BLACK & DECKER CORP
8-K, 2000-04-20
METALWORKG MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT
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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549


                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT
                       Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
                       the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)   April 20, 2000
                                                 -----------------



                         THE BLACK & DECKER CORPORATION
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

        Maryland                     1-1553                     52-0248090
- ------------------------     ------------------------     ----------------------
(State of Incorporation)     (Commission File Number)     (I.R.S. Employer
                                                          Identification Number)

 701 East Joppa Road, Towson, Maryland                            21286
- ---------------------------------------                   ----------------------
(Address of principal executive offices)                        (Zip Code)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code: 410-716-3900

                                 Not Applicable
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

<PAGE>

ITEM 5.  OTHER EVENTS
On April 20, 2000, the Corporation  reported its earnings for the three months
ended April 2, 2000. Attached to this Current Report on Form 8-K as Exhibit 99
is a copy of the Corporation's related press release dated April 20, 2000.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This  Current  Report  on  Form  8-K  includes   statements   that  constitute
"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
and that are  intended to come within the safe harbor  protection  provided by
those sections. By their nature, all forward-looking  statements involve risks
and   uncertainties.   Actual  results  may  differ   materially   from  those
contemplated  by the  forward-looking  statements  for a  number  of  reasons,
including but not limited to: market acceptance of the new products introduced
in 1999 and 2000 and scheduled for  introduction  in the balance of 2000;  the
level of sales  generated  from these new products  relative to  expectations,
based on the existing  investments in productive  capacity and  commitments of
the Corporation to fund advertising and product  promotions in connection with
the introduction of these new products; the ability of the Corporation and its
suppliers  to  meet  scheduled   timetables  of  new  product   introductions;
unforeseen  competitive  pressure or other difficulty in maintaining  mutually
beneficial  relationships with key distributors or penetrating new channels of
distribution;  adverse  changes in  currency  exchange  rates or raw  material
commodity  prices,  both in absolute terms and relative to  competitors'  risk
profiles;   delays  in  or   unanticipated   inefficiencies   resulting   from
manufacturing  and  administrative   reorganization  actions  in  progress  or
contemplated  by the strategic  repositioning  described in the  Corporation's
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1999; the degree of
working capital investment  required to meet customer service levels;  gradual
improvement  in the  economic  environment  in Asia  and  Latin  America;  and
economic growth in North America which more than offsets economic  softness in
Europe.
         In addition to the foregoing,  the  Corporation's  ability to realize
the anticipated  benefits of the restructuring  actions undertaken in 1998 and
1999 is dependent  upon current market  conditions,  as well as the timing and
effectiveness   of  the   relocation  or   consolidation   of  production  and
administrative  processes. The ability to realize the benefits inherent in the
balance  of the  restructuring  actions  is  dependent  on the  selection  and
implementation   of   economically   viable   projects   in  addition  to  the
restructuring actions taken to date.


ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS
         Exhibit 99    Press Release of the Corporation dated April 20, 2000.


<PAGE>


                        THE BLACK & DECKER CORPORATION

                              S I G N A T U R E S

Pursuant to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of 1934,  the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report to be  signed on its  behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                        THE BLACK & DECKER CORPORATION


                           By /s/ STEPHEN F. REEVES
                               Stephen F. Reeves
                               Vice President - Finance


                                Contact: Barbara B. Lucas
                                Senior Vice President - Public Affairs
                                410/716-2980

                                Mark M. Rothleitner
                                Vice President - Investor Relations
                                and Treasurer
                                410/716-3979


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  Thursday, April 20, 2000

SUBJECT: Black & Decker Reports  First-Quarter  2000 Sales Up 6%; Earnings Per
     Share Up 23% Excluding Non-Recurring Gain


TOWSON,  MD - The Black & Decker  Corporation  (NYSE:BDK) today announced that
net earnings  for the first  quarter of 2000 were $60.2  million,  or $.69 per
diluted share,  compared to net earnings of $39.2 million, or $.44 per diluted
share, for the first quarter last year. The results included a pre-tax gain of
$20.1 million ($13.1 million net of tax, or $.15 per diluted share) related to
the 1998 recapitalization of True Temper Sports.  Excluding this non-recurring
gain,  net  earnings  for the first  quarter of 2000 were $47.1  million,  and
earnings per diluted share were $.54, up 23% versus the first quarter of 1999.

         Sales for the first quarter of 2000 rose to $1.04 billion,  6% higher
than the $978.5 million reported for the same period last year.  Excluding the
effects of foreign  currency  translation,  sales  increased  9% over the same
period last year.

