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Eagle Materials Inc. Reports Record High Quarter Diluted EPS (Up 81%) and Record High Quarter Revenues (Up 27%)

    DALLAS, July 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Eagle Materials Inc. (NYSE:
EXP) today reported financial results for the first quarter of fiscal 2007
ended June 30, 2006 and issued guidance for the second quarter of its
fiscal year 2007. Eagle produces and distributes Gypsum Wallboard, Cement,
Recycled Paperboard and Concrete and Aggregates.
     *  Highest quarterly operating earnings in our history
     *  Record high quarterly sales volume in wallboard - 735 million square
        feet
     *  Highest quarterly wallboard average net sales price in our history --
        increased $49 per MSF from last year's first quarter
     *  Record high quarterly sales volume in cement -- 910 thousand tons
     *  Highest quarterly Cement average net sales price in our history --
        increased $12 per ton from last year's first quarter
    For the quarter ended June 30, 2006, revenues and net earnings were
$260 million and $59 million, respectively. Revenues increased 27% over the
prior year first quarter and net earnings increased 69% over the same
period last year. Diluted earnings per share for the first quarter of
fiscal 2007 were $1.16 compared with $0.64 in the same period a year ago,
an 81% increase.
    Eagle remains well positioned to continue to achieve strong financial
results given our low cost operations which supply construction products
and building materials to the construction industry with a regional
emphasis in the Sunbelt. Total U.S. construction spending remains strong.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, total construction spending during May
2006 was estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1.2 trillion,
6% above the May 2005 estimate.
    The Gypsum Association reported approximately 19 billion square feet of
wallboard was shipped by U.S. manufacturers during the first six months of
calendar 2006, a 7% increase over the same period in the prior record year
requiring foreign imports to meet these high demands. In addition, industry
wallboard shipments for the quarter ended June 30, 2006 were up 3% over the
prior year's same quarter and average daily industry shipments of wallboard
during the month of June 2006 were at an all-time high of 151 mmsf per day.
We believe that the strong wallboard demand is due to increasing commercial
construction activity offsetting a weakening residential construction
market, which has declined in certain regions of the country, but has
remained strong in our primary markets. For the remainder of the year, we
expect total gypsum wallboard demand to remain strong and supply to be
tight (with 95%+ industry capacity utilization).
    National demand for cement also remains at a record high level with
imports projected to fulfill approximately 30% of the U.S. construction
industry demand this year. Due to the strength in road and bridge
construction along with growing demand from commercial construction,
shipments of Portland cement in the U.S. have increased 6.5% through May
2006 versus the same period in the prior record year. Regionally, with the
exception of Northern California, demand in Eagle Materials' cement markets
remains at high levels. Low inventories and strong demand continue to put
upward pressure on cement pricing. Our first quarter pricing was the
highest in Eagle's history. We have announced mid-July price increases of
approximately $5 per ton in our Texas and Mountain cement markets. In
addition, price increases of $10 per ton are now being announced for next
year in many U.S. markets, including most of Eagle Materials' cement
markets.
    Based on the above factors, the Company expects to report earnings
ranging from $1.30 to $1.40 per diluted share for the second quarter of
fiscal 2007 ending September 30, 2006, and annual earnings ranging from
$4.40 to $4.70 per diluted share for fiscal 2007.
    GYPSUM WALLBOARD
    Gypsum Wallboard revenues for the first quarter totaled $148 million, a
41% increase over the $105 million for the same quarter a year ago. Gypsum
Wallboard's first quarter operating earnings were $64 million, up 130% from
the $28 million for the same quarter last year. The revenue and earnings
gain for the quarter resulted from higher sales prices and record first
quarter sales volume. The average net sales price for this fiscal year's
first quarter was $168 per MSF, 41% greater than the $119 per MSF for the
same quarter last year. Gypsum Wallboard sales volume of 735 million square
feet (MMSF) for the quarter increased 5% from the prior year's first
quarter.
    CEMENT
    Operating earnings from Cement increased 37% to $22 million for the
first quarter this year from $16 million for the same quarter last year.
The earnings gain was due primarily to a record high average net sales
price and record first quarter sales volumes. Cement revenues, including
joint venture and intersegment revenues, for the first quarter totaled $89
million, 17% greater than the $76 million for the same quarter a year ago.
Cement sales volume for the first quarter totaled 910,000 tons, 1% above
the 898,000 tons for the same quarter last year. To meet these strong
market requirements, Eagle increased its lower margin purchased cement
sales volumes for the quarter to approximately 242,000 tons, up nearly 50%
over last year's first quarter. The average net sales price for this fiscal
year's first quarter was $91 per ton, 16% greater than the $79 per ton for
the same quarter last year.
    PAPERBOARD
