Forward-Looking And Cautionary Statements
This presentation contains projections of future results and other forward-looking statements that involve a number of trends, risks and uncertainties and are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The following important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in such forward-looking statements.
Demand for D&B’s products is subject to intense competition, changes in customer preferences and economic conditions which impact customer behavior. The Company’s results are also dependent upon its continued ability to: develop new products; invest in its database and maintain its reputation for providing reliable data; develop and maintain a successful Web-based business model; reallocate expense to achieve growth through its financial flexibility program; manage employee satisfaction and maintain its global expertise as it implements its financial flexibility program; and protect against damage or interruptions affecting its database or its data centers.
The Company is also subject to the effects of foreign economies, exchange rate fluctuations and U.S. and foreign legislative or regulatory requirements. Its results are also dependent upon the availability of data from its database. Developments in any of these areas could cause results to differ materially from results that have been or may be projected.
In addition, the Company’s projection for operating cash flow in 2003 is dependent upon, among other things, the Company’s ability to generate sales, the Company’s collection processes, customer payment patterns and the amount and timing of payments related to tax matters and legal proceedings involving the Company as more fully described in the Company’s filings with the SEC.
For a more detailed discussion of the trends, risks and uncertainties that may affect D&B’s operating and financial results and its ability to achieve the financial objectives discussed in this presentation, readers should review the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ending March 31, 2003, and the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2002, including the section entitled “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (“MD&A”),” and the subsection entitled “Trends, Risks and Uncertainties” in the MD&A. Copies of the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and Annual Report on Form 10-K are available on its web site at www.dnb.com and on the SEC’s web site at www.sec.gov. D&B cautions that the foregoing list of important factors is not complete and does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements.