BINDLEY WESTERN INDUSTRIES INC
10-Q, 1999-05-17
DRUGS, PROPRIETARIES & DRUGGISTS' SUNDRIES
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                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 10-Q

(Mark One)
  [X]  QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)
                  OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

  For the quarterly period ended    March 31, 1999

                                       OR

  [ ]  TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)
                  OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

  For the transition period from              to
  Commission file number:   0-11355


                        BINDLEY WESTERN INDUSTRIES, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


           Indiana                                       84-0601662
(State or other jurisdiction of                       (I.R.S. Employer
 incorporation or organization)                        Identification No.)

                                8909 Purdue Road
                          Indianapolis, Indiana 46268
                    (Address of principal executive offices)
                                   (Zip Code)

                                 (317) 704-4000
                         (Registrant's telephone number,
                              including area code)


                                   No Change
              (Former name, former address and former fiscal year,
                          if changed since last report)

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required
to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during
the  preceding 12 months (or for such  shorter  period that the  registrant  was
required  to file  such  reports),  and  (2) has  been  subject  to such  filing
requirements for the past 90 days.

Yes      x                 No _________



The  number  of  shares of Common  Stock  outstanding  as of March 31,  1999 was
22,729,653.

                                  PART I - FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Item 1.  Financial Statements

                        BINDLEY WESTERN INDUSTRIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                               CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EARNINGS
                                (000's omitted except share data)
                                           (unaudited)
<TABLE>
<S>                                                     <C>                            <C>



                                                            Three-month period ended
                                                                    March 31,
                                               ----------------------------------------------------
                                                                 1999                         1998
                                               ----------------------------------------------------

Revenues:
  Net sales from stock                                    $ 1,216,572                    $ 897,410
  Net brokerage sales                                         758,385                    1,064,361
                                               ----------------------------------------------------
  Total net sales                                           1,974,957                    1,961,771
  Other income                                                    483                          615
                                               ----------------------------------------------------
                                                            1,975,440                    1,962,386
                                               ----------------------------------------------------
Cost and expenses:
  Cost of products sold                                     1,927,781                    1,918,647
  Selling, general and administrative                          25,299                       24,605
  Depreciation and amortization                                 2,009                        1,946
  Interest                                                      5,524                        3,990
                                               ----------------------------------------------------
                                                            1,960,613                    1,949,188
                                               ----------------------------------------------------

Earnings before income taxes                                   14,827                       13,198
                                               ----------------------------------------------------

Provision for income taxes                                      5,894                        5,246
Minority interest in net income of
 consolidated subsidiary                                                                       378

                                               ====================================================
Net earnings                                                  $ 8,933                      $ 7,574
                                               ====================================================



Earnings per share:
  Basic                                                        $ 0.40                       $ 0.36
  Diluted                                                      $ 0.36                       $ 0.34

Average shares outstanding:
  Basic                                                    22,607,443                   21,144,477
  Diluted                                                  24,730,849                   22,503,347

</TABLE>


                  (See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements)


                         BINDLEY WESTERN INDUSTRIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                                     CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET
                                 (000's omitted except share data)
<TABLE>
<S>                                                                   <C>              <C>


                                                                      (unaudited)
                                                                        March 31,       December 31,
                                                                             1999               1998
                                                                -------------------------------------
Assets
Current assets:
 Cash                                                                     $ 9,507           $ 42,982
 Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful
  accounts of $4,070 for 1999 and $3,558 for 1998                         518,756            453,552
 Finished goods inventory                                                 645,691            659,484
 Deferred income taxes                                                     12,106             11,506
 Other current assets                                                       9,478              8,282
                                                                -------------------------------------
                                                                        1,195,538          1,175,806
                                                                -------------------------------------
                                                                -------------------------------------
Other assets                                                                   28                 38
                                                                -------------------------------------
Fixed assets, at cost                                                     124,850            119,243
 Less: accumulated depreciation                                           (28,297)           (26,491)
                                                                -------------------------------------
                                                                           96,553             92,752
                                                                -------------------------------------
                                                                -------------------------------------
Intangibles                                                                17,797             17,979
                                                                -------------------------------------
                                                                =====================================
  Total assets                                                        $ 1,309,916        $ 1,286,575
                                                                =====================================

