Bergen Securities Sale Could Hit $300 Million

Bergen Brunswig Corp. plans to sell as much as $300 million in securities, according to a report filed Friday with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Orange-based drug wholesaler could sell debt securities under a shelf registration and preferred securities issued through trusts. The shelf filing permits Bergen Brunswig to raise the money by selling any combination of securities listed in the registration statement. Proceeds would be used for retiring debt and other general purposes, the company said in the filing. The company will assume about $580 million of debt through the upcoming acquisition of PharMerica Inc., a Tampa, Fla., provider of pharmacy products and services to nursing homes and hospitals.