Becton Dickinson & Co. (NYSE:BDX) said a Brazilian agency today began an anti-dumping probe that’s looking into sales in Brazil of its vacuum tubes used to collect blood.
Brazil’s Secretariat of Foreign Trade is investigating imports of vacuum tubes from the U.S., the U.K., Germany and China during 2012, according to a regulatory filing.
"BD, through its United States and international subsidiaries, exports vacuum plastic tubes for blood collection into Brazil and is cooperating with the investigation," according to the filing.
In economic terms, dumping occurs when a manufacturer exports products into another country for less than their domestic price, or even for less than they cost to produce.
BD said the probe, slated to end in November 2014, could result in anti-dumping measures including the imposition of duties on vacuum tube imports.
"Once applied, anti-dumping measures will last for as long as the measures are deemed necessary, which, in most cases, is for 5 years," according to the filing. "BD does not expect that the outcome of the investigation will materially affect results of operations."
BDX shares were trading at $107.99 apiece as of about 12:40 p.m. today, down 0.6%.