Liabilites and Shareholders' Equity
Current liabilities:
 Short-term borrowings                                                  $ 122,500           $ 19,500
Securitized borrowings                                                    237,963            224,163
Private placement debt                                                     30,000             30,000
 Accounts payable                                                         547,913            640,540
Note payable to Priority Healthcare Corporation                            13,166             16,517
 Other current liabilities                                                 16,815             18,684
                                                                -------------------------------------
                                                                          968,357            949,404
                                                                -------------------------------------
                                                                -------------------------------------
Long-term debt                                                                618                628
                                                                -------------------------------------
                                                                -------------------------------------
Deferred income taxes                                                       3,202              3,202
                                                                -------------------------------------

Shareholders' equity:
Common stock, $.01 par value authorized 40,000,000 shares;
 issued 23,602,712 and 23,433,919 shares, respectively                      3,379              3,376
Special shares, $.01 par value-authorized 1,000,000 shares
Additional paid in capital                                                215,102            213,462
Note receivable from officer                                               (3,283)            (3,228)
Retained earnings                                                         138,869            130,412
                                                                -------------------------------------
                                                                          354,067            344,022
Less:  shares in treasury-at cost
 873,059 and 689,161 shares, respectively                                 (16,328)           (10,681)
                                                                -------------------------------------
                                                                -------------------------------------
  Total shareholders' equity                                              337,739            333,341
                                                                -------------------------------------
                                                                -------------------------------------
Commitments and contingencies
                                                                -------------------------------------
                                                                =====================================
  Total liabilities and shareholders' equity                          $ 1,309,916        $ 1,286,575

                                                                =====================================
</TABLE>

                   (See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements)

                BINDLEY WESTERN INDUSTRIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                      CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
                        (000's omitted except share data)
                                   (unaudited)
<TABLE>
<S>                                                                          <C>                       <C>


                                                                             Three-month period ended
                                                                                    March 31,
                                                                  -----------------------------------------------
                                                                                 1999                       1998
                                                                  -----------------------------------------------
Cash flow from operating activities:
  Net income                                                                  $ 8,933                    $ 7,574
  Adjustments to reconcile net income
    to net cash provided (used) by operating activities:
    Depreciation and amortization                                               2,009                      1,946
    Minority interest                                                                                        378
    Deferred income taxes                                                        (600)                      (600)
    Gain on sale of fixed assets                                                                             (47)


Change in assets and liabilities, net of acquisition:
  Accounts receivable                                                         (65,204)                    58,462
  Finished goods inventory                                                     13,792                     (9,891)
  Accounts payable                                                            (92,627)                   (99,608)
  Other current assets and liabilities                                         (3,076)                     2,817
                                                                  -----------------------------------------------
    Net cash used by operating activities                                    (136,773)                   (38,969)
                                                                  -----------------------------------------------

Cash flow from investing activities:
  Purchase of fixed assets and other assets                                    (5,607)                    (9,584)
  Proceeds from sale of fixed assets                                                -                         79
                                                                  -----------------------------------------------
    Net cash used by investing activities                                      (5,607)                    (9,505)
                                                                  -----------------------------------------------

Cash flow from financing activities:
  Proceeds from sale of stock                                                   1,642                      5,145
  Addition (reduction) in long term debt                                          (10)                       (20)
  Related party note receivable                                                   (54)                       (53)
  Payments on note payable Priority Healthcare Corporation                     (3,350)
  Proceeds under line of credit agreement                                     401,500                    547,500
  Payments under line of credit agreement                                    (298,500)                  (516,500)
  Proceeds from securitized borrowings                                         13,800
  Purchase of common shares for treasury                                       (5,647)                      (490)
  Dividends                                                                      (476)                      (317)

                                                                  -----------------------------------------------
    Net cash provided by financing activities                                 108,905                     35,265
                                                                  -----------------------------------------------

Net increase (decrease) in cash                                               (33,475)                   (13,209)
Cash at beginning of period                                                    42,982                     42,895
                                                                  ===============================================
Cash at end of period                                                         $ 9,507                   $ 29,686
                                                                  ===============================================
</TABLE>

