EX-12 4 dex12.txt CONSOLIDATED RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES EXHIBIT 12 FIRSTENERGY CORP. CONSOLIDATED RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES
Year Ended December 31, ---------------------------------------------------------- Six Months Ended June 30, 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- (Dollars in Thousands) EARNINGS AS DEFINED IN REGULATION S-K: Income before extraordinary items, discontinued operations and cumulative effect of accounting changes................................................ $ 441,396 $ 568,299 $ 598,970 $ 654,946 $ 640,280 $118,962 Interest and other charges, before reduction for amounts capitalized.................................... 608,618 585,648 556,194 591,192 985,919 428,722 Provision for income taxes............................... 321,699 394,827 376,802 474,457 528,694 111,422 Interest element of rentals charged to income (a)........ 283,869 279,519 271,471 258,561 246,416 121,678 ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- -------- Earnings as defined.................................... $1,655,582 $1,828,293 $1,803,437 $1,979,156 $2,401,309 $780,784 ========== ========== ========== ========== ========== ======== FIXED CHARGES AS DEFINED IN REGULATION S-K: Interest expense......................................... $ 542,819 $ 509,169 $ 493,473 $ 519,131 $ 910,272 $400,320 Subsidiaries' preferred stock dividend requirements...... 65,299 76,479 62,721 72,061 75,947 28,402 Adjustments to subsidiaries' preferred stock dividends to state on a pre-income tax basis..................... 43,370 44,829 32,098 43,931 26,957 6,326 Interest element of rentals charged to income (a)........ 283,869 279,519 271,471 258,561 246,416 121,678 ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- -------- Fixed charges as defined................................. $ 935,357 $ 909,996 $ 859,763 $ 893,684 $1,259,592 $556,726 ========== ========== ========== ========== ========== ======== CONSOLIDATED RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES (b).............................................. 1.77 2.01 2.10 2.21 1.91 1.40 ==== ==== ==== ==== ==== ====
_____________________ (a) Includes the interest element of rentals where determinable plus 1/3 of rental expense where no readily defined interest element can be determined. (b) These ratios exclude fixed charges applicable to the guarantee of the debt of a coal supplier aggregating $3,828,000 for the year ended December 31, 1998. The guarantee and related coal supply contract debt expired December 31, 1999.