CALGARY — Birchcliff Energy Ltd. (“Birchcliff” or the “Corporation”) (TSX: BIR) is pleased to announce that the Toronto Stock Exchange (the “TSX”) has accepted the notice of Birchcliff’s intention to make a normal course issuer bid (the “NCIB”).
The NCIB allows Birchcliff to purchase up to 13,296,761 common shares (representing 5% of its 265,935,229 common shares outstanding as at November 15, 2019) over a period of twelve months commencing on November 25, 2019. The NCIB will terminate no later than November 24, 2020. Under the NCIB, common shares may be purchased in open market transactions on the TSX and/or alternative Canadian trading systems at the prevailing market price at the time of such transaction. Pursuant to the rules of the TSX, the total number of common shares that Birchcliff is permitted to purchase is subject to a daily purchase limit of 309,858 common shares, which represents 25% of the average daily trading volume of 1,239,434 common shares on the TSX for the six-month period ended October 31, 2019. However, Birchcliff may make one block purchase per calendar week which exceeds the daily purchase restriction. All common shares purchased under the NCIB will be cancelled.
Birchcliff believes that within a continued volatile market environment, the prevailing market price of its common shares from time to time may not reflect the underlying value of such shares. Accordingly, depending on the market price of the common shares and other relevant factors, Birchcliff believes that purchasing its common shares may represent an attractive investment opportunity and be in the best interests of the Corporation and its shareholders. The NCIB provides the Corporation with an additional tool that may be used by Birchcliff to enhance long-term shareholder value.
The actual number of common shares purchased pursuant to the NCIB and the timing of such purchases will be determined by Birchcliff. There cannot be any assurance as to how many common shares, if any, will ultimately be acquired by the Corporation.
Birchcliff’s existing normal course issuer bid expires on November 22, 2019 (the “Existing NCIB”). Under the Existing NCIB, Birchcliff obtained the approval of the TSX to purchase up to 18,767,520 common shares, which represented 10% of the “public float” at the time of approval. The Corporation did not purchase any common shares under the Existing NCIB.