                (See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements)







                BINDLEY WESTERN INDUSTRIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES



                   NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS




1.   We have  prepared  the  consolidated  financial  statements  in this report
     without  audit.  We  condensed  or omitted  some  information  and footnote
     disclosures, including significant accounting policies, that would normally
     be included in financial  statements  prepared in accordance with generally
     accepted accounting  principles. These financial statements  should be read
     in conjunction  with the financial  statements  and notes included  in  our
     latest  annual  report.   We believe that the financial  statements for the
     three-month periods ended  March 31, 1999  and 1998  include  all necessary
     adjustments,  which are of a normal recurring nature, for fair presentation
     Results for any interim  period may not be indicative of the results of the
     entire year.

2.   Prescription Drug Price Litigation.  We were named a defendant,  along with
     six other pharmaceutical wholesalers and 24 pharmaceutical manufacturers in
     a consolidated  class action filed in the United States  District Court for
     the  Northern   District  of  Illinois  in  1993.  (In  --  re  Brand  Name
     Prescription  Drugs  Litigation,  MDL 997.) The complaint  alleged that the
     defendants conspired to fix prices of brand-name prescription drugs sold to
     retail  pharmacies at artificially  high levels in violation of the federal
     antitrust laws. The complaint seeks injunctive  relief,  unspecified treble
     damages,  costs,  interest and attorneys' fees.  Additional complaints were
     filed in the  federal  class  action by two  chain  drug  companies  naming
     certain  pharmaceutical  manufacturers  and  wholesalers,  including us, as
     defendants. These complaints contain allegations and claims for relief that
     are  substantially  similar to those in the earlier class action complaint.
     In addition, we are a defendant in additional actions brought by plaintiffs
     who "opted  out" of the  federal  class  action.  The vast  majority of the
     complaints in these actions contain  allegations and claims for relief that
     are  substantially  similar  to  those in the  federal  class  action.  The
     remaining  complaints add allegations that the defendants' conduct violated
     state law.

     On July 1, 1996, we and several other wholesalers were joined as defendants
     in a  proceeding  filed in the  Circuit  Court of Greene  County,  Alabama.
     (Durrett v. The Upjohn  Company,  Civil Action No.  94-029.) The plaintiffs
     claim the prices of prescription drugs purchased in interstate commerce are
     artificially  high because of alleged  illegal  activities of the defendant
     pharmaceutical  manufacturers and wholesalers. The complaint seeks monetary
     damages, injunctive relief and punitive damages.

     On June 16,  1998,  we were  named a  defendant  in an action  filed in the
     Circuit  Court  for  Cocke  County,  Tennessee  purportedly  on  behalf  of
     consumers  of  prescription  drugs  in  the  following  states:  Tennessee,
     Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Kansas, Maine, Michigan,  Minnesota, New Mexico,
     North Carolina,  North Dakota,  South Dakota,  West Virginia and Wisconsin.
     (Graves et al. v. Abbott  Laboratories et al., Civil Action No. 25,109-00.)
     The complaint  charges that  pharmaceutical  manufacturers and wholesalers,
     including  us,  engaged  in  a  price-fixing  conspiracy  in  violation  of
     Tennessee's Trade Practices Act and Consumer Protection Act, and the unfair
     or deceptive  trade  practices  statutes of the other  jurisdictions  named
     therein.

     We have denied any  liability to the  plaintiffs in the  prescription  drug
     price  litigation   described  above  and  have  been  defending  ourselves
     vigorously.  On October 21, 1994,  we entered  into an  agreement  with the
     other defendants, wholesalers and pharmaceutical manufacturers covering all
     of the  prescription  drug price  actions.  Under this  agreement:  (1) the
     manufacturer  defendants  agreed to reimburse  us and the other  wholesaler
     defendants for litigation  costs incurred,  up to an aggregate amount of $9
     million;  and (2) if a judgment is entered against both  manufacturers  and
     wholesalers,  our total exposure for joint and several  liability  would be
     limited to the lesser of 1% of such judgment or $1 million. In addition, we
     have released any claims which we might have had against the  manufacturers
     for the claims presented by the plaintiffs in these actions. As a result of
     the  settlements  discussed  in the next  paragraph,  we expect to  receive
     reimbursement of some, if not all, of our legal fees and expenses in excess
     of our proportionate share of the $9 million.

