Company Receives TSX Approval for Renewal of
Normal Course Issuer Bid
DENVER, Sept. 26,
2024 /PRNewswire/ - Ovintiv Inc. (NYSE: OVV)
(TSX: OVV) today announced it has received regulatory
approvals for the renewal of its share buy-back program. This
action is consistent with the Company's capital allocation
framework, which returns at least 50 percent of post base dividend
Non-GAAP Free Cash Flow to shareholders.
The Toronto Stock Exchange ("TSX") has
accepted Ovintiv's notice of intention to renew its normal course
issuer bid ("NCIB") to purchase up to 25,920,545 common shares
during the 12-month period commencing October 3, 2024, and ending October 2, 2025. The number of shares authorized
for purchase represents 10 percent of Ovintiv's public float as of
September 20, 2024, as calculated
pursuant to TSX rules. Purchases will be made on the open
market through the facilities of the TSX, New York Stock Exchange
("NYSE"), other designated exchanges and/or alternative trading
systems in Canada and the United States at the market price at the
time of acquisition, as well as by other means permitted by stock
exchange rules and securities laws including Rule 10b-18 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended.
Ovintiv has also renewed its automatic share purchase plan
("ASPP") allowing it to purchase common shares under the NCIB when
Ovintiv would ordinarily not be permitted to purchase shares due to
regulatory restrictions and customary self-imposed blackout
periods. Pursuant to the ASPP, Ovintiv will provide instructions
during non-blackout periods to its designated broker, which may not
be varied or suspended during the blackout period. Purchases by
Ovintiv's designated broker will be in accordance with applicable
stock exchange rules and securities laws and the terms of the
ASPP. All purchases made under the ASPP are included in
computing the number of common shares purchased under the NCIB. The
ASPP has been pre-cleared as required by the TSX.
The actual number of common shares that may be purchased under
the NCIB and the timing of any such purchases will be determined by
Ovintiv. The average daily trading volume through the facilities of
the TSX, excluding purchases made on such facilities, during the
most recently completed six-month period was 110,556 common shares.
Consequently, daily purchases through the facilities of the TSX
will be limited to 27,639 common shares, other than block purchase
exceptions. Purchases over the NYSE will be made in
compliance with the volume limitations in Rule 10b-18 in relation to average daily trading
volume and block trades. All common shares acquired by
Ovintiv under the NCIB may be cancelled or returned to treasury as
authorized but unissued shares.
Pursuant to its existing NCIB, under which
Ovintiv received approval from the TSX to purchase up to 26,734,819
common shares during the 12-month period commencing October 3, 2023 and ending October 2, 2024, Ovintiv has purchased 12,747,485
common shares on the TSX, NYSE and alternative trading systems at a
weighted average purchase price of
US$46.44 per common
share.
On March 9, 2022, Ovintiv obtained
an exemption order (the "NCIB Exemption") from applicable Canadian
regulators, permitting Ovintiv to make repurchases under the NCIB
through the facilities of the NYSE and other United States-based trading systems in excess
of 5 percent of Ovintiv's outstanding number of shares, the maximum
allowable under applicable Canadian securities laws absent an
exemption. The NCIB Exemption allows Ovintiv to repurchase up
to 10 percent of Ovintiv's public float on such U.S. marketplaces
provided that Ovintiv's aggregate repurchases on all marketplaces
do not exceed this amount over the 12-month period of the NCIB,
which is consistent with the maximum number of shares Ovintiv is
able to purchase under the NCIB. The other conditions to the NCIB
Exemption are outlined in Ovintiv's 2024 second quarter report on
Form 10-Q filed on EDGAR and SEDAR+.
ADVISORY REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS - This
news release contains certain forward-looking statements or
information (collectively, "FLS") within the meaning of applicable
securities legislation, including the United States Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. FLS include: the planned
share repurchase program, including the amount and number of shares
to be acquired, treatment of such shares following purchase,
anticipated timeframe, method and location of purchases, announced
capital framework; and benefits of the NCIB.
Readers are cautioned against unduly relying on FLS which, by
their nature, involve numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties
that may cause such statements not to occur, or results to differ
materially from those expressed or implied. These assumptions
include: future commodity prices and differentials; foreign
exchange rates; ability to access cash, credit facilities and shelf
prospectuses; and expectations and projections made in light of,
and generally consistent with, Ovintiv's historical experience and
its perception of historical trends, including with respect to the
pace of technological development, benefits achieved and general
industry expectations.
Risks and uncertainties that may affect these business outcomes
include: ability to generate sufficient cash flow to meet
obligations and fund the NCIB; commodity price volatility;
variability in the amount, number of shares, method, location and
timing of purchases, if any, pursuant to the NCIB; fluctuations in
currency and interest rates; and other risks and uncertainties
impacting Ovintiv's business, as described in its most recent
Annual Report on Form 10-K and as described from time to time in
Ovintiv's other periodic filings as filed on EDGAR and SEDAR+.
Although Ovintiv believes the expectations represented by such
FLS are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such
expectations will prove to be correct. Readers are cautioned that
the assumptions, risks and uncertainties referenced above are not
exhaustive. FLS are made as of the date of this news release and,
except as required by law, Ovintiv undertakes no obligation to
update publicly or revise any FLS. FLS contained in this news
release are expressly qualified by these cautionary statements.
Further information on Ovintiv is available on the company's
website, www.ovintiv.com, or by contacting:
Investor
contact:
(888) 525-0304
|
Media
contact:
(403)
645-2252
|
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SOURCE Ovintiv Inc.