Magna International Inc. (TSX: MG, NYSE: MGA) today announced that the Toronto Stock Exchange (“TSX”) had accepted its Notice of Intention to Make a Normal Course Issuer Bid (the “Notice”). Pursuant to the Notice, we may purchase up to 12,000,000 Magna Common Shares (the “Bid”), representing approximately 5.2% of our public float. As at November 7, 2012 we had 233,228,126 issued and outstanding Common Shares, including a public float of 232,113,173 Common Shares. During the previous 12 months, the Corporation has purchased 3,668,430 Common Shares pursuant to a normal course issuer bid at a weighted average purchase price of US$35.45 per Common Share.
The primary purposes of the Bid are purchases for cancellation, as well as purchases to fund our stock-based compensation awards or programs and and/or our obligations to our deferred profit sharing plans. The Corporation may purchase its Common Shares, from time to time, if it believes that the market price of its Common Shares is attractive and that the purchase would be an appropriate use of corporate funds and in the best interests of the Corporation.
The Bid will commence on November 13, 2012 and will terminate no later than November 12, 2013. All purchases of Common Shares will be made on the TSX at the market price at the time of purchase in accordance with the rules and policies of the TSX. Purchases may also be made on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) in compliance with Rule 10b-18 under the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The rules and policies of the TSX contain restrictions on the number of shares that can be purchased under the Bid, based on the average daily trading volumes of the Common Shares on the TSX. Similarly, the safe harbor conditions of Rule 10b-18 impose certain limitations on the number of shares that can be purchased on the NYSE per day. As a result of such restrictions, subject to certain exceptions for block purchases, the maximum number of shares which can be purchased per day during the Bid on the TSX is 151,269 based on 25% of the average daily trading volume for the prior six months (being 605,077 Common Shares on the TSX). Subject to certain exceptions for block purchases, the maximum number of shares which can be purchased per day on the NYSE will be 25% of the average daily trading volume for the four calendar weeks preceding the date of purchase. Subject to regulatory requirements, the actual number of Common Shares and the timing of purchases, if any, will be determined by us having regard to future price movements and other factors. All purchases will be subject to our normal trading blackouts.