     Several  of the  manufacturer  defendants  and the  class  plaintiffs  have
     reached  settlement  agreements with regard to the class action.  The trial
     against the  remaining  defendants,  including  us, began on September  14,
     1998. On November 30, 1998,  the Court  granted all  remaining  defendants'
     motions for  judgments  as a matter of law and  dismissed  all class claims
     against  us and  other  defendants.  The  class  plaintiffs'  appeal of the
     Court's ruling is now pending.

     After  discussions  with  counsel,  we  believe  that  any  allegations  of
     liability against us in the prescription drug pricing cases described above
     are without merit and that any liability  that we may have is not likely to
     have a material  adverse  effect on our  financial  condition or results of
     operations.

     Other  Legal  Proceedings.  We are also  subject to  ordinary  and  routine
     lawsuits  and  governmental  inspections,  investigations  and  proceedings
     incidental to our business,  the outcome of which would not have a material
     adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations.

3.   On June 3, 1998, a 4-for-3  stock split of our common stock was paid in the
     form of a stock dividend to shareholders of record at the close of business
     on May 21, 1998. We restated all historical weighted average shares and per
     share  amounts in this report to reflect the stock split.  Share amounts in
     the   Consolidated   Balance   Sheets  reflect  the  actual  share  amounts
     outstanding for each period presented.

4.   On December 31, 1998, we completed the spin-off of our subsidiary  Priority
     Healthcare  Corporation  ("Priority") by distributing to the holders of our
     common  stock all of the shares of  Priority  Class A Common  Stock that we
     owned. The spin-off resulted in the removal of $107.5 million of assets and
     $37.2  million of  liabilities  from our  Consolidated  Balance Sheet as of
     December 31, 1998. The results of operations for Priority,  net of minority
     interest,  for the  quarter  ended  March  31,  1998  are  included  in our
     Consolidated  Statement of Earnings because Priority  remained a subsidiary
     through December 31, 1998.

5.   We had two reportable  segments prior to the spin-off of Priority,  BWI and
     Priority.  Both  segments  conducted  substantially  all of their  business
     within the United States.  The BWI segment  specialized in the distribution
     of pharmaceuticals and related health care products to chain drug companies
     which operate their own warehouses,  individual  drug stores,  supermarkets
     and mass retailers with their own  pharmacies,  hospitals,  clinics,  HMOs,
     state and federal government agencies and other health care providers.  The
     Priority segment distributed specialty  pharmaceuticals and related medical
     supplies  to the  alternate  site  healthcare  market and was a provider of
     patient-specific,  self-injectible biopharmaceuticals and disease treatment
     services to individuals  with chronic  diseases.  Our segments had separate
     management  teams and  infrastructures  to meet the  specific  needs of our
     customers and our marketing strategies.

     After the  spin-off  of Priority on  December  31,  1998,  we have only one
     reportable segment. The assets,  liabilities and equity of Priority are not
     included in our  December 31, 1998 or March 31, 1999  Consolidated  Balance
     Sheets and our  Consolidated  Statement  of Earnings  for the period  ended
     March 31, 1999 does not include the results of operations for Priority.

     Segment information for the quarter ended March 31, 1998 was as follows:

                                      BWI           Priority              Total
                   ----------------------- ------------------ ------------------

     Revenues               $   1,903,642       $     58,129      $   1,961,771
     Segment net earnings           5,498              2,076              7,574





<PAGE>



Item 2.      Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial
             Condition and Results of Operations.

Overview

         On December 31,  1998,  we  completed  the  spin-off of our  subsidiary
Priority Healthcare  Corporation  ("Priority") by distributing to the holders of
our common  stock,  all of the shares of Priority  Class A Common  Stock that we
owned.  The  spin-off  resulted in the  removal of $107.5  million of assets and
$37.2 million of liabilities from our Consolidated  Balance Sheet as of December
31, 1998. The results of operations for Priority,  net of minority interest, for
the quarter ended March 31, 1998 are included in our  Consolidated  Statement of
Earnings because Priority remained a subsidiary through December 31, 1998.

