<PAGE>
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): January 28, 2000
FIRST DATA CORPORATION
----------------------
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware 1-11073 47-0731996
- ---------------------------- ------------------------ -------------------
(State of other jurisdiction (Commission File Number) (IRS Employer or
of incorporation) Identification No.)
5660 New Northside Drive, Suite 1400, Atlanta, Georgia 30328
- ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
Registrant's telephone number, including area code (770) 857-0001
-----------------
N/A
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
<PAGE>
Item 5. Other Events
On January 28, 2000, the Registrant held a meeting, in person and by telephone
conference call, at which certain "forward-looking statements" were made.
Attached as Exhibit 99.1 is a copy of such Forward-Looking Statements and
Related Cautionary Statements Required by the Safe Harbor Provisions of the
Private Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
2
<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 hereunto duly authorized.
FIRST DATA CORPORATION
By: /s/ Thomas A. Rossi
------------------------------
Thomas A. Rossi
Assistant Secretary
Dated: January 28, 2000
3
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit No. Description Page
- ----------- ----------- ----
99.1 Forward-Looking Statements and Related Cautionary 5
Statements Required by the Safe Harbor Provisions of
The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995
4
<PAGE>
Exhibit 99.1
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS AND RELATED CAUTIONARY STATEMENTS
Forward-Looking Statements
- --------------------------
First Data Corporation 2000 Earnings Projection
. The Company expects to deliver earnings per
share in 2000 in the range of $1.95 to $2.02.
Card Issuer Services Expectations
. Revenue growth in the low double digits
. Operating profit growth in mid teens
. Operating margin in the high teens
Merchant Services Expectations
. Revenue growth in low double digits
. Operating profit growth high teens to 20%
. Operating Margins in the high 20s
Payment Instruments Expectations
. Revenue growth high teens to 20%
. Operating profit growth in high teens
. Operating margin in high 20s
The Company intends to make the meeting presentation materials available
for a period of time under the investor information site on its internet home
page at www.firstdatacorp.com.
Notice to Investors, Prospective Investors and the Investment Community
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------
In passing the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the
"Reform Act"), Congress encouraged public companies to make forward-looking
statements by creating a safe-harbor to protect companies from securities law
liability in connection with forward-looking statements. To qualify forward-
looking statements for protection under the Reform Act, a company must identify
forward-looking statements as such and identify important factors that could
cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking
statement.
5
<PAGE>
All forward looking statements are inherently uncertain as they are based
on various expectations and assumptions concerning future events and they are
subject to numerous known and unknown risks and uncertainties which could cause
actual events or results to differ materially from those projected.
Important factors currently known to management upon which the Company's
forward-looking statements are premised include the following:
. Continued growth at rates approximating recent levels for card-based
payment transactions, consumer money transfer transactions and other
product markets.
. No undiscovered Year 2000 computer errors and no unanticipated post-
Year 2000 date-related computer disruptions.
. Successful conversions under service contracts with major clients.
. Renewal of material contracts in the Company's business units
consistent with past experience.
. Timely, successful and cost effective implementation of processing
systems to provide new products, improved functionality and increased
efficiencies, particularly in the Card Issuer Services segment.
. Continuing development and maintenance of appropriate business
continuity plans for the Company's processing systems based on the
needs and risks relative to each such system.
. Absence of consolidation among client financial institutions or other
client groups which has a significant impact on FDC client
relationships and no material loss of business resulting from
significant customers of the Company involved in announced mergers.
. Achieving planned revenue growth throughout the Company, including in
the merchant alliance program which involves several joint ventures
not under the sole control of the Company and each of which acts
independently of the others, and successful management of pricing
pressures through cost efficiencies and other cost management
initiatives.
. Anticipation of and response to technological changes, particularly
with respect to e-commerce.
. No imposition of a Value Added Tax on third-party credit card
processing services by the European Community ("EC"), which could put
credit card processing outsourcers at a competitive disadvantage to
in-house solutions in the EC.
. No unanticipated changes in laws, regulations, credit card association
rules or other industry standards affecting FDC's businesses which
require significant product redevelopment efforts, reduce the market
for or value of its products, or render products obsolete.
. Continuation of the existing interest rate environment, avoiding
increases in agent fees related to the Company's consumer money
transfer products and the Company's short-term borrowing costs.
6
<PAGE>
. Absence of significant changes in foreign exchange spreads on retail
money transfer transactions, particularly between the United States
and Mexico, without a corresponding increase in volume or consumer
fees.
. No unanticipated developments relating to previously disclosed
lawsuits against Western Union, inter alia, violation of consumer
protection laws in connection with advertising the cost of money
transfer to Mexico.
. Successfully managing the potential both for patent protection and
patent liability in the context of rapidly developing legal framework
for expansive software patent protection.
. Continued political stability in countries in which Western Union has
material operations.
Variations from these assumptions or failure to achieve these objectives
could cause actual results to differ from those projected in the forward-looking
statement. Due to the uncertainties inherent in forward-looking statements,
readers are urged not to place undue reliance on these statements. In addition,
FDC undertakes no obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements to
reflect changed assumptions, the occurrence of unanticipated events, or changes
to projections over time.
7