Nordson (NDSN) 8-K Nordson Corporation Announces First — Quarter Earnings; Sales and Earnings Continue to Set Record Highs

Exhibit 99

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NORDSON CORPORATION ANNOUNCES FIRST — QUARTER EARNINGS;
SALES AND EARNINGS CONTINUE TO SET RECORD HIGHS

WESTLAKE, Ohio — Feb. 22, 2005 — Nordson Corporation (Nasdaq-NDSN) today announced record sales and earnings for the first quarter, which ended January 30, 2005. On a diluted basis, earnings per share for the quarter were $.39 compared with $.27 for the same period of 2004, a 44 percent increase.

Worldwide sales for the first quarter of 2005 were $190 million, an 11 percent increase compared with sales of $171 million for the same period of 2004. Volume gains were 8 percent, with the remainder traced to currency effects associated with a weaker U.S. dollar.

Sales volume for the company’s Advanced Technology businesses grew by 16 percent during the quarter while the Adhesive Dispensing Systems segment increased volume by 4 percent. Nordson’s Finishing Systems segment increased its volume by 12 percent.

On a geographic basis, sales volume for the first quarter was up 4 percent in the United States and 50 percent in the Americas. Sales volume in Europe declined less than 1 percent, while volume was up 16 percent in Japan and 18 percent in the Asia Pacific Region.

Backlog at the end of the first quarter was approximately $88 million, up more than $10 million since the beginning of the fiscal year.

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Nordson Corporation — February 22, 2005, page 2 of 4

“We are pleased with first-quarter performance. The tempo of business activity in our Advanced Technology segment, coupled with strong activity in Asia across all business segments, contributed significantly to the increase in sales and earnings for the quarter,” said Edward P. Campbell, Nordson Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

“Although we have experienced a softening in year-to-year order comparisons over the last two months, our outlook remains positive. We expect that sales volume growth for the full year will be in the 5 percent to 6 percent range, exclusive of acquisitions,” Campbell added.

Nordson will broadcast its first-quarter conference call on the investor relations page of the company’s Web site, www.nordson.com, on Wednesday, February 23, 2005, at 8:30 a.m. EST. For those unable to listen to the live broadcast, a replay will be available for 14 days after the event. Information about Nordson’s investor relations and shareholder services is available from Barbara Price, manager, shareholder relations, at (440) 414-5344.

Except for historical information and comparisons contained herein, statements included in this release may constitute “forward-looking statements,” as defined by The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors, as discussed in the company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission that could cause actual results to differ.

Nordson Corporation is one of the world’s leading producers of precision dispensing equipment that applies adhesives, sealants and coatings to a broad range of consumer and industrial products during manufacturing operations. The company also manufactures technology-based systems for curing and surface treatment processes. Headquartered in Westlake, Ohio, Nordson has 3,600 employees worldwide, and direct operations and sales support offices in 30 countries.

A summary of sales, income and earnings is presented in the attached tables.

# # #

Contact:
Phone:
E-mail: Derrick Johnson, Director, Corporate Communications
(440) 414-5639 (direct)
djohnson@nordson.com

NNR: 0507

FIRST QUARTER PERIOD Period ending January 30, 2005 (Unaudited)	NORDSON CORPORATION FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (Dollars in thousands except for per-share amounts)
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF INCOME

	First Quarter
	2005			2004
Net sales	$	190,166		$	170,640
Cost of sales		83,625			77,767
Selling and administrative expenses		82,791			74,733
Operating profit		23,750			18,140
Interest expense — net		(2,950	)		(3,815	)
Other income — net		483			99
Income before income taxes		21,283			14,424
Income taxes		6,917			4,760
Net income	$	14,366		$	9,664
Return on sales		8	%		6	%
Return on average shareholders’ equity		14	%		12	%
Per share data
Average common shares outstanding (000’s)		36,226			34,568
Average common shares and common share equivalents (000’s)		37,200			35,632
Per share:
Basic earnings	$	.40		$	.28
Diluted earnings	$	.39		$	.27
Dividends paid	$	.16		$	.155
FIRST QUARTER PERIOD
Period ending January 30, 2005
(Unaudited)
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET	January 30,			October 31,
		2005			2004
Cash and marketable securities	$	62,622		$	60,579
Receivables		171,221			175,013
Inventories		88,409			85,330
Other current assets		45,882			43,350
Total current assets		368,134			364,272
Property, plant and equipment — net		112,524			111,607
Other assets		365,203			364,669
	$	845,861		$	840,548
Notes payable and debt due within one year	$	30,621		$	27,591
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		139,408			169,319
Total current liabilities		170,029			196,910
Long-term debt		147,612			148,033
Other liabilities		102,491			92,272
Total shareholders’ equity		425,729			403,333
	$	845,861		$	840,548

Other information:
Employees	3,557	3,544
Common shares outstanding (000’s)	36,449	36,279

FIRST QUARTER PERIOD
Period ending January 30, 2005
(Unaudited)

	First Quarter							% Growth over 2004
SALES BY BUSINESS SEGMENT	2005			2004				Volume			Currency			Total
Adhesive dispensing & nonwoven fiber systems	$	114,962		$	106,101				3.8	%		4.6	%		8.4	%
Finishing & coating systems		33,688			29,200				12.1	%		3.3	%		15.4	%
Advanced technology systems		41,516			35,339				16.0	%		1.5	%		17.5	%
Total sales by business segment	$	190,166		$	170,640				7.7	%		3.7	%		11.4	%
		First Quarter
OPERATING PROFIT BY BUSINESS SEGMENT		2005			2004
Adhesive dispensing & nonwoven fiber systems	$	18,343		$	14,802
Finishing & coating systems		695			569
Advanced technology systems		6,862			4,999
Corporate		(2,150	)		(2,230	)
Total operating profit by business segment	$	23,750		$	18,140
	First Quarter							% Growth over 2004
SALES BY GEOGRAPHIC REGION	2005			2004				Volume			Currency			Total
United States	$	60,285		$	57,913				4.1	%		0.0	%		4.1	%
Americas		14,554			9,476				49.8	%		3.8	%		53.6	%
Europe		70,828			65,875				-0.5	%		8.0	%		7.5	%
Japan		21,469			18,072				16.0	%		2.8	%		18.8	%
Asia Pacific		23,030			19,304				18.2	%		1.1	%		19.3	%
Total sales by geographic region	$	190,166		$	170,640				7.7	%		3.7	%		11.4	%
	First Quarter
SELECTED SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION		2005			2004
Depreciation and amortization	$	6,387		$	7,060		��
Capital expenditures	$	3,136		$	2,504
Dividends paid	$	5,800		$	5,351