OREANDA-NEWS. Suncor today announced it has received approval from the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) to amend its existing Normal Course Issuer Bid (the NCIB) effective as at the close of markets on February 21, 2014 through the facilities of the TSX, New York Stock Exchange and/or alternative trading platforms. The notice provides that Suncor may increase the maximum number of common shares that may be repurchased from approximately USD 1.8 billion, or approximately 4% of the public float as at July 29, 2013, to approximately USD 2.8 billion, or approximately 7.4% of the public float as at July 29, 2013. The decision to increase the NCIB was previously announced with Suncor's fourth quarter release on February 3, 2014. No other terms of the NCIB have been amended.

Suncor has already repurchased approximately USD 1.1 billion of common shares under the NCIB since August 5, 2013. Pursuant to the NCIB, Suncor has agreed that it will not purchase more than 111,121,897 common shares, of which 30,554,571 common shares have already been purchased between August 5, 2013 and January 31, 2014.

The actual number of common shares that may be purchased and the timing of any such purchases will be determined by Suncor. Suncor believes that, depending on the trading price of its common shares and other relevant factors, purchasing its own shares represents an attractive investment opportunity and is in the best interests of the company and its shareholders.

From February 1, 2013 to August 4, 2013, under Suncor's previous normal course issuer bid, Suncor successfully completed the purchase of approximately USD 730 million worth of its common shares (23,641,600) at a weighted average price of USD 31.02 per common share.

Subject to the 'block purchase exemption' that is available to Suncor for regular open market purchases under the NCIB, Suncor and the financial institution will limit daily purchases of Suncor common shares on the TSX in connection with the NCIB to no more than 25% (915,214) of the average daily trading volume of Suncor's common shares on the TSX during any trading day.

In the future, Suncor may enter into a new automatic share purchase plan in relation to purchases made under the NCIB.