Results of Operations

         Net sales for the first  quarter  increased  1% from $1,962  million in
1998 to $1,975 million in 1999. In the first quarter of 1998,  Priority's  sales
accounted  for  approximately  3% of total sales.  In the first quarter of 1999,
brokerage  type sales  ("brokerage  sales")  experienced a 29% decrease from the
first quarter of 1998.  This  decrease  resulted from the loss of a single chain
warehouse  customer during the second quarter of 1998.  Although brokerage sales
generate very little gross margin,  they provide  increased  working capital and
support our programs to attract more direct store  delivery  business from chain
warehouse customers.  Sales from inventory ("from stock sales") increased 36% in
the first  quarter of 1999 over the first  quarter  of 1998 (45% when  excluding
Priority's  sales  from 1998  results).  From  stock  sales  include  sales from
inventory to chain  warehouse  customers and direct store delivery sales. In the
first  quarter of 1999,  we continued to expand our presence in the direct store
delivery portion of the business through  increased sales to existing  customers
and the addition of new customers.  Direct store delivery sales increased by 39%
(49% when  Priority's  sales are excluded from 1998 results) when  comparing the
first  quarter of 1999 to the first  quarter of 1998.  As a percentage  of total
sales,  direct store delivery sales  increased from 43% for the first quarter of
1998 to 60% for the first  quarter of 1999.  This increase is attributed to both
the loss of the chain  warehouse  customer  and the increase in the direct store
delivery sales. In both the first quarter of 1999 and 1998, the increase related
to price increases was approximately equal to the increase in the Consumer Price
Index.

         Gross margin of $47.2 million for the first quarter of 1999 represented
an  increase  of 9% over the first  quarter of 1998.  However,  when  Priority's
margins are excluded from the 1998 results,  gross margins  increased by 30%. In
both  periods,  the pressure on sell side margins  continued to be a significant
factor and the purchasing gains associated with  pharmaceutical  price inflation
remained  relatively  constant.  Gross  margin  as a  percentage  of  net  sales
increased  to 2.39%  for the  first  quarter  of 1999  from  2.20% for the first
quarter of 1998 (1.91% after the exclusion of  Priority).  This increase was the
result of the change in mix away from the lower  margin  brokerage  sales to the
higher  margin from stock sales.  This change in mix resulted from both the loss
of the chain  warehouse  customer  and the  increase  in direct  store  delivery
business.

         Other  income  decreased  because  the  first  quarter  of 1999 did not
include the  interest  income that  Priority  had earned on the  proceeds of its
October 1997 initial  public  offering.  Other income for 1999 is  attributed to
finance charges on customers' receivables.

         Selling,   general  and   administrative   ("SGA")   expenses  for  the
three-month  period  increased 3% from $24.6 million in 1998 to $25.3 million in
1999.  When Priority is excluded from the 1998 results,  the increase in SGA was
18%. This increase is the result of normal inflationary  increases and increased
variable  costs to support our growing  direct store  delivery  programs.  These
variable costs include, among others,  delivery expenses,  warehouse expense and
labor costs.  SGA expenses  will  continue to increase as direct store  delivery
sales increase.  However, total SGA expense as a percent of from stock sales for
the first quarter decreased from 2.7% (2.5% excluding  Priority) in 1998 to 2.1%
in 1999.  We remain  focused on  controlling  SGA through  improved  technology,
better asset management and opportunities to consolidate  distribution  centers.
In 1999, SGA included  $200,000 of  non-recurring  charges  associated  with the
start-up of new  distribution  centers in Milwaukee,  Wisconsin and Kansas City,
Missouri.  SGA in 1998 included non-recurring expenses of approximately $250,000
related to start up expenses of new distribution centers in Portland, Oregon and
Woodland, California.

