SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
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FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): April 22, 2004
(April 22, 2004)
Arch Coal, Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware 1-13105 43-0921172
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(State or other jurisdiction (Commission File Number) (I.R.S. Employer
of incorporation) Identification No.)
One CityPlace Drive, Suite 300, St. Louis, Missouri 63141
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)
Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (314) 994-2700
Page 1 of 4 pages.
Exhibit Index begins on page 4.
Item 5. Other Events.
On April 22, 2004, Arch Coal, Inc. (the "Company"), announced via press
release that its Board of Directors has approved an increase in the quarterly
dividend from $0.0575 to $0.08 per common share. The dividend is payable June 15
to shareholders of record on June 4.
Item 7. Exhibits.
(c) The following Exhibit is filed with this Current Report on Form
8-K:
Exhibit No. Description
99 Press Release dated as of April 22, 2004
Page 2 of 4 pages.
Exhibit Index begins on page 4.
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.
Dated: April 22, 2004 ARCH COAL, INC.
By: /s/ Robert G. Jones
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Robert G. Jones
Vice President - Law,
General Counsel and Secretary
Page 3 of 4 pages.
Exhibit Index begins on page 4.
EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit No. Description
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99 Press Release dated as of April 22, 2004
Page 4 of 4 pages.
Exhibit 99
News from
Arch Coal, Inc.
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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
Media - Kim Link (314) 994-2936
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 22, 2004
Arch Coal Announces 39% Common Dividend Increase,
Declares Preferred Dividend
ST. LOUIS (April 22, 2004) - Arch Coal, Inc. (NYSE:ACI) today announced
that its Board of Directors has approved an increase in the quarterly cash
dividend from $0.0575 to $0.08 per common share. The dividend is payable June 15
to shareholders of record on June 4. On March 31, 2004, the company had
approximately 54.5 million common shares outstanding.
"We believe that Arch is well positioned to benefit from a long and
sustained period of growth in U.S. coal demand," said Steven F. Leer, president
and chief executive officer of Arch Coal. "Today's announcement reflects the
Board's confidence in Arch's future prospects and growth potential."
In addition, Arch's Board of Directors also declared a quarterly dividend
of $0.625 per share on the company's preferred stock (NYSE:ACI_p). The preferred
dividend is payable July 30 to shareholders of record on July 16.
St. Louis-based Arch Coal is one of the nation's largest coal producers and
mines low-sulfur coal exclusively. Through its subsidiary operations in West
Virginia, Kentucky, Virginia, Wyoming, Colorado and Utah, Arch provides the fuel
for approximately 6 percent of the electricity generated in the United States.
# # #
Forward-Looking Statements: Statements in this press release which are not
statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements within the "safe
harbor" provision of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These
forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to, and
expectations and assumptions deemed reasonable by, the company. Because these
forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties,
actual results may differ materially from those projected in the statements.
These expectations, assumptions and uncertainties include: the company's
expectation of continued growth in the demand for electricity; belief that
legislation and regulations relating to the Clean Air Act and the relatively
higher costs of competing fuels will increase demand for its compliance and
low-sulfur coal; expectation of continued improved market conditions for the
price of coal; expectation that the company will continue to have adequate
liquidity from its cash flow from operations, together with available borrowings
under its credit facilities, to finance the company's working capital needs; a
variety of operational, geologic, permitting, labor and weather related factors;
and the other risks and uncertainties which are described from time to time in
the company's reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.