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): November 21, 2006
Merit Medical Systems, Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Utah |
|
0-18592 |
|
87-0447695 |
(State or other jurisdiction of |
|
(Commission |
|
(I.R.S. Employer |
incorporation or organization) |
|
File Number) |
|
Identification No.) |
|
|
|
|
|
1600 West Merit Parkway |
|
|
||
South Jordan, Utah |
|
84095 |
||
(Address of principal executive offices) |
|
(Zip Code) |
(801) 253-1600
(Registrants telephone number, including area code)
N/A
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
o Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
o Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
ITEM 7.01. REGULATION FD DISCLOSURE.
On November 21, 2006, Merit Medical Systems, Inc. (the Company) issued a press release announcing that the Company anticipates that it will take an impairment charge of approximately $900,000, or $0.02 per share, in the fourth quarter of 2006. A copy of the press release is furnished herewith as Exhibit 99.1.
ITEM 9.01 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.
(d) Exhibits.
Exhibit No. |
|
Description |
99.1 |
|
Press Release dated November 21, 2006 entitled Merit Medical to Take Fourth Quarter Impairment Charge |
2
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
MERIT MEDICAL SYSTEMS, INC. |
||
|
|
|
Date: November 21, 2006 |
By: |
/s/ Kent W. Stanger |
|
|
Kent W. Stanger |
|
|
Chief Financial Officer, Secretary and Treasurer |
3
Exhibit 99.1
1600 West Merit
Parkway · South Jordan,
UT 84095
Telephone: 801-253-1600 ·
Fax: 801-253-1688
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: November 21, 2006
Contact: Anne-Marie Wright, Vice President of Corporate Communications
Phone: (801) 208-4167 e-mail: awright@merit.com
MERIT
MEDICAL TO TAKE
FOURTH QUARTER IMPAIRMENT CHARGE
SOUTH JORDAN, UTAH Merit Medical Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: MMSI), a leading manufacturer and marketer of proprietary disposable accessories used primarily in cardiology and radiology procedures, announced today that it will take an impairment charge of approximately $900,000, or $0.02 per share, in the fourth quarter of 2006.
The charge is primarily associated with intellectual property assets acquired from Sub-Q Inc. in March 2005.
It is not likely that Merit will pursue the product associated with the intellectual property we acquired due to other priorities and opportunities, and it is prudent to take this action, said Fred P. Lampropoulos, Merits Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.
Lampropoulos also stated that the charge will not affect the previously announced range of $0.41-0.45 in earnings per share for 2006.
ABOUT MERIT
Founded in 1987, Merit Medical Systems, Inc. is engaged in the development, manufacture and distribution of proprietary disposable medical accessories used in interventional and diagnostic procedures, particularly in cardiology and radiology. Merit serves client hospitals worldwide with a domestic and international sales force totaling approximately 85 individuals. Merit employs approximately 1,670 people worldwide, with facilities in Salt Lake City and South Jordan, Utah; Santa Clara, California; Angleton, Texas; Richmond, Virginia; Maastricht and Venlo, The Netherlands; and Galway, Ireland.
Statements contained in this release, which are not purely historical, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Act of 1995 and are subject to risks and uncertainties such as those described in Merits Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005. Such risks and
uncertainties include market acceptance of new products, introduction of products in a timely fashion, product recalls, delays in obtaining regulatory approvals, or the failure to maintain such approvals, cost increases, fluctuations in and obsolescence of inventory, price and product competition, availability of labor and materials, development of new products and technology that could render Merits products obsolete, product liability claims, modification or limitation of governmental or private insurance reimbursement, infringement of Merits technology or the assertion that Merits technology infringes the rights of other parties, foreign currency fluctuations, challenges associated with the Companys growth strategy, changes in health care markets related to health care reform initiatives, litigation and other factors referred to in the Companys 10-K and other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All subsequent forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. Actual results may differ materially from anticipated results. Financial estimates are subject to change and are not intended to be relied upon as predictions of future operating results, and Merit assumes no obligation to update or disclose revisions to those estimates.
# # #