<DOCUMENT> <TYPE>EX-12 <SEQUENCE>12 <FILENAME>dex12.txt <DESCRIPTION>COMPUTATION OF RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES <TEXT> <PAGE> EXHIBIT 12 LEGGETT AND PLATT, INCORPORATED AND SUBSIDIARIES COMPUTATION OF RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES (Amounts in millions of dollars) <TABLE> <CAPTION> Twelve Months Ended December 31, 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 ---------------------------------------------------------------- <S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> Earnings Income from continuing operations before income tax $297.3 $418.6 $462.6 $395.6 $333.3 Interest expense (excluding amount capitalized) 58.8 66.3 43.0 38.5 31.8 Portion of rental expense under operating leases representative of an interest factor 10.6 9.4 8.2 6.7 6.1 ---------------------------------------------------------------- Total earnings $366.7 $494.3 $513.8 $440.8 $371.2 ================================================================ Fixed charges Interest expense (including amount capitalized) $60.2 $67.7 $44.0 $39.2 $32.7 Portion of rental expense under operating leases representative of an interest factor 10.6 9.4 8.2 6.7 6.1 ---------------------------------------------------------------- Total fixed charges $70.8 $77.1 $52.2 $45.9 $38.8 ================================================================ Ratio of earnings to fixed charges 5.2 6.4 9.8 9.6 9.6 ================================================================ </TABLE> Earnings consist principally of income from continuing operations before income taxes, plus fixed charges. Fixed charges consist principally of interest costs. </TEXT> </DOCUMENT>