DOWNERS GROVE, Ill., Jan. 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Dover (NYSE: DOV) announced today that for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2015, revenue was $1.7 billion, a decrease of 14% from the prior year. The decrease in revenue was driven by an organic revenue decline of 12% and an unfavorable impact from foreign exchange of 4%, partially offset by 2% growth from acquisitions. Earnings from continuing operations were $136.6 million, a decrease of 21% as compared to $171.8 million for the prior year period. Diluted earnings per share from continuing operations ("EPS") for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2015 were $0.87, compared to $1.03 EPS in the prior year period, representing a decrease of 16%. EPS from continuing operations for the fourth quarter of 2015 included discrete tax benefits of $0.06, compared to $0.02 EPS in the prior year period. Excluding these items, adjusted EPS from continuing operations for the fourth quarter of 2015 was $0.81, a decrease of 20% over an adjusted EPS of $1.01 in the prior year period. EPS for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014 includes restructuring costs of $0.08 EPS and $0.16 EPS, respectively.

Revenue for the year ended December 31, 2015 was $7.0 billion, a decrease of 10% over the prior year, reflecting an organic revenue decline of 10% and an unfavorable impact from foreign exchange of 4%, offset by 4% growth from acquisitions. Earnings from continuing operations for the year ended December 31, 2015 were $595.9 million, a decrease of 23% as compared to $778.1 million for the prior year period. Diluted EPS for the year ended December 31, 2015 was $3.74, compared to $4.61 EPS in the prior year period, representing a decrease of 19%. EPS from continuing operations for the year ended December 31, 2015 included discrete tax benefits of $0.11, compared to $0.07 EPS in the prior year period. Excluding these items, adjusted EPS from continuing operations decreased 20% to $3.63 from an adjusted EPS of $4.54 in the prior year period. EPS for the year ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 includes restructuring costs of $0.25 EPS and $0.19 EPS, respectively. 

Robert A. Livingston, Dover's President and Chief Executive Officer, said, "Fourth quarter and full year results continued to be impacted by tough business conditions, particularly in oil & gas markets. In this environment, we delivered fourth quarter adjusted EPS of $0.81, driven by solid execution, as our teams continued to pursue customer wins, cost actions and productivity initiatives.

"During 2015, we increased our efforts around operating efficiencies through our Dover Excellence program. One key element of this program focuses on free cash flow generation, which increased to $795 million for the year. This program also supports our ongoing investment in product innovation and customer expansion activities. Additionally, during the year we took multiple steps to right-size our businesses to reflect difficult market conditions, especially in our Energy segment. These initiatives will remain a focus as we move into 2016.

"Regarding 2016, we are reaffirming EPS to be in the range of $3.85 to $4.05. This guidance reflects a lower revenue forecast driven by weaker oil & gas markets, essentially offset by an improved tax rate. In total, our full-year revenue growth, on an adjusted basis, is now anticipated to be in the range of 1% to 4%, comprising an organic revenue decline of (4%) to (1%), one point below our prior forecast. Acquisition growth of 7% and a 2% impact from FX remain unchanged from our prior forecast."

Net earnings for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2015, were $141.8 million, or $0.91 EPS, which included earnings from discontinued operations of $5.3 million, compared to net earnings of $169.3 million, or $1.02 EPS, for the same period of 2014, which included a loss from discontinued operations of $2.5 million, or $0.02 EPS.

Net earnings for the year ended December 31, 2015, were $869.8 million, or $5.46 EPS, which included earnings from discontinued operations of $273.9 million, or $1.72 EPS, compared to net earnings of $775.2 million, or $4.59 EPS, for the same period of 2014, which included a loss from discontinued operations of $2.9 million, or $0.02 EPS. 2015 earnings from discontinued operations included gains of $265.6 million, or $1.67 EPS, resulting from the disposition of two businesses held for sale.

Dover will host a webcast of its fourth quarter 2015 conference call at 10:00 A.M. Eastern Time (9:00 A.M. Central Time) on Tuesday, January 26, 2016. The webcast can be accessed on the Dover website at www.dovercorporation.com. The conference call will also be made available for replay on the website. Additional information on Dover's fourth quarter results and its operating segments can also be found on the Company's website.

About Dover:

Dover is a diversified global manufacturer with annual revenues of approximately $7 billion. We deliver innovative equipment and components, specialty systems and support services through four major operating segments: Energy, Engineered Systems, Fluids, and Refrigeration & Food Equipment. Dover combines global scale with operational agility to lead the markets we serve.  Recognized for our entrepreneurial approach for 60 years, our team of 26,000 employees takes an ownership mindset, collaborating with customers to redefine what's possible.  Headquartered in Downers Grove, Illinois, Dover trades on the New York Stock Exchange under "DOV." Additional information is available at www.dovercorporation.com.

Forward-Looking Statements:

This press release contains "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Such statements relate to, among other things, operating and strategic plans, income, earnings, cash flows, foreign exchange, changes in operations, acquisitions, industries in which Dover businesses operate, anticipated market conditions and our positioning, global economies, and operating improvements. Forward-looking statements may be indicated by words or phrases such as "anticipates," "expects," "believes," "suggests," "will," "plans," "should," "would," "could," and "forecast", or the use of the future tense and similar words or phrases. Forward-looking statements are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations, including, but not limited to, oil and natural gas demand, production growth, and prices; changes in exploration and production spending by Dover's customers and changes in the level of oil and natural gas exploration and development; changes in customer demand and capital spending; economic conditions generally and changes in economic conditions globally and in markets served by Dover businesses, including well activity and U.S. industrials activity; Dover's ability to achieve expected savings from integration and other cost-control initiatives, such as lean and productivity programs as well as efforts to reduce sourcing input costs; the impact of interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations; the ability of Dover's businesses to expand into new geographic markets; Dover's ability to identify and successfully consummate value-adding acquisition opportunities or planned divestitures; the impact of loss of a significant customer, or loss or non-renewal of significant contracts; the ability of Dover's businesses to develop and launch new products, timing of such launches and risks relating to market acceptance by customers; the relative mix of products and services which impacts margins and operating efficiencies; increased competition and pricing pressures; the impact of loss of a single-source manufacturing facility; short-term capacity constraints; increases in the cost of raw materials; domestic and foreign governmental and public policy changes or developments, including environmental regulations, conflict minerals disclosure requirements, tax policies, and export/import laws; protection and validity of patent and other intellectual property rights; the impact of legal matters and legal compliance risks; conditions and events affecting domestic and global financial and capital markets; and a downgrade in Dover's credit ratings which, among other matters, could make obtaining financing more difficult and costly. Dover refers you to the documents that it files from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission, such as its reports on Form 10-K, Form 10-Q and Form 8-K, for a discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties that could cause its actual results to differ materially from its current expectations and from the forward-looking statements contained herein. Dover undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required by law.