<PAGE>
Exhibit 99.1
CONTACT: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Richard T. Browning
Chief Financial Officer
(203) 661-1926, ext. 6628
Jane F. Casey
Vice President
(203) 661-1926, ext. 6619
BLYTH, INC. DECLARES SEMI-ANNUAL CASH DIVIDEND
GREENWICH, CT, September 6, 2000: Blyth, Inc. (NYSE:BTH) announced that it has
declared a semi-annual cash dividend of $0.10 per share of the Company's common
stock for the six months ended July 31, 2000. The dividend, authorized at the
September 6, 2000 Blyth Board of Directors meeting, will be payable to
shareholders of record as of November 1, 2000, and will be paid on November 15,
2000.
Commenting on the dividend declaration, Robert B. Goergen, Chairman of the Board
and CEO, said "As noted when Blyth initiated its first dividend this past
spring, we consistently generate substantial cash flow from operations which we
use to invest in Blyth's growth, as well as to repay debt and repurchase shares.
We believe that, given Blyth's strong financial position and prospects for
future growth, the continued payment of a cash dividend represents an important
element in support of our goal to deliver long-term returns to our
shareholders."
Blyth, Inc., headquartered in Greenwich, CT, designs, manufactures and
markets an extensive line of candles and home fragrance products including
scented candles, potpourri and environmental fragrance products, and markets
a broad range of related candle accessories and decorative seasonal products.
Its products are sold in the United States under various brand names,
including Colonial Candle of Cape Cod-Registered Trademark-, PartyLite
Gifts-Registered Trademark-, Kate's Original Recipe(TM), Carolina
Designs-Registered Trademark-, Ambria(TM), Florasense-Registered Trademark-,
Jeanmarie-Registered Trademark- and FilterMate-Registered Trademark-and in
Europe under the Gies, Liljeholmens and Colony brands. It is also a leading
producer of portable heating fuel products sold under the Sterno-Registered
Trademark- and Handy Fuel-Registered Trademark- brand names.
Blyth, Inc. can be found on the Internet at www.blythinc.com.
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning
of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking
statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals,
strategies, future events or performance and underlying assumptions and other
statements which are other than statements of historical facts. Actual
results could differ materially due to various factors, including the risk of
maintaining the Company's growth rate, the Company's ability to respond to
increased product demand, the risks (including foreign currency fluctuations)
associated with international sales and foreign products, the risks of being
able to recruit new independent sales consultants in North America,
dependence on key management personnel, competition in terms of price and new
product introductions, and other factors described in this press release, and
in the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended April
30, 2000, and in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
January 31, 2000.
# # #
