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) September 19, 2013
BECTON, DICKINSON AND COMPANY
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
New Jersey
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)
| 001-4802 | 22-0760120 | |
| (Commission File Number) | (IRS Employer Identification No.) | |
| 1 Becton Drive, Franklin Lakes, New Jersey | 07417-1880 | |
| (Address of Principal Executive Offices) | (Zip Code) | |
(201) 847-6800
(Registrant’s 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 (see General Instruction A.2. below):
| ¨ | Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230425) |
| ¨ | Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) |
| ¨ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) |
| ¨ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) |
| ITEM 8.01 | OTHER EVENTS. |
On September 19, 2013, a jury returned a verdict in the lawsuit filed against Becton, Dickinson and Company (“BD”) by Retractable Technologies, Inc. (“RTI”) in the United States Court for the Eastern District of Texas.
The verdict was unfavorable to BD with respect to RTI’s Lanham Act claim and claim for attempted monopolization based on deception in the safety syringe market. The jury has awarded RTI $113,508,000 for its attempted monopolization claim (which will be trebled under the antitrust statute). The Court will determine whether to award equitable relief under the Lanham Act including disgorgement.
The jury’s verdict rejected RTI’s monopolization claims in the markets for safety syringes, conventional syringes and safety IV catheters; its attempted monopolization claims in the markets for conventional syringes and safety IV catheters; and its claims for contractual restraint of trade and exclusive dealing in the markets for safety syringes, conventional syringes and safety IV catheters.
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.
| BECTON, DICKINSON AND COMPANY | ||||||
| (Registrant) | ||||||
| By: | /s/ Gary DeFazio |
|||||
| Gary DeFazio | ||||||
| Vice President and Corporate Secretary | ||||||
Date: September 20, 2013