Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation : Declares a Special Dividend of $0.25

12/11/2012| 08:55pm US/Eastern

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Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation (NASDAQ:GLDD) announces that its Board of Directors ("the Board") has declared a special dividend on its common stock. The Board approved a $0.25 per share special dividend, to be paid on December 28, 2012 to the shareholders of record of the Company at the close of business on December 21, 2012. Future dividend payments remain subject to the discretion of the Board and depend on the Company's results of operations, financial position, cash flow generation and other business factors deemed relevant by the Board of Directors.

"Due to the uncertainty in Washington around taxation of dividends and our outlook for cash generation in the coming year we wanted to take this opportunity to provide this special dividend to our existing shareholders. This dividend represents quarterly dividends that the Board likely would have declared in fourth quarter 2012 as well as the acceleration of dividends for four quarters of 2013 plus an additional return of capital. The Board believes that this special dividend recognizes the support of our long-time shareholders while prudently addressing tax law changes that are currently scheduled to affect dividends paid next year. Based upon the outcome of tax reform the Board will address the Company's future approach to dividends," said Jonathan Berger, Chief Executive Officer.

Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation is the largest provider of dredging services in the United States and the only U.S. dredging company with significant international operations. The Company is also one of the largest U.S. providers of commercial and industrial demolition services primarily in the Northeast. The Company owns a 50% interest in a marine sand mining operation in New Jersey that supplies sand and aggregate for road and building construction and a 50% interest in an environmental service operation with the ability to remediate soil and dredged sediment treatment. Great Lakes employs over 150 degreed engineers, most specializing in civil and mechanical engineering, which contributes to its 122-year history of never failing to complete a marine project. Great Lakes has a disciplined training program for engineers that ensures experienced-based performance as they advance through Company operations. Great Lakes also owns and operates the largest and most diverse fleet in the U.S. industry, comprised of over 200 specialized vessels.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release may constitute "forward-looking" statements as defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 (the "Securities Act"), Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act"), the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the "PSLRA") or in releases made by the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), all as may be amended from time to time. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that could cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Great Lakes and its subsidiaries, or industry results, to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Statements that are not historical fact are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements can be identified by, among other things, the use of forward-looking language, such as the words "plan," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "estimate," "project," "may," "would," "could," "should," "seeks," or "scheduled to," or other similar words, or the negative of these terms or other variations of these terms or comparable language, or by discussion of strategy or intentions. These cautionary statements are being made pursuant to the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and the PSLRA with the intention of obtaining the benefits of the "safe harbor" provisions of such laws. Great Lakes cautions investors that any forward-looking statements made by Great Lakes are not guarantees or indicative of future performance. Important assumptions and other important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those forward-looking statements with respect to Great Lakes, include, but are not limited to, risks associated with Great Lakes' leverage, fixed price contracts, dependence on government contracts and funding, bonding requirements and obligations, international operations, backlog, severe weather related costs, uncertainty related to pending litigation, government regulation, restrictive debt covenants and fluctuations in quarterly operations, and those factors, risks and uncertainties that are described in Item 1A "Risk Factors" of Great Lakes' Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011, and in other securities filings by Great Lakes with the SEC.

Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation
Katie Hayes, Investor Relations @ 630-574-3012

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