SODEXHO MARRIOTT SERVICES INC
8-K, 1999-07-29
EATING PLACES
Previous: MORGAN STANLEY DEAN WITTER LIMITED TERM MUNICIPAL TRUST, 485BPOS, 1999-07-29
Next: HUNTCO INC, 8-K, 1999-07-29



<PAGE>




                                  UNITED STATES
                       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): JULY 29, 1999
                                                            -------------


                         SODEXHO MARRIOTT SERVICES, INC.
             ------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)




          DELAWARE                    1-12188                52-0936594
 ----------------------------       -------------         -------------------
 (State or other jurisdiction       (Commission             (IRS Employer
       of incorporation)             File Number)         Identification No.)


  9801 WASHINGTONIAN BOULEVARD, GAITHERSBURG, MARYLAND           20878
  ----------------------------------------------------       -------------
         (Address of principal executive offices)             (Zip Code)


       Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (301) 987-4431
                                                           --------------





<PAGE>


ITEM 5.           OTHER EVENTS.
- -------------------------------

         On July 29, 1999,  Sodexho Marriott Services, Inc. released details
         of the Company's Investor Conference held in New York, New York.


ITEM 7.           FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.
- ----------------------------------------------------

(c)      The following exhibit is filed as part of this Form 8-K.

             Exhibit No.                        Description
         -------------------- -------------------------------------------------
                 99                  Press release, dated July 29, 1999.







                                      -2-

<PAGE>



                                   SIGNATURES

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.

                                               SODEXHO MARRIOTT SERVICES, INC.


Date:       July 29, 1999                       By:   /s/ LAWRENCE E. HYATT
     ------------------------------               -----------------------------
                                                  Lawrence E. Hyatt
                                                  Senior Vice President and
                                                   Chief Financial Officer







                                      -3-

<PAGE>


INDEX TO EXHIBITS
- -----------------


   Exhibit No.                              Description
- ---------------------- -------------------------------------------------------

       99               Press release issued July 29, 1999, relating to
                        Sodexho Marriott Services, Inc.'s Investor Conference
                        held in New York, New York.







                                      -4-






[SODEXHO MARRIOTT SERVICES, INC. COMPANY LOGO]





FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                       Media Relations:
                                            Kathy Boyle  (301) 987-4330
                                            Investor Relations:
                                            Leeny Oberg  (301) 987-4333



     SODEXHO MARRIOTT SERVICES, INC. UNVEILS NEW CORPORATE GROWTH STRATEGIES

               Goals call for 20% compound annual growth in EPS,
                       6% compound annual growth in sales



     NEW YORK, NEW YORK, July 29, 1999- At a meeting with  securities  analysts
and money managers held here today, Michel Landel, President and Chief Executive
Officer of Sodexho Marriott Services,  Inc.  (NYSE:SDH),  outlined his goals for
the nation's largest provider of food and facilities  management services to the
corporate,  education and health care markets. In his introductory  remarks, Mr.
Landel said, "Our goal is to grow earnings per share at a 20% compounded  annual
growth rate,  while achieving an average of 6% annualized  sales growth over the
next  three  years."

     Mr.  Landel  detailed  key elements of his plans for  accelerating  growth.
These  include  focusing on high  growth and  under-penetrated  markets  through
adopting a market segmentation approach for all of the Company's business units,
encouraging a "client-focused" culture,  investing in people and infrastructure,
and building a "sales driven" organization.  This focus, Mr. Landel noted, would
enable the Company to better serve the needs of its clients;  improve  labor and
food  management  productivity  and quality;  and result in higher  retention of
existing clients.

