risks relating to the lack of capital available on
acceptable terms to finance the Company’s continued growth,
potential future sales of debt or equity and dilution caused
thereby; (28) the review and evaluation of potential strategic
transactions and their impact on stockholder value and the process
by which the Company engages in evaluation of strategic
transactions; and (29) other risk factors included from time to
time in documents U.S. Energy files with the Securities and
Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to, its Form 10-Ks,
Form 10-Qs and Form 8-Ks. Other important factors that may cause
actual results and outcomes to differ materially from those
contained in the forward-looking statements included in this
communication are described in the Company’s publicly filed
reports, including, but not limited to, the Company’s Annual Report
on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 and Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, and
future annual reports and quarterly reports. These reports and
filings are available at www.sec.gov. Unknown or unpredictable
factors also could have material adverse effects on the Company’s
future results.
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