8-KOther Events

3M CO 8-K Report (Aug 13, 2003)

Filed August 13, 2003For Securities:MMM

Summary

This 8-K filing from 3M Company (MMM) on August 13, 2003, primarily announces a two-for-one stock split, effective for shareholders of record on September 22, 2003. This corporate action is presented as a stock dividend, distributing one additional share for each share currently owned. Alongside the stock split, the company also declared a cash dividend of $0.66 per pre-split share, payable on September 12, 2003. Crucially for investors, the stock split necessitates an adjustment to previously issued earnings per share (EPS) guidance. The third-quarter 2003 EPS outlook has been revised downwards from $1.56-$1.60 to $0.78-$0.80 per share on a split-adjusted basis. Similarly, the full-year 2003 EPS forecast has been adjusted from $5.75-$5.90 to $2.88-$2.95. The company also reiterates its practice of reporting non-GAAP results that exclude special items, noting a pretax charge of $93 million related to a 1997 lawsuit with LePage's Inc. previously recorded in Q1 2003.

Key Highlights

  • 13M Company announced a two-for-one stock split, effective as a stock dividend, for shareholders of record on September 22, 2003.
  • 2A cash dividend of $0.66 per share (pre-split basis) was declared, payable on September 12, 2003.
  • 3Third-quarter 2003 EPS guidance has been revised to $0.78-$0.80 per share on a split-adjusted basis.
  • 4Full-year 2003 EPS expectations are now projected to be $2.88-$2.95 per share on a split-adjusted basis.
  • 5The filing references existing registration statements that will automatically cover the additional shares issued by the stock split.
  • 63M continues to report non-GAAP earnings, excluding special items, providing reconciliations to GAAP.
  • 7A previously disclosed $93 million pretax charge related to a LePage's Inc. lawsuit (recorded in Q1 2003) is mentioned again.

Frequently Asked Questions

For every share of common stock you own as of the close of business on September 22, 2003, you will receive one additional share. This effectively doubles your share count, while the price per share is expected to be halved, maintaining the total market value of your holdings.

The company has adjusted its EPS guidance to reflect the two-for-one stock split. The previously announced third-quarter EPS outlook of $1.56-$1.60 is now $0.78-$0.80 on a split-adjusted basis. Similarly, the full-year 2003 EPS outlook has been reduced from $5.75-$5.90 to $2.88-$2.95 on a split-adjusted basis.

The stock split is based on a record date of September 22, 2003. The additional shares will be distributed to eligible shareholders on September 29, 2003.

The filing reiterates that 3M recorded a pretax charge of $93 million ($58 million after-tax) in the first quarter of 2003 related to an adverse court ruling in a 1997 lawsuit filed by LePage's Inc. This is an example of a 'special item' that the company may exclude when reporting its non-GAAP earnings.