-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE----- Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov Originator-Key-Asymmetric: MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA, S7o/6H8GnCaSzMO8f/us2poLcP6FOv9ZMRCw795iuNH7tttFXr1U7mQ71LJJeZZs zgOeMYWDaliKpCM+FJ0Dxw== 0000950103-06-002609.txt : 20061116 0000950103-06-002609.hdr.sgml : 20061116 20061116084350 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0000950103-06-002609 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: 8-K PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 2 CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT: 20061116 ITEM INFORMATION: Other Events ITEM INFORMATION: Financial Statements and Exhibits FILED AS OF DATE: 20061116 DATE AS OF CHANGE: 20061116 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: AVON PRODUCTS INC CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000008868 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: PERFUMES, COSMETICS & OTHER TOILET PREPARATIONS [2844] IRS NUMBER: 130544597 STATE OF INCORPORATION: NY FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: 8-K SEC ACT: 1934 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 001-04881 FILM NUMBER: 061221637 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 1345 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS CITY: NEW YORK STATE: NY ZIP: 10105-0196 BUSINESS PHONE: 212-282-5000 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 1345 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS CITY: NEW YORK STATE: NY ZIP: 10105-0196 8-K 1 dp04019_8k.htm

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): November 16, 2006
   
 
Avon Products, Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

     
New York 1-4881 13-0544597
(State or other jurisdiction
of incorporation)
(Commission
File Number)
(IRS Employer
Identification No.)
     
     
1345 Avenue of the Americas
New York, New York 10105-0196
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

 
(212) 282-5000
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

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:

o Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
o Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))





INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED IN THE REPORT

Item 8.01 Other Events

     On November 16, 2006, Avon Products, Inc. (the “Company”) entered into a Master Human Resources Services Agreement (the “Agreement”) with International Business Machines Corporation (“IBM”). The Agreement is a strategic multi-year business partnership by which IBM will provide the Company with a portfolio of specialized human resources services and technologies.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits

(d)       Exhibits

Exhibit No.   Description
     
99   Press Release dated November 16, 2006
   
   

(Page 2 of 3 Pages)






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 hereunto duly authorized.

AVON PRODUCTS, INC.
     (Registrant)
   
   
By /s/ Kim K. Azzarelli
 
  Kim K. Azzarelli
  Vice President, Associate General Counsel
and Corporate Secretary

Date: November 16, 2006



(Page 3 of 3 Pages)







EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit No.  
Description
     
Exhibit 99   Press Release dated November 16, 2006




EX-99 2 dp04019_ex99.htm -- Converted by SEC Publisher, created by BCL Technologies Inc., for SEC Filing

Exhibit 99

   CONTACTS:

  Avon Products, Inc.    
       
  Media:   Investors:
       
  Sharon Samuel   Renee Johansen
  (212) 282-5322   Rob Foresti
      (212) 282-5320
  Jennifer Vargas    
  (212) 282-5404    
       
  IBM    
       
  Adam Emery    
  (917) 472-3283    
  adame@us.ibm.com    

AVON AND IBM ANNOUNCE STRATEGIC BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP TO STRENGTHEN
AVON’S HUMAN RESOURCES ORGANIZATION

NEW YORK and ARMONK, NY– November 16, 2006 – Avon Products, Inc. (NYSE: AVP) and IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced a strategic multi-year business partnership by which IBM Global Services will provide Avon with a portfolio of specialized human resources services and technologies. Financial terms were not disclosed.

     Under the partnership, IBM will provide Avon with support for certain key HR processes, including compensation, payroll, benefits, and performance management. IBM also will maintain HR call center support for Avon employees in a select number of Avon countries worldwide.






     In addition, IBM will provide Avon with specialized technologies, including a Global Human Resources Information System, as well as compensation planning, performance management and workforce analytic tools to standardize processes and make Avon’s HR function more streamlined and efficient.