           A decline in the  Corporation's  effective  tax rate,  prior to the
impact of the non-recurring  gain related to True Temper,  from 32% in 1999 to
30% in 2000 increased  earnings per diluted share  approximately  $.02 for the
first quarter of 2000.  The  Corporation  also  reported  that it  repurchased
approximately  2.4 million shares of its common stock during the quarter.  The
repurchase had no material effect on per-share earnings.
                                    (more)

<PAGE>

Page Two

         Commenting  on the results,  Nolan D.  Archibald,  Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer, said, "Black & Decker is off to an excellent start in 2000.
Sales for the first quarter were well ahead of last year's level.  New product
introductions,  especially in the lawn and garden category,  and benefits from
products launched last year contributed to sales growth.

         "Power Tools and Accessories  reported  another  impressive  quarter,
with worldwide sales up 13% and operating  profit up  dramatically.  The sales
growth was  broad-based,  extending  beyond North  America,  where we have had
consistently  strong performance,  to Europe and other international  regions.
The professional business continued to benefit from solid demand for DEWALT(R)
cordless tools, including the newly introduced 24-volt  high-performance line.
Blower/vacuums  and the Edge Hog(TM)  lawn edger in the United  States and the
4x4(TM)  lawn  mower in  Europe  contributed  to sales  gains in the  consumer
business.  While North  American  Power Tools  achieved  the most  substantial
increase in operating profit, our Latin American and Asian units also reported
improved results.

         "Sales in the Hardware and Home Improvement  segment were down 2% for
the quarter, as a decline in revenues at Kwikset outweighed a healthy increase
at Price  Pfister.  Similarly,  lower  margins at Kwikset  offset  substantial
improvement in Price Pfister's operating results. To improve efficiencies,  we
continued  to  execute  our plan to  rationalize  manufacturing  capacity  and
consolidate support functions,  combine  distribution with that of power tools
and  accessories,   and  transition  our   pack-to-order   capability  to  our
distribution center at Fort Mill, South Carolina.

         "Fastening and Assembly Systems sales were up a solid 8%,  reflecting
continued  strength in the North  American  market and strong  sales growth in
Asia.  Operating  profit was 12% higher than in the first  quarter  last year.
This is the 21st  consecutive  quarter in which  this  business  has  reported
year-over-year improvement in operating profit.
                                                           (more)


<PAGE>

Page Three

         "The gain associated with the  recapitalization of True Temper Sports
relates to a $25 million note,  which we received in 1998,  and a small equity
interest,  valued  at  approximately  $4  million,  that  we  retained  in the
business.  Due to True Temper's highly  leveraged  position and the lack of an
active market for its note, we established a full reserve for the note. In the
first  quarter of this year,  we sold the note along with our interest in True
Temper for $25 million in cash, generating a pre-tax gain of $20.1 million.

         "This  very  strong  first  quarter  establishes  a  solid  base  for
achieving our sales and earnings objectives for 2000. We are encouraged by the
continued  success of our Power Tools and  Accessories  and our  Fastening and
Assembly Systems businesses,  and by the progress being made at Price Pfister.
Exciting new products are slated for  introduction  by each of our  businesses
this year, our Six Sigma and Supply Chain  initiatives are very much on track,
and  we  are  confident  that  actions  underway  in  the  Hardware  and  Home
Improvement group will have a positive impact on our results for the year."

         This release includes  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. By their nature, all forward-looking  statements involve
risks  and  uncertainties.  For a more  detailed  discussion  of the risks and
uncertainties that may affect Black & Decker's operating and financial results
and its ability to achieve the  financial  objectives  discussed in this press
release,  interested parties should review Black & Decker's reports filed with
the Securities and Exchange  Commission,  including the Current Report on Form
8-K, filed April 20, 2000.

         Black & Decker is a leading global manufacturer and marketer of power
tools, hardware, and home improvement products used in and around the home and
for commercial applications.

