Second-quarter sales for Becton, Dickinson & Co. dipped 0.4 percent to $1.74 billion, compared with $1.75 billion during the same period last year, on what chairman and CEO Edward Ludwig termed a “negative impact of foreign currency translation” that accounted for a 5 percent hit.
Net income fell further, dropping 5.4 percent to $261.3 million, compared with $276.2 million during the second quarter of 2008.
The medical devices and biotech leviathan, which has its ophthalmic division headquarters in Waltham, also took a hit on a series of class action lawsuits accusing it of antitrust violations. The company agreed to pay $45 million April 27 to settle the case, known as “In re Hypodermic Products Antitrust Litigation.”
BD Ophthalmic Systems fared slightly better than the company overall, posting a 3 percent sales increase in the United States but declines overseas. Total worldwide sales for the division stayed fairly flat at $19.4 million for the quarter, compared with $19.6 million during the same period in 2008, a 1.4 percent decline. U.S. sales came in at $6.4 million, compared with $6.2 million during the second quarter last year.
BD said it expects earnings per share to increase as much as 9 percent for the full year.