8-K

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 OR 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) July 14, 2005

Baldor Electric Company

Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter

Missouri	01-07284	43-0168840
State or other jurisdiction of incorporation	Commission File Number	IRS Employer Identification No

5711 R. S. Boreham, Jr., St
Fort Smith, Arkansas	72901
Address of principal executive offices	Zip Code

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code 479-646-4711

Former name or former address, if changed since last report N/A

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

¨ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act.

¨ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act.

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act.

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act.

Item 2.02 Results of Operations and Financial Condition

The following information is being provided under Item 2.02 – Results of Operations and Financial Condition. Such information, including the Exhibit attached hereto, shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

On July 14, 2005, Baldor Electric Company issued a news release to report its financial results for the second quarter and first six months of 2005. The release is furnished as Exhibit 99 hereto.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits

(c) See Exhibit Index

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

	Baldor Electric Company
	(Registrant)
Date July 18, 2005	/s/ Ronald E. Tucker
	Ronald E. Tucker
	President, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary
	(Principal Financial Officer)

INDEX OF EXHIBITS

Exhibit No.	Description
99	Company issued news release dated July 14, 2005

EX-99

EXHIBIT 99

Date: July 14, 2005
Subject: Baldor Electric Company
	2nd Quarter and YTD 2005 Results and Discussion
Page: 1 of 2

Fort Smith, Arkansas – Baldor Electric Company (NYSE:BEZ) markets, designs, and manufactures industrial electric motors, drives, and generators and is based in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Today Baldor announced unaudited results of the second quarter and first six months of 2005.

(in thousands except per share data)	2nd Quarter				% Change		Year				% Change
	2005		2004				2005		2004
	13 weeks ended Jul 2 2005		13 weeks ended Jul 3 2004				26 weeks ended Jul 2 2005		26 weeks ended Jul 3 2004
Net Sales	$	178,292	$	163,695	+9	%	$	348,888	$	316,518	+10	%
Cost of Sales		129,631		119,079				253,817		229,714
Gross Profit		48,661		44,616	+9	%		95,071		86,804	+10	%
SG&A		30,605		29,142				60,279		57,697
Operating Profit		18,056		15,474	+17	%		34,792		29,107	+20	%
Other Expense		576		267				1,081		535
Profit Sharing		2,058		1,756				3,970		3,316
Earnings Before Income Taxes		15,422		13,451	+15	%		29,741		25,256	+ 18	%
Income Taxes		5,710		4,979				11,007		9,345
Net Earnings	$	9,712	$	8,472	+15	%	$	18,734	$	15,911	+18	%
Earnings Per Share – Diluted	$	0.29	$	0.25	+14	%	$	0.55	$	0.48	+17	%
Dividends Per Share	$	0.15	$	0.14	+7	%	$	0.30	$	0.28	+7	%
Average Shares Outstanding		33,739		33,427	+1	%		33,769		33,432	+1	%

John McFarland, Chairman and CEO, commented on the Company’s results. “We are pleased to announce record sales of $178.3 million for the second quarter, an 8.9% increase. This was our fifth consecutive quarter of record sales. Earnings were up 14.6%, and earnings per diluted share were up 13.6% to $0.29. Operating margin improved to 10.1% from 9.5% one year ago.”

McFarland also said, “Incoming orders slowed in April and May, but there was a strong recovery in June which has continued into the first two weeks of July. As a result of these order patterns, we have increased our production schedules for the third quarter. We expect to achieve record sales in 2005.”

Balance Sheet Summary

(in thousands)	2005		2004
	Jul 2 2005		Jul 3 2004
Cash & Marketable Securities	$	43,215	$	49,081
Trade Receivables – net		110,870		104,181
Inventories		122,894		118,231
Working Capital		218,821		179,916
Total Debt		104,025		104,519
Shareholders’ Equity		291,455		267,580
Cash Flow from Operations (YTD)	$	16,582	$	16,610

Operating Margins

	Sales (in millions)		Operating Margins
Q2 ’04	$	164	9.5	%
Q3 ’04	$	169	9.5	%
Q4 ’04	$	163	9.5	%
Q1 ’05	$	171	9.8	%
Q2 ’05	$	178	10.1	%

(continued on page 2)

Date: July 14, 2005		For more information contact
Subject: Baldor Electric Company		Baldor Electric Company		Phone: 479-646-4711
	2nd Quarter and YTD 2005	P O Box 2400		Fax: 479-648-5752
		Fort Smith, Arkansas 72902		Website: www.baldor.com
Page: 2 of 2		John A. McFarland	Chairman & CEO
		Ronald E. Tucker	President, CFO & Secretary
		Tracy L. Long	Treasurer & Assistant Secretary

We have prepared answers to a list of questions often asked by shareholders.

Q … Where did your sales growth come from during the quarter?

Our sales growth came from motors. The current high cost of electricity resulted in strong sales growth in Super-E® high efficiency motors. We also believe our high quality and short lead times in large motors are helping us gain market share.

Drives sales were flat; however, we expect increased sales during the second half of the year due to the new H2^™ product line. While generator sales were down 5% primarily due to a reduction in military shipments, profitability continued to improve. Based on incoming order rates, we expect increased shipments of both military and non-military generators during the second half of the year.

Q … What balance sheet changes took place during the quarter?

Inventory turns increased and the number of days it takes to collect our receivables decreased. Better management of these components helped cash flow from operations increase by over $12 million from first quarter. Our cash balance increased, giving us the ability to pay off debt if interest rates rise further.

Q … What’s the current situation with raw materials?

At the end of the quarter we saw the prices of steel and aluminum start to flatten out. However, other items, such as copper, electricity, natural gas and transportation continued to increase. We continue to make capital investments and design improvements to offset material increases.

Q … What did you do to improve your margins?

Record sales, capital investments, increased productivity, and improvements in selling and administrative expenses brought the operating margin up to 10.1%, the highest level since 2000.

During the quarter we completed the move of our linear motor plant from California to Fort Smith, Arkansas. Production will begin during July. Also, during the quarter, we broke ground on our new manufacturing facility in Columbus, Mississippi. We will move into this facility next year and expect productivity improvements and additional production capacity for large motors.

Q … How do you see business for the remainder of the year?

The current incoming order rate and expected increases in shipments of drives and generators during the remainder of the year cause us to believe we will have record sales for the year.

Q … When will you update us again?

We will make a presentation at the Sidoti 3^rd Annual San Francisco Conference being held September 29-30. The webcast can be accessed through the Company’s website www.baldor.com.

This document contains statements that are forward-looking, i.e. not historical facts. The forward-looking statements contained in this document (“optimistic”, “will”, “continue”, “expect”, “believe”) are based on the Company’s current expectations and some of them are subject to risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, you are cautioned that any such forward looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, and that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward looking statements as a result of various factors. The factors that might cause such differences include, among others, the following: (i) changes in economic conditions, (ii) developments or new initiatives by our competitors in the markets in which we compete, (iii) fluctuations in the costs of select raw materials, (iv) the success in increasing sales and maintaining or improving the operating margins of the Company, and (v) other factors including those identified in the Company’s filings made from time-to-time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s most recent annual report (as well as the Company’s Form 10-K and other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission) containing a discussion of the Company’s business and of various factors that may affect it.