The Board of Directors of Ecolab Inc. declared a 6% increase in the company’s quarterly cash dividend to $0.35 per common share, to be paid January 15, 2016, to shareholders of record at the close of business on December 15, 2015. This increase results in a new indicated annual cash dividend of $1.40 per share in 2016 and represents Ecolab’s 24th consecutive annual dividend rate increase.
Ecolab has paid cash dividends on its common stock for 79 consecutive years.
Commenting on the increase, Douglas M. Baker, Jr., Ecolab’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer said, “We enjoyed continued growth and development of our business in 2015, and we further strengthened our financial position. This dividend increase continues our long history of raising the cash dividend, and is consistent with our practice to increase our dividend in line with this year’s earnings growth. We remain committed to developing superior returns for our shareholders through our business progress and dividend growth.”
About Ecolab
A trusted partner at more than one million
customer locations, Ecolab (ECL) is the global leader in water, hygiene
and energy technologies and services that protect people and vital
resources. With 2014 sales of $14 billion and 47,000 associates, Ecolab
delivers comprehensive solutions and on-site service to promote safe
food, maintain clean environments, optimize water and energy use and
improve operational efficiencies for customers in the food, healthcare,
energy, hospitality and industrial markets in more than 170 countries
around the world. For more Ecolab news and information, visit www.ecolab.com.
Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Information
This
news release contains various forward-looking statements within the
meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These
forward-looking statements include statements concerning the indicated
annual cash dividend for 2016 and future growth, cash flows, financial
information and business prospects. These statements are based on the
current expectations of management of the company. There are a number of
risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ
materially from the forward-looking statements included in this
communication. In particular, the ultimate results of any restructuring,
integration and business improvement actions, including cost synergies,
depend on a number of factors, including the development of final plans,
the impact of local regulatory requirements regarding employee
terminations, the time necessary to develop and implement the
restructuring and other business improvement initiatives and the level
of success achieved through such actions in improving competitiveness,
efficiency and effectiveness. Additional risks and uncertainties that
may affect operating results and business performance are set forth
under Item 1A of our most recent Form 10-K and our other public filings
with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") and include the
vitality of the markets we serve, including the impact of oil price
fluctuations on the markets served by our Global Energy segment; the
impact of economic factors such as the worldwide economy, capital flows,
interest rates and foreign currency risk, including potential impairment
of remaining assets in Venezuela and reduced sales and earnings in other
countries resulting from the weakening of local currencies versus the
U.S. dollar; our ability to attract and retain high caliber management
talent to lead our business; our ability to execute key business
initiatives; potential information technology infrastructure failures;
exposure to global economic, political and legal risks related to our
international operations including with respect to our operations in
Russia; the costs and effects of complying with laws and regulations,
including those relating to the environment and to the manufacture,
storage, distribution, sale and use of our products; the occurrence of
litigation or claims, including related to the Deepwater Horizon oil
spill; our ability to develop competitive advantages through innovation;
difficulty in procuring raw materials or fluctuations in raw material
costs; our substantial indebtedness; our ability to acquire
complementary businesses and to effectively integrate such businesses;
restraints on pricing flexibility due to contractual obligations;
pressure on operations from consolidation of customers, vendors or
competitors; public health epidemics; potential losses arising from the
impairment of goodwill or other assets; potential loss of deferred tax
assets; potential chemical spill or release; potential class action
lawsuits; the loss or insolvency of a major customer or distributor;
acts of war or terrorism; natural or man-made disasters; water
shortages; severe weather conditions; and other uncertainties or risks
reported from time to time in our reports to the SEC. In light of these
risks, uncertainties, assumptions and factors, the forward-looking
events discussed in this communication may not occur. We caution that
undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements, which
speak only as of the date made. Ecolab does not undertake, and expressly
disclaims, any duty to update any forward-looking statement whether as a
result of new information, future events or changes in expectations,
except as required by law.
(ECL-C)
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Contacts:
Investor Contacts:
Michael Monahan,
651-250-2809
or
Lisa Curran, 651-250-2185