Eni To Launch New Buyback Program; Board Approves Bond Issue, Dividend

(RTTNews) - Eni said its Board of Director resolved to submit a proposal to the Shareholders' Meeting of 15 May 2024, called in ordinary session, to authorize the purchase of treasury shares for a period up to the end of April 2025 aimed at remunerating shareholders and implementing Employee Stock Ownership Plan.

Eni intends to launch the new buyback Program in 2024 for an amount of 1.1 billion euros. This amount may be increased up to a total maximum of 3.5 billion euros, in case of upside scenarios of the Cash Flow From Operations.

Eni's board approved a final dividend for 2023 of 0.23 euro per share. It will be paid on 22 May 2024. Holders of ADRs, outstanding at the record date of 21 May 2024, will receive 0.46 euros per ADR, payable on 7 June 2024, with each ADR listed on the New York Stock Exchange representing two Eni shares.

In addition, Eni said its board approved the possible issue of one or more bonds, to be placed with institutional investors, with a value up to a maximum aggregate amount of 5 billion euro, or its equivalent in other currencies, to be issued in one or more tranches by 31 March 2026.

The company noted that the bonds, if issued, will enable the company to maintain a well-balanced financial structure and will be used for general corporate purposes. The bonds may be listed on one or more regulated markets.

Meanwhile, Eni's Board of Directors resolved to submit a proposal to the Shareholders' Meeting of 15 May 2024 to authorize the adoption of an Employee Stock Ownership Plan 2024-2026 and the related funding arrangements. The Plan will initially be implemented for employees in Italy and then gradually extended to foreign subsidiaries.

The Plan permits two annual grants (in 2024 and 2025) of free shares with an annual individual monetary value of 2,000 euros. A 3-year lock-up period applies to each grant, during which the employee must not dispose of the shares.

In 2026, a co-investment model will be implemented whereby, upon the employee's purchase of shares, free shares will be granted equal to 50% of the shares purchased, up to a maximum value of 1,000 euros. A lock-up period of 1 year will be applied to the shares purchased by the employee and a lock-up period of 3 years to the free shares granted.

Executives participating in the existing Long-Term Incentive Share-based Plan will be symbolically granted 1 share.