         Depreciation  and   amortization  on  new  facilities,   expansion  and
automation of existing  facilities  and  investments  in management  information
systems resulted in increases in depreciation and amortization  expense. For the
three-month  period  the  expense  increased  from $1.9  million  ($1.6  million
excluding Priority) in 1998 to $2.0 million in 1999.

         Interest expense for the three-month period increased from $4.0 million
in 1998 to $5.5 million in 1999. The average short-term  borrowings  outstanding
in 1998 were $189 million at an average  short-term  interest  rate of 6.5%,  as
compared to $335 million at an average short-term interest rate of 5.1% in 1999.

         The provision for income  taxes  represented  39.75% of earnings before
 taxes for the first quarter of both 1998 and 1999.

Liquidity-Capital Resources

         For the  three-month  period  ended  March  31,  1999,  our  operations
consumed  $136.8  million in cash. The use of funds resulted from a reduction in
accounts payable and an increase in accounts receivables. These uses were offset
by a slight  decrease in  inventories.  The  reduction  in  accounts  payable is
attributed to the timing of payments of invoices related to inventory  purchases
and the increase in accounts  receivables is a direct result of the  significant
increase in direct store sales.  We continue to closely  monitor working capital
in relation to economic and  competitive  conditions.  However,  our emphasis on
direct store delivery business will continue to require both net working capital
and cash.

         Capital  expenditures  were $5.6  million  during the first  quarter of
1999.  These  were   predominantly  for  the  corporate  offices  and  warehouse
facilities,  the  expansion  and  automation  of  existing  warehouses  and  the
investment in additional  management  information systems. On April 30, 1999, we
sold our corporate office building to an unrelated party for approximately $21.5
million and  signed a 15 year lease for the top two floors of the building.  The
proceeds of the sale  were used to reduce  our borrowings under  our bank credit
facility.

         Under our receivables  securitization  facility,  we sell substantially
all  of our  receivables  arising  in connection  with  the sale of goods or the
rendering of services to Bindley Western  Funding Corporation ("Funding Corp."),
a  wholly owned special  purpose  corporation  subsidiary.  The  Receivables are
sold to Funding Corp. on  a continuous  basis.  The cash  generated  by sales of
interests in the receivables and from collections on the receivables retained is
used by Funding Corp. to purchase additional receivables. The  assets of Funding
Corp. are available first  to satisfy any claims of Funding Corp. creditors.

         Funding Corp.  sells our  receivables at specified  discount rates to a
group of banks.  At March 31,  1999,  there  were $238  million  of  receivables
interests  outstanding that have been sold at an annual average discount rate of
5.1%. We account for the receivables facility as a financing  transaction in our
consolidated financial statements.

         Our bank credit facility allows us to borrow up to $174.5 million.  The
net  increase in  borrowings  under our bank credit  agreement  was $103 million
during the period.  At March 31, 1999 we had  outstanding  borrowings  of $122.5
million and a remaining availability of $52 million.

         We believe that our cash on hand, cash equivalents,  line of credit and
working  capital  management  efforts are  sufficient to meet our future working
capital requirements.

         Our  principal  working  capital  needs are for  inventory and accounts
receivables.  We sell  inventory to our chain  warehouse and other  customers on
various  payment terms.  This requires  significant  working  capital to finance
inventory purchases and entails accounts  receivables  exposure in the event any
of our  chain  warehouse  or other  significant  customers  encounter  financial
difficulties.  Although  we monitor  closely the  creditworthiness  of our major
customers and, when feasible,  obtain security  interests in the inventory sold,
we cannot assure you that we will not incur the write off or write down of chain
warehouse customer or other significant accounts receivables in the future.

Year 2000

         The year 2000 will pose a unique set of challenges to those  industries
reliant on information technology.  As a result of the methods employed by early
programmers,  many software  applications and operational programs may be unable
to distinguish the year 2000 from the year 1900. If not  effectively  addressed,
this problem could result in the production of inaccurate  data, or in the worst
cases, the inability of the systems to continue to function  altogether.  We and
other  companies in the same business are vulnerable to this problem  because we
depend on our distribution and communications systems.