                                     * * *


<PAGE>

                THE BLACK & DECKER CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
                CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF EARNINGS (Unaudited)
                (Dollars in Millions Except Per Share Amounts)


                                                 Three Months Ended
                                        -----------------------------------
                                        April 2, 2000         April 4, 1999
                                        -------------         -------------

SALES                                   $     1,037.6         $       978.5
  Cost of goods sold                            674.6                 628.2
  Selling, general, and
    administrative expenses                     271.5                 271.9
  Gain on sale of business                       20.1                     -
                                        -------------         -------------
OPERATING INCOME                                111.6                  78.4
  Interest expense
    (net of interest income)                     23.8                  22.2
  Other (income) expense                           .4                  (1.5)
                                        -------------         -------------
EARNINGS BEFORE INCOME TAXES                     87.4                  57.7
  Income taxes                                   27.2                  18.5
                                        -------------         -------------
NET EARNINGS                            $        60.2         $        39.2
                                        =============         =============



NET EARNINGS PER COMMON SHARE
  -  BASIC                              $         .70         $         .45
                                        =============         =============

Shares Used in Computing Basic
  Earnings Per Share (in Millions)               86.0                  87.3
                                        =============         =============



NET EARNINGS PER COMMON SHARE
  -  ASSUMING DILUTION                  $         .69         $         .44
                                        =============         =============

Shares Used in Computing Diluted
  Earnings Per Share (in Millions)               86.9                  88.6
                                        =============         =============
<PAGE>

                THE BLACK & DECKER CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
                          CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET
                             (Millions of Dollars)


                                        April 2, 2000
                                          (Unaudited)      December 31, 1999
                                       --------------      -----------------

ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents              $        131.0      $           147.3
Trade receivables                               788.7                  823.2
Inventories                                     813.0                  751.0
Other current assets                            193.2                  189.9
                                       --------------      -----------------
     TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS                     1,925.9                1,911.4
                                       --------------      -----------------

PROPERTY, PLANT, AND EQUIPMENT                  752.3                  739.6
GOODWILL                                        726.3                  743.4
OTHER ASSETS                                    611.8                  618.3
                                       --------------      -----------------
                                       $      4,016.3      $         4,012.7
                                       ==============      =================

LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Short-term borrowings                  $        324.3      $           183.2
Current maturities of long-term debt            249.2                  213.2
Trade accounts payable                          404.5                  367.3
Other accrued liabilities                       679.4                  809.0
                                       --------------      -----------------
     TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES                1,657.4                1,572.7
                                       --------------      -----------------

LONG-TERM DEBT                                  806.8                  847.1
DEFERRED INCOME TAXES                           243.5                  243.8
POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS                         245.4                  246.3
OTHER LONG-TERM LIABILITIES                     300.4                  301.7
STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY                            762.8                  801.1
                                       --------------      -----------------
                                       $      4,016.3      $         4,012.7
                                       ==============      =================
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
THE BLACK & DECKER CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION ABOUT BUSINESS SEGMENTS (Unaudited)
(Millions of Dollars)

<CAPTION>

                                    Reportable Business Segments
                            ----------------------------------------------
                                 Power     Hardware   Fastening                 Currency      Corporate,
Three Months Ended             Tools &       & Home  & Assembly              Translation    Adjustments,
April 2, 2000              Accessories  Improvement     Systems      Total    Adjustment  & Eliminations  Consolidated
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                             <C>         <C>         <C>       <C>             <C>               <C>       <C>
Sales to unaffiliated
   customers                    $706.0      $ 204.8     $ 136.3   $1,047.1        $ (9.5)           $  -      $1,037.6
Segment profit (loss)
   (for Consolidated,
   operating income before
   gain on sale of business)      55.4         19.6        23.4       98.4          (1.2)           (5.7)         91.5
Depreciation and amortization     21.7         10.0         4.0       35.7           (.1)            6.7          42.3
Capital expenditures              52.2          7.3         7.0       66.5           (.1)             .2          66.6

Three Months Ended
April 4, 1999
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sales to unaffiliated
   customers                    $625.6      $ 208.8     $ 126.0   $  960.4        $ 18.1            $  -      $  978.5
Segment profit (loss) (for
   Consolidated,
   operating income)              38.4         25.0        20.9       84.3           1.6            (7.5)         78.4
Depreciation and amortization     20.7          8.7         3.9       33.3            .4             7.2          40.9
Capital expenditures              19.3          7.0         3.1       29.4            .5              .1          30.0

</TABLE>

     The reconciliation  of segment profit to  the Corporation's earnings before
income taxes, in millions of dollars, is as follows:

                                                        Three Months Ended
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                  April 2, 2000   April 4, 1999
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Segment profit for total reportable
   business segments                                     $ 98.4          $ 84.3
Items excluded from segment profit:
   Adjustment of budgeted foreign
      exchange rates to actual rates                       (1.2)            1.6
   Depreciation of Corporate property
      and amortization of goodwill                         (6.7)           (7.2)
   Adjustment to businesses'
      postretirement benefit expenses
      booked in consolidation                               9.5             8.2
   Adjustment to eliminate net interest
      and non-operating expenses from
      results of certain operations in Brazil,
      Mexico, Venezuela, and Turkey                          .1              .5
   Other adjustments booked in consolidation
      directly related to reportable
      business segments                                    (7.0)           (3.7)
Amounts allocated to businesses in
   arriving at segment profit in excess of
   (less than) Corporate center operating
   expenses, eliminations, and other
   amounts identified above                                (1.6)           (5.3)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Operating income before gain on sale of business           91.5            78.4
Gain on sale of business                                   20.1               -
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Operating income                                       111.6            78.4
Interest expense, net of interest income                   23.8            22.2
Other (income) expense                                       .4            (1.5)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Earnings before income taxes                          $ 87.4          $ 57.7
================================================================================

<PAGE>

Basis of Presentation:
     The Corporation  operates in three reportable  business  segments:  Power
Tools and  Accessories,  Hardware  and Home  Improvement,  and  Fastening  and
Assembly  Systems.  The Power  Tools and  Accessories  segment  has  worldwide
responsibility for the manufacture and sale of consumer and professional power
tools and accessories,  electric cleaning and lighting products,  and electric
lawn and garden tools, as well as for product service. In addition,  the Power
Tools and  Accessories  segment  has  responsibility  for the sale of security
hardware to customers in Mexico,  Central  America,  the Caribbean,  and South
America;  for the sale of plumbing  products to  customers  outside the United
States and  Canada;  and for sales of the  retained  portion of the  household
products  business.  The Hardware and Home  Improvement  segment has worldwide
responsibility  for the manufacture and sale of security  hardware (except for
the sale of security hardware in Mexico,  Central America, the Caribbean,  and
South  America).  It also has  responsibility  for the manufacture of plumbing
products  and for the sale of  plumbing  products to  customers  in the United
States and Canada.  The Fastening and Assembly  Systems  segment has worldwide
responsibility for the manufacture and sale of fastening and assembly systems.
     The  Corporation  assesses the  performance  of its  reportable  business
segments based upon a number of factors, including segment profit. In general,
segments follow the same  accounting  policies as those described in Note 1 of
the  Corporation's  Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31,
1999,  except  with  respect to  foreign  currency  translation  and except as
further  indicated  below. The financial  statements of a segment's  operating
units  located  outside the United  States,  except  those units  operating in
highly inflationary economies, are generally measured using the local currency
as the functional currency. For these units located outside the United States,
segment assets and elements of segment  profit are  translated  using budgeted
rates of exchange.  Budgeted rates of exchange are  established  annually and,
once  established,  all prior  period  segment  data is updated to reflect the
translation  of segment  assets and elements of segment  profit at the current
year's  budgeted  rates of  exchange.  The amounts  included in the  preceding
segment  table  under  the  captions   "Reportable   Business  Segments,"  and
"Corporate,  Adjustments,  & Eliminations"  are reflected at the Corporation's
budgeted  rates of exchange for 2000.  The amounts  included in the  preceding
segment table under the caption "Currency Translation  Adjustments"  represent
the difference  between  consolidated  amounts  determined  using the budgeted
rates of  exchange  for 2000 and  those  determined  based  upon the  rates of
exchange  applicable under  accounting  principles  generally  accepted in the
United States.
     Segment profit excludes interest income and expense, non-operating income
and expense,  goodwill  amortization,  adjustments  to eliminate  intercompany
profit in  inventory,  and income tax  expense.  In addition,  segment  profit
excludes  the gain on sale of  business.  For  certain  operations  located in
Brazil,  Mexico,  Venezuela,  and  Turkey,  segment  profit is  reduced by net
interest expense and non-operating  expenses.  In determining  segment profit,
expenses  relating  to pension  and other  postretirement  benefits  are based
solely upon estimated service costs.  Corporate expenses are allocated to each
segment  based  upon  budgeted  amounts.  While  sales and  transfers  between
segments are  accounted for at cost plus a reasonable  profit,  the effects of
intersegment  sales are  excluded  from the  computation  of  segment  profit.
Intercompany  profit in  inventory  is  excluded  from  segment  assets and is
recognized  as a reduction  of cost of sales by the selling  segment  when the
related inventory is sold to an unaffiliated customer. Because the Corporation
compensates the management of its various  businesses on, among other factors,
segment profit,  the  Corporation may elect to record certain  segment-related
expense items of an unusual or  nonrecurring  nature in  consolidation  rather
than   reflect   such  items  in  segment   profit.   In   addition,   certain
segment-related items of income or expense may be recorded in consolidation in
one period and transferred to the  Corporation's  various  segments in a later
period.



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