    Eagle's Paperboard operation reported first quarter revenues, including
sales to Eagle's Wallboard operations, of $35 million which was 2% greater
than last year's first quarter. Paperboard operating earnings of $5 million
for the first quarter this year were down 15% from last year's first
quarter operating earnings due primarily to a larger percentage of sales of
low margin containerboard grade paper. For this year's first quarter,
Paperboard sales volume was 77,000 tons, up 5% from last year's first
quarter sales volume of 73,000 tons. This year's first quarter average net
sales price of $440 per ton was 4% below last year's first quarter average
net sales price of $458 per ton.
    CONCRETE AND AGGREGATES
    Revenues from Concrete and Aggregates were $24 million for this year's
first quarter, 5% greater than the $23 million for the first quarter a year
ago. Concrete and Aggregates reported a $4 million operating profit for
this year's first quarter, up 9% from the same quarter last year, due to
increased net sales prices at both of our operations.
    Concrete sales volume declined 4% for the first quarter this year to
223,000 cubic yards from 233,000 cubic yards for the same quarter last
year. Our Concrete quarterly average net sales price of $69 per cubic yard
for the first quarter of fiscal 2007 was a record and was 18% higher than
the $58 per cubic yard for the first quarter a year ago. Our Aggregates
operation reported sales volume of 1.3 million tons for the current
quarter, 17% less than the 1.6 million tons reported in the first quarter
last year. Our Aggregates quarterly average net sales price was a record
high $6.57 per ton during the first quarter and was 15% above last year's
first quarter Aggregates average net sales price.
    DETAILS OF FINANCIAL RESULTS
    We conduct one of our cement plant operations through a 50/50 joint
venture, Texas Lehigh Cement Company LP (the "Joint Venture"). We utilize
the equity method of accounting for our 50% interest in the Joint Venture.
For segment reporting purposes only, we proportionately consolidate our 50%
share of the Joint Venture's revenues and operating earnings, which is
consistent with the way management organizes the segments within the
Company for making operating decisions and assessing performance.
    In addition, for segment reporting purposes, we report intersegment
revenues as a part of a segment's total revenues. Intersegment sales are
eliminated on the income statement. Refer to Attachment 4 for a
reconciliation of the amounts referred to above.
    Eagle's senior management will conduct a conference call to discuss the
financial results, forward looking information and other matters at 10:00
a.m. Eastern Time (9:00 a.m. Central Time) on Tuesday, July 25, 2006. The
conference call will be webcast simultaneously on the Eagle Web site
http://www.eaglematerials.com . A replay of the webcast and the
presentation will be archived on that site for one year. For more
information, contact Eagle at 214-432-2000.
    Forward-Looking Statements. This press release contains forward-looking
statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933,
Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may be
identified by the context of the statement and generally arise when the
Company is discussing its beliefs, estimates or expectations. These
statements are not historical facts or guarantees of future performance but
instead represent only the Company's belief at the time the statements were
made regarding future events which are subject to certain risks,
uncertainties and other factors many of which are outside the Company's
control. Actual results and outcomes may differ materially from what is
expressed or forecast in such forward-looking statements. The principal
risks and uncertainties that may affect the Company's actual performance
include the following: the cyclical and seasonal nature of the Company's
business; public infrastructure expenditures; adverse weather conditions;
availability of raw materials; changes in energy costs including, without
limitation, natural gas; changes in the cost and availability of
transportation; unexpected operational difficulties; inability to timely
execute announced capacity expansions; governmental regulation and changes
in governmental and public policy; changes in economic conditions specific
to any one or more of the Company's markets; competition; announced
increases in capacity in the gypsum wallboard and cement industries;
general economic conditions; and interest rates. For example, increases in
interest rates, decreases in demand for construction materials or increases
in the cost of energy (including natural gas) could affect the revenues and
operating earnings of our operations. In addition, changes in national or
regional economic conditions and levels of infrastructure and construction
spending could also adversely affect the Company's result of operations.
These and other factors are described in the Company's Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2006. This report is filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements
made herein are made as of the date hereof, and the risk that actual
results will differ materially from expectations expressed herein will
increase with the passage of time. The Company undertakes no duty to update
any forward-looking statement to reflect future events or changes in the
Company's expectations.
     (1)  Summary of Consolidated Earnings
     (2)  Revenues and Earnings by Lines of Business (Quarter)
     (3)  Sales Volume, Net Sales Prices and Intersegment and Cement Revenues
     (4)  Consolidated Balance Sheets



