3M today announced that it has completed the sale of the company’s advanced-ballistic protection business to Avon Rubber p.l.c. for $91 million, before closing and other adjustments. A further contingent consideration of up to $25 million is payable depending on the outcome of pending tenders.
Avon Rubber is a provider of advanced chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear respiratory protection systems for military, law enforcement and fire customers.
Ballistic Helmets
The business, formerly part of 3M’s Advanced Materials Division, consists of ballistic helmets, body armor, flat armor, and related helmet-attachment products serving government and law enforcement.
The Advanced Materials Division, a part of the Transportation & Electronics Business Group, remains focused on serving its customers with innovative, value-creating materials including fluoropolymers, ceramics, glass bubbles and other highly engineered materials and products. Approximately 280 3M employees, who primarily support the business, are expected to join Avon as a result of the sale. The impact of the transaction is neutral to earnings per share.
Forward-Looking Statements
You can identify these statements by the use of words such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “aim,” “project” and more
This news release contains forward-looking information about 3M’s financial results and estimates and business prospects that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. You can identify these statements by the use of words such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “aim,” “project,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “target,” “forecast” and other words and terms of similar meaning in connection with any discussion of future operating or financial performance or business plans or prospects. Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially are the following:
- Worldwide economic, political, regulatory, capital markets and other external conditions and other factors beyond the Company’s control, including natural and other disasters or climate change affecting the operations of the Company or its customers and suppliers
- The Company’s credit ratings and its cost of capital
- Competitive conditions and customer preferences
- Foreign currency exchange rates and fluctuations in those rates
- The timing and market acceptance of new product offerings
- The availability and cost of purchased components, compounds, raw materials and energy (including oil and natural gas and their derivatives) due to shortages, increased demand or supply interruptions (including those caused by natural and other disasters and other events)
- The impact of acquisitions, strategic alliances, divestitures, and other unusual events resulting from portfolio management actions and other evolving business strategies, and possible organizational restructuring
- Operational execution, including scenarios where the Company generates fewer productivity improvements than estimated
- Unanticipated problems or delays with the phased implementation of a global enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, or security breaches and other disruptions to the Company’s information technology infrastructure
- Financial market risks that may affect the Company’s funding obligations under defined benefit pension and postretirement plans
- Legal proceedings, including significant developments that could occur in the legal and regulatory proceedings described in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2018, and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q.
Changes in such assumptions or factors could produce significantly different results. A further description of these factors is located in the Reports under “Cautionary Note Concerning Factors That May Affect Future Results” and “Risk Factors” in Part I, Items 1 and 1A (Annual Report) and in Part I, Item 2 and Part II, Item 1A (Quarterly Reports). The information contained in this news release is as of the date indicated. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this news release as a result of new information or future events or developments.
