New Brunswick Scientific Reports 2002 Fourth-Quarter And Full-Year Financial Results Monday February 24, 3:12 pm ET   Declares 10% Stock Dividend 
  EDISON, N.J., Feb. 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- New Brunswick Scientific Co., Inc. (Nasdaq: NBSC - News), today announced its financial results for the 2002 fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2002. For the 2002 fourth quarter, net sales were $14.8 million compared with last year's fourth-quarter record of $17.3 million. Fourth-quarter net income of $914,000, or $0.12 per diluted share, compared with $1,836,000, or $0.24 per diluted share, in the year-ago period.
  For the full year, revenues of $57.2 million compared with last year's $60.3 million sales record. Last year's revenues included $5.2 million from fully custom-engineered bioprocess equipment for which the Company ceased accepting orders after June 29, 2001 and $400,000 of DGI revenues. Net sales on a comparable basis increased 4.6% during the year as a result of increased shipments of cell culture equipment, shakers and ultra-low temperature freezers.
  Gross margin for 2002 increased to 41.7% from 39.9% a year ago, primarily attributable to the absence of lower margin sales of fully custom-engineered bioprocess equipment. Reported income before tax expense and equity in operations of DGI increased 47% reaching $4,225,000 from $2,883,000 last year. Adjusting for the $912,000 operating loss attributable to DGI in 2001 (during the period DGI was majority-owned by the Company), income before income tax expense and equity in operations of DGI increased 11% to $4,225,000, compared with $3,795,000 in 2001. Net income for 2002 improved 17% to $2,584,000 from 2001 net income of $2,211,000. Last year's reported pre tax results included: $400,000 of revenue from DGI, $1,312,000 in research expenses attributable to DGI, $260,000 in non-recurring severance costs and $182,000 of amortization of goodwill. Reported earnings per diluted share increased 10% to $0.33 from $0.30 last year.
  New Brunswick Scientific also announced today that its Board of Directors has declared a 10-percent stock dividend on the Company's outstanding common stock. The stock dividend is payable on May 15, 2003, to common shareholders of record as of the close of business on April 18, 2003. Fractional shares will be paid in cash.
  Co-founder and Chairman David Freedman said, "As we predicted, despite the unfavorable economic environment of 2002, we successfully generated bottom line growth. This improvement is attributable to the year's more favorable product mix as well as the decline in DGI-related research expenses and losses versus 2001."
  Mr. Freedman continued, "Our outlook for 2003 is mixed. Lingering softness has persisted into the year's opening months. However, efficiency improvements including facility optimization, which has resulted in shortened lead times and better sourcing of components, should have lasting effects in the future. Moreover, when capital expenditures begin to recover in the life sciences industry NBS will realize the full impact of these efficiency improvements. Unfortunately, we are unable to accurately predict when capital investment will normalize," Mr. Freedman concluded.
  New Brunswick Scientific Co., Inc., designs and manufactures a wide variety of research equipment and scientific instruments for the life sciences and holds a minority equity position in DGI BioTechnologies, Inc., a drug-lead-discovery operation.
  This press release includes statements that may constitute forward-looking statements made pursuant to the Safe Harbor provision of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. This information may involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Further information concerning risk factors is described in the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings. 
               NEW BRUNSWICK SCIENTIFIC CO., INC., AND SUBSIDIARIES                     CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS                    (In thousands, except per share amounts)
                                Three Months Ended             Year Ended                                  December 31,               December 31,                               2002          2001         2002          2001
      Net sales              $14,793       $17,253      $57,226       $60,294
      Operating costs and       expenses:       Cost of sales          8,588        10,180       33,345        36,265       Selling, general         and administrative         expenses(1)          3,907         4,309       16,353        16,205       Research, development         and engineering         expenses               755           702        2,872         2,751       DGI research expenses     --            --           --         1,312       Non-recurring severance         costs                   --            --           --           260
          Total operating           costs and           expenses          13,250        15,191       52,570        56,793
      Income from operations   1,543         2,062        4,656         3,501
      Other income (expense):       Interest income           32            11           64            56       Interest expense        (109)         (124)        (460)         (561)       Other, net               (41)          (37)         (35)         (113)                               (118)         (150)        (431)         (618)     Income before income       tax expense and equity       in operations of DGI   1,425         1,912        4,225         2,883     Income tax expense         511            42        1,491           145     Income before equity in       operations of DGI        914         1,870        2,734         2,738     Equity in operations       of DGI                    --           (34)        (150)         (527)     Net income                $914        $1,836       $2,584        $2,211
      Basic earnings per share $0.12         $0.25        $0.34         $0.30     Diluted earnings       per share              $0.12         $0.24        $0.33         $0.30
      Basic weighted average       number of shares       outstanding            7,772         7,424        7,651         7,412     Diluted weighted average       number of shares       outstanding            7,873         7,509        7,837         7,449
       (1) The Company adopted the provisions of SFAS 142 as of January 1, 2002,          and therefore, since that date, goodwill is no longer being          amortized.  However, the three months and year ended December 31,          2001 include $45 and $182, respectively, of goodwill amortization.
                           Selected Balance Sheet Items                             (Dollars in thousands)
                                                   December 31,   December 31,                                                         2002           2001     Cash and cash equivalents                         $9,718         $3,794     Accounts receivable                                9,991         12,811     Inventories                                       12,096         15,168     Property, plant and equipment, net                 5,195          4,868     Total assets                                      44,747         44,543     Accounts payable and accrued expenses              6,489          9,136     Long-term debt, net of current installments        5,213          6,751     Shareholders' equity                              30,125         26,296     Working capital                                   26,671         24,389     Current ratio                                   4.9 to 1       3.6 to 1
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  Source: New Brunswick Scientific Co., Inc. |