BlackRock Enhanced Government Fund, Inc. Announces Expiration of Annual Repurchase Offer

Rhea-AI Summary

BlackRock Enhanced Government Fund (NYSE: EGF) announced the expiration of its annual repurchase offer for common stock shares. The Fund offered to repurchase up to 5% of outstanding shares (approximately 186,925 shares) at net asset value, with a 2% repurchase fee. Preliminary counts showed approximately 439,157 shares (12% of outstanding shares) were validly tendered. Due to oversubscription, shares will be repurchased on a pro rata basis, except for stockholders owning 99 or fewer shares who tender all shares. Tendered and accepted shares won't receive Fund dividends with record dates after November 22, 2024.

Insights

Financial Analyst

The annual repurchase offer from BlackRock Enhanced Government Fund reveals significant shareholder interest, with 12% of shares tendered versus the 5% repurchase limit. This oversubscription indicates strong investor desire for liquidity, possibly due to market conditions or fund performance concerns. The 2% repurchase fee and pro-rata distribution mechanism protect the fund from excessive outflows while ensuring fair treatment of all shareholders. Small shareholders holding 99 or fewer shares get priority, demonstrating good corporate governance practices. The immediate impact on remaining shareholders should be minimal, though the strong tender response suggests potential underlying concerns about the fund's market value relative to NAV.

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- BlackRock Enhanced Government Fund, Inc. (the “Fund”) (NYSE: EGF, CUSIP: 09255K108) announced the expiration of the Fund’s annual repurchase offer for its shares of common stock (the “Repurchase Offer”). The Repurchase Offer and withdrawal rights expired at 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on November 15, 2024. The Fund offered to repurchase up to 5% of its issued and outstanding shares of common stock (the “Shares”) for cash at a price equal to the net asset value of the Shares as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange on November 18, 2024, subject to a repurchase fee of 2% of the value of the Shares repurchased, which will be deducted from the repurchase price. As of Friday, November 15, 2024, 3,738,502 Shares of the Fund were outstanding. A repurchase amount of 5% of the Shares outstanding as of November 15, 2024 would represent approximately 186,925 Shares.

The preliminary count by Computershare Trust Company, N.A., the Fund's depositary agent, indicated that approximately 439,157 Shares (approximately 12% of the Fund's Shares outstanding as of November 15, 2024) were validly tendered and not withdrawn prior to the expiration of the Fund's Repurchase Offer. This determination is subject to final confirmation and the proper delivery of all Shares tendered and not withdrawn.

Because the aggregate number of Shares tendered and not withdrawn exceeds the total number of Shares that the Fund offered to repurchase, the Fund will repurchase any Shares tendered on a pro rata basis. However, the Fund will accept all Shares tendered by stockholders who own, beneficially or of record, an aggregate of not more than 99 Shares and who tender all of their Shares, before pro rating Shares tendered by other stockholders. Shares validly tendered and accepted will not be entitled to receive any Fund dividend or distribution with a record date on or after November 22, 2024.

The Fund is a diversified, closed-end management investment company. The Fund’s investment objective is to provide stockholders with current income and gains.

None of the Fund, its investment adviser or its Board of Directors has made any recommendation to any stockholder as to whether to tender or refrain from tendering Shares in the Repurchase Offer.

For client-specific information regarding the Repurchase Offer, please contact your broker or financial advisor, or in the case of registered stockholders, Computershare Trust Company, N.A., which is acting as the depositary agent in connection with the Repurchase Offer.

About BlackRock

BlackRock’s purpose is to help more and more people experience financial well-being. As a fiduciary to investors and a leading provider of financial technology, we help millions of people build savings that serve them throughout their lives by making investing easier and more affordable. For additional information on BlackRock, please visit www.blackrock.com/corporate

Availability of Fund Updates

BlackRock will update performance and certain other data for the Fund on a monthly basis on its website in the “Closed-end Funds” section of www.blackrock.com as well as certain other material information as necessary from time to time. Investors and others are advised to check the website for updated performance information and the release of other material information about the Fund. This reference to BlackRock’s website is intended to allow investors public access to information regarding the Fund and does not, and is not intended to, incorporate BlackRock’s website in this release.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release, and other statements that BlackRock or the Fund may make, may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act, with respect to the Fund’s or BlackRock’s future financial or business performance, strategies or expectations. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words or phrases such as “trend,” “potential,” “opportunity,” “pipeline,” “believe,” “comfortable,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “current,” “intention,” “estimate,” “position,” “assume,” “outlook,” “continue,” “remain,” “maintain,” “sustain,” “seek,” “achieve,” and similar expressions, or future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “would,” “should,” “could,” “may” or similar expressions.

BlackRock cautions that forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties, which change over time. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and BlackRock assumes no duty to and does not undertake to update forward-looking statements. Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in forward-looking statements and future results could differ materially from historical performance.

With respect to the Fund, the following factors, among others, could cause actual events to differ materially from forward-looking statements or historical performance: (1) changes and volatility in political, economic or industry conditions, the interest rate environment, foreign exchange rates or financial and capital markets, which could result in changes in demand for the Fund or in the Fund’s net asset value; (2) the relative and absolute investment performance of the Fund and its investments; (3) the impact of increased competition; (4) the unfavorable resolution of any legal proceedings; (5) the extent and timing of any distributions or share repurchases; (6) the impact, extent and timing of technological changes; (7) the impact of legislative and regulatory actions and reforms and regulatory, supervisory or enforcement actions of government agencies relating to the Fund or BlackRock, as applicable; (8) terrorist activities, international hostilities, health epidemics and/or pandemics and natural disasters, which may adversely affect the general economy, domestic and local financial and capital markets, specific industries or BlackRock; (9) BlackRock’s ability to attract and retain highly talented professionals; (10) the impact of BlackRock electing to provide support to its products from time to time; and (11) the impact of problems at other financial institutions or the failure or negative performance of products at other financial institutions.

Annual and Semi-Annual Reports and other regulatory filings of the Fund with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) are accessible on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov and on BlackRock’s website at www.blackrock.com, and may discuss these or other factors that affect the Fund. The information contained on BlackRock’s website is not a part of this press release.

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Source: BlackRock Closed-End Funds

FAQ

What percentage of shares did BlackRock Enhanced Government Fund (EGF) offer to repurchase in its 2024 annual offer?

BlackRock Enhanced Government Fund (EGF) offered to repurchase up to 5% of its issued and outstanding shares of common stock.

How many shares were tendered in EGF's 2024 repurchase offer?

Approximately 439,157 shares (12% of the Fund's outstanding shares) were validly tendered in the repurchase offer.

What is the repurchase fee for EGF's 2024 share repurchase program?

The repurchase fee is 2% of the value of the shares repurchased, which will be deducted from the repurchase price.

How will EGF handle the oversubscribed repurchase offer?

Due to oversubscription, shares will be repurchased on a pro rata basis, except for stockholders owning 99 or fewer shares who tender all shares.