Hospital bedmaker Hill-Rom Holdings Inc. has slightly dampened financial expectations for the year in part because of what it calls global economic "turbulence."

In a release, the Batesville, Conn. company said it expects earnings of $2.45 to $2.50 per share, rather than $2.45 to $2.55 per share for fiscal 2012.

The revised projections come partly because the company forecasts constant currency sales growth of 3 to 5 percent, rather than the originally projected 4 to 5 percent. Also, the Research and Development Tax Credit is not being renewed, which would have given them an extra 3 cents per share.
Hill-Rom said it expects to report $381 million in sales for the last quarter, ending Dec. 31, up 2 percent over last year's figures, when it releases its full quarter results next week. Earnings per share should be in the 52 to 53 cents range, down from 55 cents in the same period last year, partly because of the missing tax credit, the company said.

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