                           REVIEW OF BUSINESS SEGMENTS

     Tom Mulligan,  President,  Corporate Services; Tony Alibrio, Executive Vice
President and  President,  Health Care  Services;  Bill Hamman,  Executive  Vice
President and President, Education

<PAGE>

Services;  and Jim Seaton,  President,  Schools Services  provided  overviews of
their   respective   markets,   the  Company's   current   performance  and  the
opportunities to improve client  satisfaction  and the operating  results of the
Company.  Though the clients  within  these  markets  have an array of needs and
preferences,  the macro  trends are  comparable.  Consolidation  is taking place
within many of these  markets,  as well as budget  restraints  and  shortages of
labor and other  resources.  The  opportunity  for the Company  lies in creating
solutions customized for its clients,  understanding  changes in the marketplace
and, most importantly,  the priorities of the individual client.  Success within
the Company's  divisions will be driven by: growth with existing clients;  focus
on food and  facilities  management in  attractive  market  segments;  improving
margins, and retention of existing client accounts.

                              FINANCIAL STRATEGIES

     Larry Hyatt, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, conducted a
financial  review of the first nine months ended May 28, 1999.  Mr. Hyatt stated
that the Company  continues  to believe  that it will finish the current  fiscal
year with a pro forma earnings per share performance of approximately  $0.90 per
share, net of one-time items that have a net positive impact of $.04 per share.

     Mr. Hyatt explained,  "Our financial strategy is straight forward, and is a
critical  part of meeting  our EPS growth  goals."  The  strategy  calls for the
Company to: maximize cash flow; reduce debt levels; increase margins; and invest
in  the  business  to  support  future  growth  and  achieve   additional   cost
efficiencies.  Mr. Hyatt also  detailed the  Company's  investment  strategy for
Fiscal 2000,  which included  reinvesting  approximately  $20 million of savings
derived from synergies into recruiting and training, in addition to accelerating
the development of new products and the  strengthening of the Company's  systems
and infrastructure.

<PAGE>
                                    SUMMATION

     In closing,  Mr. Landel said, "We believe the trend toward outsourcing will
continue to grow.  We see it across all of our  business  segments as  companies
with  multiple  locations  and  facilities  are looking  for a single  source to
provide a range of  outsourced  services.  By increasing  our  retention  rates,
segmenting  our markets and  implementing  our strategic  plans,  I believe this
company  can  accelerate  its growth in the next few  years.  By  executing  our
strategic  plans,  I further  believe that we can achieve 20% growth in earnings
per  share  over  the next  three  years  while,  at the  same  time,  enhancing
shareholder value."
                                      -###-

     SODEXHO MARRIOTT SERVICES,  INC. is the largest provider of outsourced food
and facilities  management in North America, with more than $4 billion in annual
sales.  The  Company  offers a  variety  of  innovative  outsourcing  solutions,
including food services,  housekeeping,  grounds  keeping,  plant operations and
maintenance,  and other  support  services  to the  corporate,  health  care and
education  markets.  The  Company is one of the top 50  employers  in the United
States with 103,000  employees.  The Company's  headquarters  is located at 9801
Washingtonian Boulevard, Gaithersburg, MD 20878.

                                      -###-

     NOTE: This press release contains  "forward-looking  statements" within the
meaning  of the  federal  securities  laws.  These  statements  are based on the
Company's current  expectations and relate to anticipated future events that are
not  historical  facts,  such as the  Company's  business  strategies  and their
intended results. The forward-looking  statements in this release are subject to
numerous  risks  and  uncertainties   that  could  cause  the  Company's  future
activities and results of operations to differ  materially  from those expressed
or implied in the  forward-looking  statements.  These  risks and  uncertainties
include:  the ability of the Company to adapt to recent changes in its corporate
structure,   the  potential   adverse   impact  of  the  Company's   substantial
indebtedness,  competition  in  the  food  services  and  facilities  management
industries,  the  effects of general  economic  conditions,  the  ability of the
Company to retain  existing  clients and obtain new clients,  the ability of the
Company to remedy any  computer-related  issues resulting from the advent of the
Year  2000,  and other  factors  described  from  time to time in the  Company's
filings with the  Securities  and Exchange  Commission,  including the Company's
Transition Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
on November 23, 1998. As a result of these risks and uncertainties,  readers are
cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking  statements made in
this  press  release  or  elsewhere  from  time to time by or on  behalf  of the
Company.  The  Company  assumes  no  obligation  to update  any  forward-looking
statements.




© 2022 IncJournal is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission