8-K

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

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): October 5, 2004

ACUITY BRANDS, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware	001-16583	58-2632672
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)	(Commission File Number)	(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

1170 Peachtree St., N.E., Suite 2400, Atlanta, GA	30309
(Address of principal executive offices)	(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: 404-853-1400

Not Applicable

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

¨ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

¨ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Item 8.01. Other Events.

Attached hereto is a press release issued by Acuity Brands, Inc. (the “Registrant”) on October 5, 2004. A copy of the press release is filed as Exhibit 99.1 hereto and is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits

(c) Exhibits

Designation	Description
99.1	Press Release dated October 5, 2004 (Filed with the Commission as part of this Form 8-K.)

Signature

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, thereunto duly authorized.

Date: October 5, 2004

ACUITY BRANDS, INC.
By:	/s/ Vernon J. Nagel
	Vernon J. Nagel Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

EX-99.1

EXHIBIT 99.1

Acuity Brands, Inc.
1170 Peachtree Street, NE
Suite 2400
Atlanta, GA 30309 Tel: 404 853 1400
Fax: 404 853 1440 AcuityBrands.com

Company Contact:

Dan Smith

Acuity Brands, Inc.

(404) 853-1423

ACUITY BRANDS

DECLARES QUARTERLY DIVIDEND AND

ANNOUNCES ANNUAL MEETING DATE

ATLANTA, October 5, 2004 – The Board of Directors of Acuity Brands, Inc. (NYSE: AYI) declared a quarterly dividend of 15 cents per share. The dividend is payable on November 1, 2004 to shareholders of record on October 18, 2004.

In other news, Acuity Brands announced that it will hold its Annual Meeting of Stockholders at 1:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, January 6, 2005, in the Amphitheater at the Georgia Tech Hotel and Conference Center, 800 Spring Street NW, Atlanta, Georgia. The quarterly meeting of the Company’s Board of Directors will also take place that day.

Acuity Brands, Inc., with fiscal year 2004 net sales of over $2.1 billion, is comprised of Acuity Brands Lighting and Acuity Specialty Products. Acuity Brands Lighting is a world leader in lighting fixtures and includes brands such as Lithonia Lighting^®, Holophane^®, Peerless^®, Hydrel^®, American Electric Lighting^®, and Gotham^®. Acuity Specialty Products is a leading provider of specialty chemicals and includes brands such as Zep^®, Enforcer^®, and Selig Industries^™. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Acuity Brands employs approximately 11,000 people and has operations throughout North America and in Europe and Asia.