CNH launches $1 billion buyback, NYSE single listing plan effective from Jan 2

MILAN (Reuters) - Farm and construction equipment maker CNH Industrial said on Tuesday its plan to abandon the Milan stock market and retain a single listing for its shares on the New York Stock Exchange would be effective from Jan. 2 next year.

The Italian-American group, whose shares are currently traded both on the NYSE and in Milan, earlier this year announced a plan to abandon its Italian listing.

CNH said in a statement on Tuesday that the Milan Stock Exchange had approved an application it filed to delist its ordinary shares from Milan bourse and had set the Jan. 2 date for when a NYSE single listing will be effective.

Its shares will be tradable in Milan until Dec. 29.

CNH also on Tuesday lowered its 2023 revenue forecast, citing a softening for its farm machinery, predominantly in South America, sending its shares plummeting.

As part of its New York single-listing plan, CNH announced a new share buyback program worth up to $1 billion.

"The program is intended to optimize the capital structure of the company and to assist with offsetting any potential volatility arising from the delisting of its shares on Euronext Milan," CNH said in a statement.

Since it spun-off its truck and bus unit in January 2022, now separately listed as Iveco Group, the majority of CNH stock trading has progressively shifted to NYSE, the company said.

"Concentrating trading in one market should allow for increased liquidity and investor focus, while further simplifying the company profile and compliance requirements," it said.

The new buyback program will run between Nov. 8 and March 1 and will be funded through the company's liquidity.

It will consist of two components: the repurchase of shares worth up to 400 million euros ($428 million) on Euronext Milan and on multilateral trading facilities between Nov 8 and Dec. 29 and the repurchase of shares for the remaining amount to be executed on NYSE between Nov. 8 and Match 1.

Goldman Sachs is acting as financial advisor to CNH, while BNP Paribas is acting as co-advisor and buyback agent for the group in Europe.

($1 = 0.9343 euros)

(Reporting by Giulio Piovaccari, editing by Alvise Armellini/Keith Weir)