Company will continue to focus on its core growth strategies while
returning capital to shareholders
MILWAUKEE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 12, 2016--
Badger
Meter, Inc. (NYSE: BMI) today announced that its review of options
to enhance shareholder value has been completed. The company’s Board of
Directors has determined that the best future course for Badger Meter is
to maximize shareholder value by continuing to execute on its long-term
growth strategies, return capital to shareholders through a 15% increase
in the cash dividend payment and increase the number of shares
outstanding through a 2-for-1 stock split.
“Our core strategies have generated substantial growth and created
significant value for our shareholders. Over the 10-year period ended
June 30, 2016, the company has generated a 12% compound annual total
return to shareholders through both a strong dividend policy and stock
price appreciation,” said Richard A. Meeusen, chairman, president and
chief executive officer of Badger Meter.
“We will continue to look for potential opportunities that meet our
criteria to enhance shareholder value, while applying our disciplined
approach to capital allocation,” said Meeusen. “This includes continuing
to invest in providing industry-leading water metering technologies,
meter reading systems and advanced data analytics technologies for our
core North American water utility market. We also plan to seek-out
strategic acquisitions, both in our North American water distribution
channels and in key international flow instrumentation markets. In
addition, we plan to continue our expansion into select international
water metering markets, including the Middle East, where our E-Series®
Ultrasonic water meters and ORION® cellular radio technology are in
demand in regions with high water scarcity.”
Stock Split and 15% Dividend Increase
The Board of Directors approved a 15% increase in the quarterly cash
dividend payment, from $0.20 to $0.23 per share, based on pre-split
shares. The cash dividend is payable September 15, 2016 to shareholders
of record at the close of business on August 31, 2016.
“The strategic review also confirmed that with our strong cash flow and
solid balance sheet, we have the ability to pursue acquisition
opportunities, while also returning capital to shareholders through
increased dividend payments,” said Meeusen.
As part of its strategy to increase the marketability of the company’s
common stock, the Board of Directors approved a 2-for-1 stock split in
the form of a 100% stock dividend. The stock dividend is also payable on
September 15, 2016 to shareholders of record at the close of business on
August 31, 2016. “The stock dividend will increase our shares
outstanding and bring our stock price into a range that we believe is
more attractive for individual investors,” said Meeusen.
“This is our twenty-fourth consecutive year of increased dividend
payments. The strong dividend increase, renewed commitment to our
long-term growth strategy and 2-for-1 stock split reflect our ongoing
commitment to our shareholders and our continued confidence in the
future of Badger Meter,” said Meeusen.
About Badger Meter
Badger Meter is an innovator in flow measurement, control and
communications solutions, serving water utilities, municipalities, and
commercial and industrial customers worldwide. The Company’s products
measure water, oil, chemicals, and other fluids, and are known for
accuracy, long-lasting durability and for providing valuable and timely
measurement data. For more information, visit www.badgermeter.com.
Certain statements contained in this news release, as well as other
information provided from time to time by Badger Meter, Inc. (the
“Company”) or its employees, may contain forward looking statements that
involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to
differ materially from those in the forward looking statements. The
words “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “think,” “should,”
“could” and “objective” or similar expressions are intended to identify
forward looking statements. All such forward looking statements
are based on the Company’s then current views and assumptions and
involve risks and uncertainties. Some risks and uncertainties
that could cause actual results to differ materially from those
expressed or implied in forward looking statements include those
described in Item 1A of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
year ended December 31, 2015 that include, among other things:
-
the continued shift in the Company’s business from lower cost,
manually read meters toward more expensive, value-added automatic
meter reading (AMR) systems, advanced metering infrastructure
-
(AMI) systems and advanced metering analytics (AMA) systems that
offer more comprehensive solutions to customers’ metering needs;
-
the success or failure of newer Company products;
-
changes in competitive pricing and bids in both the domestic and
foreign marketplaces, and particularly in continued intense price
competition on government bid contracts for lower cost, manually read
meters;
-
the actions (or lack thereof) of the Company’s competitors;
-
changes in the Company’s relationships with its alliance partners,
primarily its alliance partners that provide radio solutions, and
particularly those that sell products that do or may compete with the
Company’s products;
-
changes in the general health of the United States and foreign
economies, including to some extent such things as the length and
severity of global economic downturns, international or civil
conflicts that affect international trade, the ability of municipal
water utility customers to authorize and
-
finance purchases of the Company’s products, the Company’s ability
to obtain financing, housing starts in the United States, and overall
industrial activity;
-
unusual weather, weather patterns or other natural phenomena,
including related economic and other ancillary effects of any such
events;
-
the timing and impact of government funding programs that stimulate
national and global economies, as well as the impact of government
budget cuts or partial shutdowns of governmental operations;
-
changes in the cost and/or availability of needed raw materials and
parts, such as volatility in the cost of brass castings as a result of
fluctuations in commodity prices, particularly for copper and scrap
metal at the supplier level, foreign-sourced electronic components as
a result of currency exchange fluctuations and/or lead times, and
plastic resin as a result of changes in petroleum and natural gas
prices;
-
the Company’s expanded role as a prime contractor for providing
complete technology systems to governmental entities, which brings
with it added risks, including but not limited to, the Company’s
responsibility for subcontractor performance, additional costs and
expenses if the Company and its subcontractors fail to meet the
timetable agreed to with the governmental entity, and the Company’s
expanded warranty and performance obligations;
-
the Company’s ability to successfully integrate acquired businesses
or products;
-
changes in foreign economic conditions, particularly currency
fluctuations in the United States dollar, the Euro and the Mexican
peso;
-
the inability to develop technologically advanced products;
-
the failure of the Company’s products to operate as intended;
-
the inability to protect the Company’s proprietary rights to its
products;
-
disruptions and other damages to information technology and other
networks and operations due to breaches in data security;
-
transportation delays or interruptions;
-
the loss of certain single-source suppliers; and
-
changes in laws and regulations, particularly laws dealing with the
content or handling of materials used in the Company’s products.
All of these factors are beyond the Company's control to varying
degrees. Shareholders, potential investors and other readers are
urged to consider these factors carefully in evaluating the forward
looking statements contained in this news release are cautioned not to
place undue reliance on such forward looking statements. The
forward looking statements made in this document are made only as of the
date of this document and the Company assumes no obligation, and
disclaims any obligation, to update any such forward looking statements
to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.
Badger Meter company news is available 24 hours a day, on-line at: http://www.badgermeter.com.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160812005748/en/
Source: Badger Meter, Inc.
Badger Meter, Inc.
Dawn O’Neill (414) 371-7276