Bank of Montreal Receives Regulatory Approvals for Normal Course Issuer Bid

Rhea-AI Summary

Bank of Montreal (BMO) has received regulatory approvals from the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) and OSFI to proceed with its normal course issuer bid to purchase and cancel up to 20 million common shares. The share buyback program will run from January 22, 2025, to January 21, 2026, representing approximately 2.7% of BMO's public float.

The bank established an automatic securities purchase plan on January 9, 2025, through BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc. The timing and price of purchases will depend on management discretion, market conditions, and capital adequacy. As of January 6, 2025, BMO had 729,953,297 common shares outstanding, with a public float of 729,689,561 shares. The average daily trading volume for the six months ended December 31, 2024, was 3,072,276 shares, with a daily maximum purchase limit of 768,069 shares.

Positive

• Authorization to repurchase up to 20 million shares (2.7% of float)
• Implementation of automatic securities purchase plan for systematic buybacks
• Flexibility in purchase timing and price based on market conditions

Negative

• None.

Insights

Financial Analyst

The approval of BMO's 20 million share buyback program, representing 2.7% of the float, is a substantial capital return initiative. With BMO's current market cap around $72.9 billion, this program could potentially amount to nearly $2 billion in share repurchases, demonstrating strong capital position and commitment to shareholder returns.

The structured approach with predefined criteria and automatic purchase mechanisms through BMO Nesbitt Burns suggests careful execution planning. The daily purchase limit of 768,069 shares provides sufficient liquidity while preventing market manipulation. The flexibility in timing and price based on market conditions and capital adequacy shows prudent management of capital deployment.

For retail investors: Think of this as BMO reducing the number of slices in their pie (shares outstanding), making each remaining slice worth more. This typically supports share price by reducing supply and increasing earnings per share, though actual impact depends on execution and market conditions.

Market Research Analyst

The timing and structure of this buyback program reveal interesting market dynamics. With average daily trading volume of 3,072,276 shares, the maximum daily purchase limit of 768,069 shares represents about 25% of typical daily volume, providing meaningful but measured support for the stock.

The year-long program window offers strategic flexibility to capitalize on market volatility and potential price dislocations. The inclusion of multiple execution channels - TSX, alternative trading systems and private agreements - maximizes opportunities for efficient repurchases.

This program's scale relative to peers and historical buybacks positions BMO competitively in the Canadian banking sector. The emphasis on market price-based purchases rather than fixed-price tender offers indicates confidence in current valuation levels while maintaining capital deployment flexibility.

TORONTO, Jan. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ - Bank of Montreal (TSX: BMO) (NYSE: BMO) today announced that it has received approvals from the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) and the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions Canada (OSFI) to proceed with its previously-announced normal course issuer bid to purchase, for cancellation, up to 20 million of its common shares, commencing January 22, 2025, and ending no later than January 21, 2026. Purchases under the bid may be made through the facilities of the TSX and may also be made through other designated exchanges and alternative Canadian trading systems or by such other means as may be permitted by a securities regulatory authority, including under automatic purchase plans, block purchases, private agreements or share repurchase programs under exemption orders issued by securities regulatory authorities.

The maximum number of common shares that may be repurchased under the normal course issuer bid represents approximately 2.7 per cent of the Bank's "public float" (as such term is defined in the TSX Company Manual) of common shares.

The Bank established an automatic securities purchase plan on January 9, 2025 under which its broker, BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc., may at certain points in time purchase its common shares pursuant to the bid within a defined set of criteria. The actual number of common shares purchased under the bid, the timing of purchases and the price at which the common shares are bought will depend upon management discretion based on factors such as market conditions and capital adequacy. The purchase price for any common shares repurchased by the Bank under the bid will be market price at the time of acquisition. 

There were 729,953,297 Bank of Montreal common shares issued and outstanding as at January 6, 2025, and the public float was 729,689,561 common shares. The average daily trading volume for the six months ended December 31, 2024, and the daily maximum number of common shares available for purchase, calculated pursuant to the rules of the TSX for the purposes of the bid, were 3,072,276 and 768,069 common shares, respectively.

Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Bank of Montreal's public communications often include written or oral forward-looking statements. Statements of this type are included in this press release and may be included in other filings with Canadian securities regulators or the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, or in other communications. All such statements are made pursuant to the "safe harbor" provisions of, and are intended to be forward-looking statements under, the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and any applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements in this press release may include but are not limited to statements with respect to BMO's normal course issuer bid. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as "will", "would", "should", "believe", "expect", "anticipate", "project", "intend", "estimate", "plan", "commit", "target", "may", "schedule", "forecast", "outlook", "seek" and "could" or negative or grammatical variations thereof.

By their nature, forward-looking statements require us to make assumptions and are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific in nature. There is significant risk that predictions, forecasts, conclusions or projections will not prove to be accurate, that our assumptions may not be correct, and that actual results may differ materially from such predictions, forecasts, conclusions or projections. We caution readers of this press release not to place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements, as a number of factors – many of which are beyond our control and the effects of which can be difficult to predict – could cause actual future results, conditions, actions or events to differ materially from the targets, expectations, estimates or intentions expressed in the forward-looking statements.

