MIAMI and HOLLYWOOD, Fla., Dec. 15, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HEICO Corporation (NYSE:HEI.A) (NYSE: HEI ) today announced that its Board of Directors declared a regular semi-annual cash dividend of $.07 per share, payable on both classes of common stock. The cash dividend will be paid on January 19, 2015 to shareholders of record as of January 5, 2015.
The cash dividend represents a 17% increase over the prior semi-annual per share amount of $.06 and is HEICO's 73 rd consecutive semi-annual cash dividend since 1979.
Laurans A. Mendelson, HEICO's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, along with HEICO's Co-Presidents, Eric A. Mendelson and Victor H. Mendelson, remarked, "By raising the cash dividend, our Board of Directors' goal is to confirm its continuing confidence in HEICO's growth strategies and to continue to reward our shareholders, while retaining sufficient capital to fund our internal growth objectives and acquisition strategies. Since 1990, HEICO has executed on a growth strategy which has consistently delivered superior returns and value to our shareholders. Considering the impact of cash dividends, prior stock splits and stock dividends, one share of HEI worth $8.38 in 1990 has become worth on a combined basis approximately $915 today representing an increase of approximately 109 times the 1990 value and a compound annual growth rate of 21%."
HEICO has two classes of common stock traded on the NYSE. Both classes, the Class A Common Stock (HEI.A) and the Common Stock (HEI), are virtually identical in all economic respects. The only difference between the share classes is the voting rights. The Class A Common Stock (HEI.A) receives 1/10 vote per share and the Common Stock (HEI) receives one vote per share. There are currently approximately 39.7 million shares of HEICO's Class A Common Stock (HEI.A) outstanding and 26.8 million shares of HEICO's Common Stock (HEI) outstanding. The stock symbols for HEICO's two classes of common stock on most web sites are HEI.A and HEI. However, some web sites change HEICO's Class A Common Stock stock symbol (HEI.A) to HEI/A or HEIa.
The Company also reported that its Annual Shareholders' Meeting will be held on March 20, 2015. Shareholders of record at the close of business on January 16, 2015 will be entitled to vote at the meeting.
HEICO Corporation is engaged primarily in certain niche segments of the aviation, defense, space, medical, telecommunications and electronics industries through its Hollywood, FL-based Flight Support Group and its Miami, FL-based Electronic Technologies Group. HEICO's customers include a majority of the world's airlines and overhaul shops as well as numerous defense and space contractors and military agencies worldwide in addition to medical, telecommunications and electronics equipment manufacturers. For more information about HEICO, please visit our web site at http://www.heico.com .
Certain statements in this press release constitute forward-looking statements, which are subject to risks, uncertainties and contingencies. HEICO's actual results may differ materially from those expressed in or implied by those forward-looking statements as a result of factors including, but not limited to: lower demand for commercial air travel or airline fleet changes or airline purchasing decisions, which could cause lower demand for our goods and services; product development or product specification costs and requirements, which could cause an increase to our costs to complete contracts; governmental and regulatory demands, export policies and restrictions, reductions in defense, space or homeland security spending by U.S. and/or foreign customers or competition from existing and new competitors, which could reduce our sales; our ability to introduce new products and product pricing levels, which could reduce our sales or sales growth; product development difficulties, which could increase our product development costs and delay sales; our ability to make acquisitions and achieve operating synergies from acquired businesses, customer credit risk, interest and income tax rates and economic conditions within and outside of the aviation, defense, space, medical, telecommunications and electronics industries, which could negatively impact our costs and revenues; and defense budget cuts, which could reduce our defense-related revenue. Parties receiving this material are encouraged to review all of HEICO's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to filings on Form 10-K, Form 10-Q and Form 8-K. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by applicable law.
Victor H. Mendelson (305) 374-1745 ext. 7590 Thomas S. Irwin (954) 987-4000 ext. 7560 Carlos L. Macau, Jr. (954) 987-4000 ext. 7570
