BD Board Declares Dividend and Authorizes Additional Share Repurchases
FRANKLIN LAKES, N.J., July 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Board of Directors of BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) (NYSE: BDX) has declared a quarterly dividend of 24.5 cents per common share. The dividend will be payable on September 28, 2007 to holders of record on September 7, 2007.
The Board has also authorized BD to repurchase up to 10 million of its common shares. This authorization is in addition to the approximately 1.6 million shares that remained available at June 30, 2007, under a 10 million- share repurchase authorization in November 2005. BD plans to use the shares for general corporate purposes. On March 31, 2007, BD had approximately 245 million common shares outstanding. BD said the new authorization is consistent with continued strong cash flow.
About BD
BD, a leading global medical technology company that manufactures and sells medical devices, instrument systems and reagents, is dedicated to improving people's health throughout the world. BD is focused on improving drug therapy, enhancing the quality and speed of diagnosing infectious diseases, and advancing research and discovery of new drugs and vaccines. The Company's capabilities are instrumental in combating many of the world's most pressing diseases. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, BD employs approximately 27,000 people in approximately 50 countries throughout the world. The Company serves healthcare institutions, life science researchers, clinical laboratories, industry and the general public. For more information, please visit www.bd.com.
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements (as defined under Federal securities laws) regarding BD's performance, including future revenues, earnings per share and income, or events or developments that BD expects to occur or anticipates occurring in the future. All such statements are based upon current expectations of BD and involve a number of business risks and uncertainties. Actual results could vary materially from anticipated results described, implied or projected in any forward-looking statement. With respect to forward-looking statements contained herein, factors that could cause actual results to vary materially from any forward-looking statement include, but are not limited to: competitive factors; pricing and market share pressures; changes in interest or foreign currency exchange rates; difficulties inherent in product development and delays in product introductions; changes in regional, national or foreign economic conditions; increases in energy costs and their effect on, among other things, the cost of producing BD's products; fluctuations in costs and availability of raw materials and in BD's ability to maintain favorable supplier arrangements and relationships; uncertainties of litigation (as described in BD's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission) and changes in healthcare or other governmental regulation; issuance of new or revised accounting standards, as well as other factors discussed in BD's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We do not intend to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof except as required by applicable laws or regulations.
SOURCE BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company)
Released July 24, 2007