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 and withdrawal rights expired at 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on November 19, 2013. The Fund offered to repurchase up to 10% of its outstanding shares of common stock for cash at a price equal to the net asset value as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange on December 3, 2013, subject to a repurchase fee of 2% of the Fund’s net asset value per share, which will be deducted from the repurchase price. As of Tuesday, November 19, 2013, 9,899,677 shares of the Fund were outstanding. A repurchase amount of 10% of the outstanding shares of the Fund’s common stock would represent approximately 989,967 shares.
The preliminary count by Computershare Trust Company, N.A., the Fund's depositary agent, indicated that approximately 4,332,340 shares (approximately 43.76% of the Fund's outstanding shares) were validly tendered and not withdrawn prior to the expiration of the Fund's Repurchase Offer. This determination is subject to final confirmation and the proper delivery of all shares tendered and not withdrawn.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 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 shareholders 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 others.
The Fund is a diversified, closed-end management investment company. The Fund’s primary 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 is a leader in investment management, risk management and advisory services for institutional and retail clients worldwide. At September 30, 2013, BlackRock’s assets under management were $4.096 trillion. BlackRock helps clients meet their goals and overcome challenges with a range of products that include separate accounts, mutual funds, iShares® (exchange-traded funds), and other pooled investment vehicles. BlackRock also offers risk management, advisory and enterprise investment system services to a broad base of institutional investors through BlackRock Solutions®. Headquartered in New York City, as of September 30, 2013, the firm had approximately 11,200 employees in 30 countries and a major presence in key global markets, including North and South America, Europe, Asia, Australia and the Middle East and Africa. For additional information, please visit BlackRock’s website at www.blackrock.com.
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 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, including the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, and regulatory, supervisory or enforcement actions of government agencies relating to a Fund or BlackRock, as applicable; (8) terrorist activities, international hostilities 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.