VALLEY FORGE, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 10,
2006--AmerisourceBergen Corporation (NYSE:ABC) today will raise its
operating revenue growth expectations and reaffirm its previous
diluted earnings per share guidance for the December quarter and
fiscal year 2006 at the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference in San
Francisco. President and Chief Operating Officer, Kurt J. Hilzinger,
and Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Michael D.
DiCandilo, will speak at the conference.
The Company expects the December quarter operating revenue growth
to be between 10 percent and 11 percent, due to greater sales to its
larger customers in the December quarter. For fiscal year 2006,
AmerisourceBergen is raising its operating revenue growth expectations
to a range of 7 percent to 9 percent from the previous range of 6
percent to 8 percent.
AmerisourceBergen continues to anticipate diluted earnings per
share for the December quarter to be in the range of $0.37 to $0.43.
The Company also continues to expect diluted earnings per share of
between $1.98 and $2.13 for fiscal year 2006. Diluted earnings per
share expectations for the fiscal year include the impact of a $0.045
charge for equity compensation expense and the anticipation that
expected litigation recovery gains will be offset by facility
consolidation and employee severance expense. The Company also
reaffirmed that for fiscal year 2006, pharmaceutical distribution
segment operating margins are expected to be in the range of 115 basis
points to 125 basis points, and cash flow from operations is
anticipated to be in the range of $500 million to $600 million.
AmerisourceBergen also continues to expect to repurchase
approximately $400 to $450 million of its stock by the end of fiscal
2006 under its previously announced $750 million share repurchase
authorization.
AmerisourceBergen plans to release its results for the First
Quarter of Fiscal Year 2006 on Wednesday, January 25, 2006 prior to
the opening of trading on the New York Stock Exchange. The Company
will host a conference call to discuss the results at 11:00 a.m.
Eastern Standard Time on January 25, 2006.
About AmerisourceBergen
AmerisourceBergen (NYSE:ABC) is one of the largest pharmaceutical
services companies in the United States. Servicing both pharmaceutical
manufacturers and healthcare providers in the pharmaceutical supply
channel, the Company provides drug distribution and related services
designed to reduce costs and improve patient outcomes.
AmerisourceBergen's service solutions range from pharmacy automation
and pharmaceutical packaging to pharmacy services for skilled nursing
and assisted living facilities, reimbursement and pharmaceutical
consulting services, and physician education. With more than $54
billion in annual revenue, AmerisourceBergen is headquartered in
Valley Forge, PA, and employs more than 13,000 people.
AmerisourceBergen is ranked #23 on the Fortune 500 list. For more
information, go to www.amerisourcebergen.com.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This news release may contain certain "forward-looking statements"
within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and
Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These statements
are based on management's current expectations and are subject to
uncertainty and changes in circumstances. Actual results may vary
materially from the expectations contained in the forward-looking
statements. Forward-looking statements may include statements
addressing AmerisourceBergen's future financial and operating results
and the benefits, efficiencies and savings to be derived from the
Company's integration plans to consolidate its distribution network.
The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to
differ materially from those described in any forward-looking
statements: competitive pressures; the loss of one or more key
customer or supplier relationships; customer defaults or insolvencies;
changes in customer mix; supplier defaults or insolvencies; changes in
pharmaceutical manufacturers' pricing and distribution policies or
practices; adverse resolution of any contract or other disputes with
customers (including departments and agencies of the U.S. Government)
or suppliers; regulatory changes; changes in U.S. government policies
(including reimbursement changes arising from the Medicare
Modernization Act); market interest rates; operational or control
issues arising from AmerisourceBergen's outsourcing of information
technology activities; success of the Pharmaceutical Distribution
segment's ability to transition its business model to fee-for-service;
success of integration, restructuring or systems initiatives;
fluctuations in the U.S. dollar - Canadian dollar exchange rate;
economic, business, competitive and/or regulatory developments in
Canada; acquisition of businesses that do not perform as we expect or
that are difficult for us to integrate or control; and other economic,
business, competitive, legal, regulatory and/or operational factors
affecting the business of AmerisourceBergen generally.
More detailed information about these and other risk factors is
set forth in AmerisourceBergen's filings with the Securities and
Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for
fiscal 2005.
AmerisourceBergen is under no obligation to (and expressly
disclaims any such obligation to) update or alter any forward looking
statements whether as a result of new information, future events or
otherwise.
CONTACT: AmerisourceBergen Corporation, Valley Forge
Michael N. Kilpatric, 610-727-7118
mkilpatric@amerisourcebergen.com
or
Barbara Brungess, 610-727-7199
bbrungess@amerisourcebergen.com
SOURCE: AmerisourceBergen Corporation