     Eagle Materials Inc.
     Attachment 1


                             Eagle Materials Inc.
                       Summary of Consolidated Earnings
                (dollars in thousands, except per share data)
                                 (unaudited)


                                                    Quarter Ended June 30,
                                              2006           2005       Change

    Revenues                               $  259,974    $  204,798        27%
    Earnings Before Income Taxes           $   89,756    $   50,182        79%
    Net Earnings                           $   59,092    $   34,908        69%
    Earnings Per Share:
                              - Basic      $     1.17    $     0.64        83%
                              - Diluted    $     1.16    $     0.64        81%
    Average Shares Outstanding:
                              - Basic      50,335,024    54,315,939        -7%
                              - Diluted    51,157,170    54,965,496        -7%



    Eagle Materials Inc.
    Attachment 2


                             Eagle Materials Inc.
                  Revenues and Earnings by Lines of Business
                            (dollars in thousands)
                                 (unaudited)

                                                   Quarter Ended June 30,
                                              2006           2005       Change
    Revenues*

        Gypsum Wallboard                  $ 147,687      $  104,838      41%
                                                 57%             51%
        Cement (Wholly Owned)                68,300          57,335      19%
                                                 26%            28%
        Paperboard                           19,491         19,089        2%
                                                  8%             9%
        Concrete & Aggregates                23,671         22,412        6%
                                                  9%            11%
        Other, net                              825          1,124      -27%
                                                  0%             1%
            Total                         $ 259,974      $ 204,798       27%
                                                100%           100%
    Operating Earnings

        Gypsum Wallboard                  $  63,975      $  27,851      130%
                                                 67%            51%
        Cement:
            Wholly Owned                     15,959         10,502       52%
            Joint Venture                     5,997          5,527        9%
                                             21,956         16,029       37%
                                                 23%            30%
        Paperboard                            5,267          6,164      -15%
                                                  5%            11%
        Concrete & Aggregates                 3,775          3,452        9%
                                                  4%             6%
        Other, net                              825          1,124      -27%
                                                  1%             2%
            Total Operating Earnings         95,798         54,620       75%
                                                100%           100%

        Corporate General Expenses           (4,279)        (3,102)
        Interest Expense, net                (1,763)        (1,336)

            Earnings Before Income Taxes  $  89,756      $  50,182        79%

    *  Net of Intersegment and Joint Venture Revenues listed on Attachment 3.