     “We are pleased to partner with IBM as we continue to build a leaner, faster and more strategic human resources organization,” said Lucien Alziari, Avon’s Senior Vice President, Human Resources. “IBM’s world-class capabilities will enable Avon’s HR professionals to serve our employees with leading-edge services, and at the same time, to focus more fully on implementing our strategic talent management and organizational development initiatives.”

      Mary Sue Rogers, Vice President, Human Resources Business Process Services, IBM, added: "Leading companies such as Avon are increasingly using business transformation outsourcing as a tool to drive strategic value, allowing them to become more flexible and adaptive while focusing employees on the company’s core competencies. IBM’s extensive experience in human resources services and the consumer products industry will bring innovation and new efficiencies to Avon and its employees."

      Avon, the company for women, is a leading global beauty company, with over $8 billion in annual revenue. As the world's largest direct seller, Avon markets to women in well over 100 countries through over five million independent Avon Sales Representatives. Avon's product line includes beauty products, fashion jewelry and apparel, and features such well-recognized brand names as Avon Color, Anew, Skin-So-Soft, Avon Solutions, Advance Techniques, Avon Naturals, Mark, and Avon Wellness. Learn more about Avon and its products at www.avoncompany.com.

      For more information about IBM, please visit www.ibm.com.






#  #  #

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT FOR PURPOSES OF THE “SAFE HARBOR” STATEMENT UNDER THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995

Statements in this release that are not historical facts or information are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as “estimate,” “project,” “plan,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “planned,” “potential” and similar expressions, or the negative of those expressions, may identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on management’s reasonable current assumptions and expectations. Such forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievement of Avon to be materially different from any future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, and there can be no assurance that actual results will not differ materially from management’s expectations. Such factors include, among others, the following:

  • our ability to implement the key initiatives of our global business strategy, including our multi-year restructuring initiatives, product mix and pricing strategies, enterprise resource planning, customer service initiatives, product line simplification, strategic sourcing initiative, and cash management, tax, foreign currency hedging and risk management strategies, and our ability to achieve anticipated benefits from such initiatives;
  • the possibility of business disruption in connection with our multi-year restructuring initiatives;
  • the costs associated with our product line simplification program;
  • our ability to achieve growth objectives, particularly in our largest markets and new and emerging markets;
  • our ability to replace lost sales attributable to the repositioning of the Beauty Plus and Beyond Beauty business in the United States;
  • our ability to successfully identify new business opportunities and acquisition candidates, and our ability to successfully integrate or manage any acquired business;
  • the effect of political, legal and regulatory risks, as well as foreign exchange or other restrictions, imposed on us, our operations or our Representatives by governmental entities;
  • our ability to successfully transition our business in China in connection with the resumption of direct selling in that market and our ability to operate using the direct-selling model permitted in that market;
  • the impact of substantial currency fluctuations on the results of our foreign operations;
  • general economic and business conditions in our markets, including social, economic and political uncertainties in Latin America, Asia Pacific, Central and Eastern Europe and the Middle East;
  • the possible impact of the new importation laws for ethanol-based products in Russia;
  • a general economic downturn, information technology systems outages, disruption in our supply chain or manufacturing and distribution operations, or other sudden disruption in business operations beyond our control as a result of events such as acts of terrorism or war, natural disasters, pandemic situations and large scale power outages;
  • the quality, safety and efficacy of our products;
  • our ability to attract and retain key personnel and executives;
  • competitive uncertainties in our markets, including competition from companies in the cosmetics, fragrances, skin care and toiletries industry, some of which are larger than we are and have greater resources;
  • our ability to implement our Sales Leadership program globally, to generate Representative activity, to increase Representative productivity, and to compete with other direct-selling organizations to recruit, retain and service Representatives;
  • the impact of changes in market trends, purchasing habits of our consumers and changes in consumer preferences, particularly given the global nature of our business and the conduct of our business in primarily one channel;
  • our ability to protect our intellectual property rights;
  • the risk of an adverse outcome in our material pending and future litigations;
  • our access to financing; and
  • the impact of possible pension funding obligations and increased pension expense on our cash flow and results of operations.

Additional information identifying such factors is contained in Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005, filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. We undertake no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements.




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