Form 8-K - 8/15/2005

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 Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): September 2, 2005


                          MERIDIAN BIOSCIENCE, INC.                           
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its Charter)


                      Ohio                                          0-14902                              31-0888197        
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
         Incorporation)
(Commission File Number)  (IRS Employer
Identification No.)


3471 River Hills Drive, Cincinnati, Ohio    45244   
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)


Registrant's telephone number, including area code (513) 271-3700


                                                                                                             
(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 230.425)

  [ ] 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 August 15, 2005, Meridian Bioscience, Inc. (the “Company”) announced that its Board of Directors had approved a 3-for-2 stock split of the Company’s outstanding shares of common stock (the “Common Stock”) effective September 2, 2005, for shareholders of record on August 29, 2005 (the “Stock Split”).

The Company is undertaking to meet the requirements of Rule 416(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, regarding its Registration Statement No. 333-109139 (the “Registration Statement”). Under Rule 416(b), if additional securities are issued as a result of a stock split prior to the completion of the distribution of the securities covered by a registration statement, then the additional securities are covered by the registration statement, provided that the registration statement is amended. As discussed, the Company has effected the Stock Split. Pursuant to Rule 416(b), by virtue of this filing, the Registration Statement is deemed to cover the additional shares of common stock that may be sold as a result of the Stock Split.

In addition, the following tables present, adjusted to reflect the stock split, the Selected Financial Data from the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2004 and earnings per share information for the interim periods in fiscal 2005:

Selected Financial Data – Annual Report on Form 10-K for the Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2004
Amounts in thousands, except for per share data

Income Statement Information

FY 2004
FY 2003
FY 2002
FY 2001
FY 2000
FY 1999
Net sales     $ 79,606   $ 65,864   $ 59,104   $ 56,527   $ 57,096   $ 53,927  
Gross profit    45,675    38,288    34,598    26,706    35,446    34,369  
Operating income (loss)    14,658    12,789    9,994    (12,507 )  9,354    6,527  
Net earnings (loss)    9,185    7,018    5,031    (10,275 )  7,111    2,073  
Basic earnings (loss) per share   $ 0.41   $ 0.32   $ 0.23   $ (0.47 ) $ 0.33   $ 0.10  
Diluted earnings (loss) per share   $ 0.40   $ 0.31   $ 0.23   $ (0.47 ) $ 0.32   $ 0.09  
 
Cash dividends declared per share   $ 0.26   $ 0.23   $ 0.18   $ 0.17   $ 0.15   $ 0.13  
 
Book value per share   $ 1.47   $ 1.24   $ 1.11   $ 1.05   $ 1.67   $ 1.55  

Balance Sheet Information

30-Sep-04
30-Sep-03
30-Sep-02
30-Sep-01
30-Sep-00
30-Sep-99
Current assets     $ 36,111   $ 32,561   $ 30,375   $ 32,502   $ 40,798   $ 31,744  
Current liabilities    16,650    15,330    15,249    16,368    16,619    13,602  
Total assets    69,322    66,420    65,095    65,982    84,717    72,161  
Long-term debt obligations    17,093    21,505    23,626    24,349    27,159    22,187  
Shareholders' equity    32,932    27,484    24,381    22,944    36,611    33,591  

Earnings Per Share and Cash Dividends Per Share Information – Interim Periods FY 2005

Three Months Ended
 
December 31, 2004
December 31, 2003
   
Basic EPS   $0.09   $0.08          
Diluted EPS  $0.09   $0.08          
Cash Dividends  $0.07   $0.06          

Three Months Ended
Six Months Ended
March 31, 2005
March 31, 2004
March 31, 2005
March 31, 2004
Basic EPS   $0.14   $0.10   $0.23   $0.18  
Diluted EPS  $0.13   $0.10   $0.22   $0.18  
Cash Dividends  $0.08   $0.07   $0.15   $0.13  

Three Months Ended
Nine Months Ended
June 30, 2005
June 30, 2004
June 30, 2005
June 30, 2004
Basic EPS   $0.15   $0.10   $0.38   $0.28  
Diluted EPS  $0.14   $0.09   $0.37   $0.27  
Cash Dividends  $0.08   $0.07   $0.23   $0.19  

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.





Date:  September 9, 2005
MERIDIAN BIOSCIENCE, INC.


BY: /s/ Melissa Lueke
——————————————
Melissa Lueke
Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
(Principal Accounting Officer)