    Eagle Materials Inc.
    Attachment 3


                               Eagle Materials Inc.
       Sales Volume, Net Sales Prices and Intersegment and Cement Revenues
                                   (unaudited)


                                                        Sales Volume
                                                        Quarter Ended
                                                          June 30,
                                                 2006       2005      Change

    Gypsum Wallboard (MMSF's)                     735        697        5%

    Cement (M Tons):
         Wholly Owned                             707        671        5%
         Joint Venture                            203        227      -11%
                                                  910        898        1%
    Paperboard (M Tons):
        Internal                                   31         29        7%
        External                                   46         44        5%
                                                   77         73        5%

    Concrete (M Cubic Yards)                      223        233       -4%

    Aggregates (M Tons)                         1,299      1,572      -17%


                                                   Average Net Sales Price *
                                                        Quarter Ended
                                                           June 30,
                                              2006           2005       Change

    Gypsum Wallboard (MSF)                  $167.85        $119.18       41%
    Cement (Ton)                            $ 91.04        $ 78.55       16%
    Paperboard (Ton)                        $440.06        $457.69       -4%
    Concrete (Cubic Yard)                   $ 68.75        $ 58.37       18%
    Aggregates (Ton)                        $  6.57        $  5.69       15%

    *Net of freight and delivery costs billed to customers.



                                              Intersegment and Cement Revenues
                                                      ($ in thousands)
                                                        Quarter Ended
                                                           June 30,
                                                     2006             2005
    Intersegment Revenues:
         Cement                                 $    2,256        $   1,598
         Paperboard                                 15,227           14,862
         Concrete and Aggregates                       317              447
                                                 $  17,800         $ 16,907

    Cement Revenues:
         Wholly Owned                            $  68,300         $ 57,335
         Joint Venture                              18,212           16,856
                                                 $  86,512         $ 74,191



    Eagle Materials Inc.
    Attachment 4

                               Eagle Materials Inc.
                           Consolidated Balance Sheets
                              (dollars in thousands)
                                   (unaudited)

                                                     June 30,        March 31,
                                                2006        2005       2006*
    ASSETS
    Current Assets -
      Cash and Cash Equivalents             $  97,233   $  14,578   $  54,766
      Accounts and Notes Receivable, net      105,785      85,865      94,061
      Inventories                              67,401      55,981      67,799
        Total Current Assets                  270,419     156,424     216,626
    Property, Plant and Equipment -           893,886     804,542     856,227
      Less: Accumulated Depreciation         (307,054)   (273,231)   (298,665)
        Property, Plant and Equipment, net    586,832     531,311     557,562
    Investments in Joint Venture               27,594      26,707      27,847
    Goodwill and Intangibles                   67,695      66,879      67,854
    Other Assets                               15,384      16,752      19,027
                                            $ 967,924   $ 798,073   $ 888,916

    LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
    Current Liabilities -
      Note Payable                          $     ---   $  39,400   $     ---
      Accounts Payable
       and Accrued Liabilities                131,699     106,356     104,699
        Total Current Liabilities             131,699     145,756     104,699
    Long-term Debt                            200,000      55,000     200,000
    Deferred Income Taxes                     117,995     115,404     119,479
    Stockholders' Equity -
      Preferred Stock, Par Value $0.01;
       Authorized 5,000,000
       Shares None Issued                         ---         ---         ---
      Common Stock, Par Value $0.01;
       Authorized 100,000,000 Shares;
       Issued and Outstanding 50,406,400,
       53,517,234 and 50,318,797 Shares,
       respectively.                              504         534         503

    Capital in Excess of Par Value              3,220         ---         ---
    Accumulated Other Comprehensive Losses     (1,404)     (1,842)     (1,404)
    Retained Earnings                         515,910     483,221     465,639
      Total Stockholders' Equity              518,230     481,913     464,738
                                            $ 967,924   $ 798,073   $ 888,916
    *From audited financial statements.


SOURCE Eagle Materials Inc.




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    CONTACT:
    Steven R. Rowley, President & CEO, or Arthur
    R. Zunker, Jr., Senior Vice President & CFO, both of Eagle
    Materials Inc., +1-214-432-2000