Sprint To Consider Returning Cash To Holders; Mum On Nextel

NEW YORK -(Dow Jones)- Sprint Corp. (FON) has increasing flexibility to return cash to shareholders through means such as dividends or share buybacks, the company's chief financial officer said at a conference in New York Thursday.

"We certainly are in a much better cash and credit position" than previously, Chief Financial Officer Robert Dellinger said. "We do have some flexibility to do more in terms of the shareholders and we'll consider that."

He listed special dividends and share buybacks as options for the company.

Dellinger declined to comment on a report in The Wall Street Journal Thursday that the company may combine with Nextel Communications Inc. (NXTL).

"We continue to evaluate all sorts of strategic options," he said.

-By Christine Nuzum, Dow Jones Newswires; 201-938-5172

(END) Dow Jones Newswires "

Posted to the site on 9th December 2004