Baytex Announces Closing of Aurora Acquisition and Confirms 9%
Dividend Increase
CALGARY, ALBERTA--(Marketwired - Jun 11, 2014) - Baytex Energy
Corp. ("Baytex") (TSX:BTE)(NYSE:BTE) announces the closing of its
previously announced acquisition of all of the shares of Aurora Oil
& Gas Limited ("Aurora") pursuant to a scheme of arrangement
under Australian law (the "Arrangement").
Concurrent with closing of the Arrangement, the monthly dividend
on our common shares will increase by 9% to $0.24 from $0.22 per
share. This increased dividend level will be effective in respect
of June operations and will be paid on July 15, 2014 to
shareholders of record on June 30, 2014. The annualized dividend of
$2.88 per share represents a dividend yield of approximately 6.0%
based on the closing price of our common shares on the Toronto
Stock Exchange ("TSX") on June 10, 2014 of $47.68.
We expect to provide revised guidance for 2014 in early July.
The guidance will include a full update incorporating the
acquisition of Aurora and any modifications to our current capital
spending plans.
Based on cash consideration payable for Aurora of A$4.20
(Australian dollars) per share, the total purchase price is
estimated at $2.8 billion (including the assumption of
approximately $0.9 billion of indebtedness).
To partially finance the acquisition, Baytex completed the
issuance of 38,433,000 subscription receipts (the "Subscription
Receipts") at $38.90 each on February 24, 2014, raising gross
proceeds of approximately $1.5 billion. Upon completion of the
Arrangement, each holder of Subscription Receipts became entitled
to receive one common share for each Subscription Receipt held.
Holders of Subscription Receipts will also receive a payment of
$0.88 in cash per Subscription Receipt, less any applicable
withholding taxes (the "Dividend Equivalent Payment"), representing
the four dividends declared from the date the Subscription Receipts
were issued to the date of the closing of the Arrangement. Baytex
expects that holders of Subscription Receipts will receive their
common shares and the Dividend Equivalent Payment to which they are
entitled in their brokerage accounts within a few days. Holders of
Subscription Receipts are not required to take any action in order
to receive their common shares and Dividend Equivalent Payment.
We expect that trading in the Subscription Receipts on the TSX
will be halted prior to market open and will be de-listed after
market close today.
As a result of the closing of the Arrangement, the gross
proceeds of our US$800 million private placement offering of senior
notes (the "Notes") will be released from escrow today.
Approximately US$745.5 million of the net proceeds from the
offering of the Notes will be used to purchase the notes tendered
and accepted for purchase in our previously announced cash tender
offers and consent solicitations for the 9.875% Senior Notes due
2017 (the "9.875% Notes") and the 7.50% Senior Notes due 2020 (the
"7.50% Notes") of Aurora USA Oil & Gas, Inc., which expired at
5:00 p.m. EST on June 10, 2014. Baytex accepted valid tenders and
consents from holders of US$357,100,000 in aggregate principal
amount of 9.875% Notes, representing 97.84% of the outstanding
aggregate principal amount of 9.875% Notes, and US$293,600,000 in
aggregate principal amount of 7.50% Notes, representing 97.87% of
the outstanding aggregate principal amount of 7.50% Notes. The
remaining net proceeds will initially be used to reduce Baytex's
outstanding indebtedness under its revolving credit facilities
which will subsequently be re-drawn for general corporate
purposes.
As a result of the closing of the Arrangement and the completion
of the tender offers and consent solicitations for the 9.875% Notes
and the 7.50% Notes, the existing credit facilities of Baytex were
replaced with a $1.0 billion revolving unsecured credit facility
with a four-year term, a $200 million unsecured term loan facility
with a two-year term and a US$200 million revolving unsecured
credit facility with a four-year term for a U.S. subsidiary of
Aurora.
Advisory Regarding
Forward-Looking Statements
In the interest of providing Baytex's shareholders and
potential investors with information regarding Baytex, including
management's assessment of Baytex's future plans and operations,
certain statements in this press release are "forward-looking
statements" within the meaning of the United States Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and "forward-looking
information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities
legislation (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). In some
cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology
such as "anticipate", "believe", "continue", "could", "estimate",
"expect", "forecast", "intend", "may", "objective", "ongoing",
"outlook", "potential", "project", "plan", "should", "target",
"would", "will" or similar words suggesting future outcomes, events
or performance. The forward-looking statements contained in this
press release speak only as of the date thereof and are expressly
qualified by this cautionary statement.
Specifically, this press release contains forward-looking
statements relating to but not limited to: our business strategies,
plans and objectives; the estimated total purchase price for the
acquisition of Aurora, including the estimated level of assumed
indebtedness; the timing of future guidance incorporating the
acquisition of Aurora and any modifications to our current capital
spending plans; our plans to increase the dividend on our common
shares upon completion of the acquisition of Aurora; the
anticipated timing of receipt by the former holders of Subscription
Receipts of the common shares and the Dividend Equivalent Payment
to which they are entitled; the release of the net proceeds from
the offering of the Notes from escrow; and the use of the net
proceeds from the offering of the Notes. Cash dividends on our
common shares are paid at the discretion of our Board of Directors
and can fluctuate. In establishing the level of cash dividends, the
Board of Directors considers all factors that it deems relevant,
including, without limitation, the outlook for commodity prices,
our operational execution, the amount of funds from operations and
capital expenditures and our prevailing financial circumstances at
the time.
These forward-looking statements are based on certain key
assumptions regarding, among other things: petroleum and natural
gas prices and pricing differentials between light, medium and
heavy gravity crude oil; well production rates and reserve volumes;
our ability to add production and reserves through our exploration
and development activities; capital expenditure levels; the
receipt, in a timely manner, of regulatory and other required
approvals for our operating activities; the availability and cost
of labour and other industry services; the amount of future cash
dividends that we intend to pay; interest and foreign exchange
rates; the continuance of existing and, in certain circumstances,
proposed tax and royalty regimes; our ability to develop our crude
oil and natural gas properties in the manner currently
contemplated; and current industry conditions, laws and regulations
continuing in effect (or, where changes are proposed, such changes
being adopted as anticipated). Readers are cautioned that such
assumptions, although considered reasonable by Baytex at the time
of preparation, may prove to be incorrect.
Actual results achieved will vary from the information
provided herein as a result of numerous known and unknown risks and
uncertainties and other factors. Such factors include, but are not
limited to: failure to realize the anticipated benefits of the
Arrangement; declines in oil and natural gas prices; risks related
to the accessibility, availability, proximity and capacity of
gathering, processing and pipeline systems; variations in interest
rates and foreign exchange rates; risks associated with our hedging
activities; uncertainties in the credit markets may restrict the
availability of credit or increase the cost of borrowing;
refinancing risk for existing debt and debt service costs; a
downgrade of our credit ratings; the cost of developing and
operating our assets; risks associated with the exploitation of our
properties and our ability to acquire reserves; changes in
government regulations that affect the oil and gas industry;
changes in income tax or other laws or government incentive
programs; uncertainties associated with estimating petroleum and
natural gas reserves; risks associated with acquiring, developing
and exploring for oil and natural gas and other aspects of our
operations; risks associated with large projects or expansion of
our activities; risks related to heavy oil projects; changes in
environmental, health and safety regulations; the implementation of
strategies for reducing greenhouse gases; depletion of our
reserves; risks associated with the ownership of our securities,
including the discretionary nature of dividend payments and changes
in market-based factors; risks for United States and other
non-resident shareholders, including the ability to enforce civil
remedies, differing practices for reporting reserves and
production, additional taxation applicable to non-residents and
foreign exchange risk; and other factors, many of which are beyond
our control. These and additional risk factors are discussed in our
Annual Information Form, Annual Report on Form 40-F and
Management's Discussion and Analysis for the year ended December
31, 2013, as filed with Canadian securities regulatory authorities
and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
The above summary of assumptions and risks related to
forward-looking statements in this press release has been provided
in order to provide shareholders and potential investors with a
more complete perspective on Baytex's current and future operations
and such information may not be appropriate for other purposes.
There is no representation by Baytex that actual results achieved
will be the same in whole or in part as those referenced in the
forward-looking statements and Baytex does not undertake any
obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the included
forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information,
future events or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable
securities law.
All amounts are in Canadian dollars unless otherwise
noted.
Baytex Energy Corp.
Baytex Energy Corp. is a dividend-paying oil and gas corporation
based in Calgary, Alberta. The company is engaged in the
acquisition, development and production of crude oil and natural
gas in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin and in the Eagle Ford
and Williston Basin in the United States. Approximately 86% of
Baytex's production is weighted toward crude oil and natural gas
liquids. Baytex pays a monthly dividend on its common shares which
are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange and the New York Stock
Exchange under the symbol BTE.
Baytex Energy Corp.Brian EctorSenior Vice President, Capital
Markets and Public AffairsToll Free:
1-800-524-5521investor@baytexenergy.comwww.baytexenergy.com
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