The future outcomes that relate to forward-looking statements may be influenced by many factors, including, but not limited to: general economic and market conditions in the countries in which we operate, including labour challenges and changes in foreign exchange and interest rates; changes to our credit ratings; cyber and information security, including the threat of data breaches, hacking, identity theft and corporate espionage, as well as the possibility of denial of service resulting from efforts targeted at causing system failure and service disruption; technology resilience, innovation and competition; failure of third parties to comply with their obligations to us; political conditions, including changes relating to, or affecting, economic or trade matters; disruptions of global supply chains; environmental and social risk, including climate change; the Canadian housing market and consumer leverage; inflationary pressures; changes in laws, including tax legislation and interpretation, or in supervisory expectations or requirements, including capital, interest rate and liquidity requirements and guidance, and the effect of such changes on funding costs and capital requirements; changes in monetary, fiscal or economic policy; weak, volatile or illiquid capital or credit markets; the level of competition in the geographic and business areas in which we operate; exposure to, and the resolution of, significant litigation or regulatory matters, the appeal of favourable outcomes and our ability to successfully appeal adverse outcomes of such matters and the timing, determination and recovery of amounts related to such matters; the accuracy and completeness of the information we obtain with respect to our customers and counterparties; our ability to execute our strategic plans, complete proposed acquisitions or dispositions and integrate acquisitions, including obtaining regulatory approvals, and realize any anticipated benefits from such plans and transactions; critical accounting estimates and judgments, and the effects of changes in accounting standards, rules and interpretations on these estimates; operational and infrastructure risks, including with respect to reliance on third parties; global capital markets activities; the emergence or continuation of widespread health emergencies or pandemics, and their impact on local, national or international economies, as well as their heightening of certain risks that may affect our future results; the possible effects on our business of war or terrorist activities; natural disasters, such as earthquakes or flooding, and disruptions to public infrastructure, such as transportation, communications, power or water supply; and our ability to anticipate and effectively manage risks arising from all of the foregoing factors.

We caution that the foregoing list is not exhaustive of all possible factors. Other factors and risks could adversely affect our results. For more information, please refer to the discussion in the Risks That May Affect Future Results section, and the sections related to credit and counterparty, market, insurance, liquidity and funding, operational non-financial, legal and regulatory, strategic, environmental and social, and reputation risk in the Enterprise-Wide Risk Management section of BMO's 2024 Annual MD&A, as updated by quarterly reports, all of which outline certain key factors and risks that may affect our future results. Investors and others should carefully consider these factors and risks, as well as other uncertainties and potential events, and the inherent uncertainty of forward-looking statements. We do not undertake to update any forward-looking statements, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time by the organization or on its behalf, except as required by law. The forward-looking information contained in this press release is presented for the purpose of assisting shareholders and analysts in understanding our financial position as at and for the periods ended on the dates presented, as well as our strategic priorities and objectives, and may not be appropriate for other purposes.

Material economic assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements contained in this press release include those set out in the Economic Developments and Outlook and Allowance for Credit Losses sections of BMO's 2024 Annual MD&A, as updated by quarterly reports. Assumptions about the performance of the Canadian and U.S. economies, as well as overall market conditions and their combined effect on our business, are material factors we consider when determining our strategic priorities, objectives and expectations for our business. In determining our expectations for economic growth, we primarily consider historical economic data, past relationships between economic and financial variables, changes in government policies, and the risks to the domestic and global economy.

Internet: www.bmo.com     X: @BMOmedia

About BMO Financial Group
BMO Financial Group is the eighth largest bank in North America by assets, with total assets of $1.41 trillion as of October 31, 2024. Serving customers for 200 years and counting, BMO is a diverse team of highly engaged employees providing a broad range of personal and commercial banking, wealth management, global markets and investment banking products and services to 13 million customers across Canada, the United States, and in select markets globally. Driven by a single purpose, to Boldly Grow the Good in business and life, BMO is committed to driving positive change in the world, and making progress for a thriving economy, sustainable future, and inclusive society.

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SOURCE BMO Financial Group

FAQ

How many shares will BMO repurchase in its 2025 buyback program?

BMO will repurchase up to 20 million common shares, representing approximately 2.7% of its public float.

When does BMO's 2025-2026 share buyback program begin and end?

The program begins January 22, 2025, and ends January 21, 2026.

What regulatory approvals did BMO receive for its share buyback?

BMO received approvals from both the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) and the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions Canada (OSFI).

What is BMO's daily maximum share purchase limit under the buyback program?

BMO's daily maximum purchase limit is 768,069 common shares, based on TSX rules.

How many BMO shares were outstanding as of January 6, 2025?

BMO had 729,953,297 common shares outstanding, with a public float of 729,689,561 shares.