         Our Daily Sales System,  which controls  ordering,  pricing,  inventory
control,  and  shipping,  which  accounts  for 70% of our  total  investment  in
software,  was initially  designed and programmed to be Year 2000 compliant.  We
anticipate that our remaining  systems will be Year 2000 compliant by the end of
the second quarter of 1999.  Furthermore,  all major software  purchases that we
made  within the past three years have been  warranted  to be  compliant  by the
vendor.  We have  upgraded and  replaced  our  hardware and network  systems for
reasons other than Year 2000 compliance,  however, this new hardware and network
systems will be fully tested during 1999 to determine if they are also Year 2000
compliant.  We  estimate  of the  total  cumulative  costs to make our  systems
compliant for the Year 2000 is approximately $1 million,  of which approximately
$700,000 had been incurred as of March 31, 1999.

         We believe that the expenditures required to make our systems Year 2000
compliant will not have a materially  adverse effect on our future  performance.
However,  the Year 2000  problem is  pervasive  and complex and can  potentially
affect any computer  process.  Accordingly,  we cannot assure you that Year 2000
compliance can be achieved  without  additional  unanticipated  expenditures and
uncertainties that might affect our future financial results.

         Moreover,  to operate our business,  we rely on governmental  agencies,
utility companies,  telecommunications companies, shipping companies,  suppliers
and other third party service providers over which we can assert little control.
Our ability to conduct our business is dependent upon the ability of these third
parties  to avoid  Year  2000  related  disruptions.  We are in the  process  of
contacting our third party service  providers  about their Year 2000  readiness,
but we have not yet received  complete  assurance  from such third parties about
their Year 2000  compliance.  If our key third party  service  providers  do not
adequately  address  their Year 2000  issues,  our  business  may be  materially
affected,  which could result in a materially  adverse  effect on our results of
operations and financial condition.

         We  have not  to date developed  any formal  contingency plans, as such
plans  will depend  in  part  on the responses  from  our  third  party  service
providers. However, if required, critical functions could be handled on a manual
basis  until  such  time  that  the  Year 2000  malfunction  was  identified and
resolved.

Forward Looking Statements

         We make  forward-looking  statements in this report which represent our
expectations   or  beliefs  about  future  events  and  financial   performance.
Forward-looking   statements   are  subject  to  known  and  unknown  risks  and
uncertainties, including:

     o  changes in interest rates;
     o  competitive pressures;
     o  changes in customer mix;
     o  financial stability of major customers;
     o  investment procurement opportunities;
     o changes in governmental regulations or the interpretation and enforcement
     of these  regulations;  o asserted and unasserted claims; and o our ability
     and the ability of entities with which we do business to modify or redesign
     our and their computer systems to work properly in the year 2000.


         In  light  of  these  risks,   uncertainties   and   assumptions,   the
forward-looking  events  discussed in this report might not occur.  In addition,
actual   results   could  differ   materially   from  those   suggested  by  the
forward-looking statements, and therefore you should not place undue reliance on
the forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or
revise any forward-looking  statements,  whether as a result of new information,
future events or otherwise.


Item 3.      Qualitative and Quantitative Disclosures About Market Risks

There  have been  no material changes in our market risk exposure from the risks
described  in  our  Annual  Report  on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31,
1999.


<PAGE>



                           PART II - OTHER INFORMATION


Item 1.                    Legal Proceedings

          The  information  set  forth in Note 2 to the  Notes  to  Consolidated
Financial  Statements set forth elsewhere in this Report is incorporated  herein
by reference.


Item 6.                    Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K

                           (a)      Exhibits

                                    27.  Selected Financial Data Schedule

                           (b)      Reports on Form 8-K

                           On January 4, 1998, we filed a current report on Form
                           8-K reporting the distribution to our shareholders of
                           all the  shares of  Priority  Healthcare  Corporation
                           common stock that we then owned.


<PAGE>


                                    SIGNATURE


                  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 thereunto duly authorized.


March 17, 1999                                 BINDLEY WESTERN INDUSTRIES, INC.



                                            BY  /s/ Thomas J. Salentine
                                                    Thomas J. Salentine
                                                    Executive Vice President
                                                   (Principal Financial Officer)



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<NAME>                        Bindley Western Drug Company
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