Lincoln Electric Board Approves 10.3% Dividend Increase

CLEVELAND, Oct. 27, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc., (Nasdaq: LECO) announced today that its Board of Directors has approved a 10.3% increase in the quarterly cash dividend, from $0.29 per share to $0.32 per share, or to $1.28 per share on an annualized basis.  The declared quarterly cash dividend of $0.32 per common share is payable January 15, 2016 to shareholders of record as of December 31, 2015. 

"The dividend increase combined with our share repurchase program reflects confidence in our cash flow generation and solid execution of our '2020 Vision and Strategy,'" stated Christopher L. Mapes, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.  "Today's announcement reflects a 94% increase in the dividend payout rate over the last five years and demonstrates our commitment to return cash to shareholders while continuing to invest in profitable, long-term growth through the economic cycle."

About Lincoln Electric

Lincoln Electric is the world leader in the design, development and manufacture of arc welding products, robotic arc welding systems, plasma and oxy-fuel cutting equipment and has a leading global position in the brazing and soldering alloys market.  Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Lincoln has 47 manufacturing locations, including operations and joint ventures in 19 countries and a worldwide network of distributors and sales offices covering more than 160 countries.  For more information about Lincoln Electric and its products and services, visit the Company's website at http://www.lincolnelectric.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

The Company's expectations and beliefs concerning the future contained in this news release are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  These statements reflect management's current expectations and involve a number of risks and uncertainties.  Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of words such as "may," "will," "expect," "intend," "estimate," "anticipate," "believe," "forecast," "guidance" or words of similar meaning.  Actual results may differ materially from such statements due to a variety of factors that could adversely affect the Company's operating results.  The factors include, but are not limited to: general economic and market conditions; the effectiveness of operating initiatives; interest rates; disruptions, uncertainty or volatility in the credit markets that may limit our access to capital; currency exchange rates and devaluations, including in highly inflationary countries such as Venezuela; adverse outcome of pending or potential litigation; actual costs of the Company's rationalization plans; possible acquisitions; market risks and price fluctuations related to the purchase of commodities and energy; global regulatory complexity; and the possible effects of events beyond our control, such as political unrest, acts of terror and natural disasters, on the Company or its customers, suppliers and the economy in general.  For additional discussion, see "Item 1A. Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K.

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SOURCE Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc.

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