8-K

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                       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)       APRIL 8, 2003
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                           PEABODY ENERGY CORPORATION
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             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

            DELAWARE                        1-16463              13-4004153
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(State or other jurisdiction of    (Commission File Number)   (I.R.S. Employer
 incorporation or organization)                              Identification No.)

    701 MARKET STREET, ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI                          63101
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   (Address of principal executive offices)                       (Zip Code)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code         (314) 342-3400
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                                       N/A
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         (Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)


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ITEM 5.  OTHER EVENTS AND REGULATION FD DISCLOSURE.

On April 8, 2003, Peabody Energy Corporation issued a press release announcing
the acquisition of the remaining 18.3 percent of Black Beauty Coal Company for
approximately $90 million and other contingent consideration.

ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION AND EXHIBITS.

See the Exhibit Index at page 4 of this report.





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                                    SIGNATURE


         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.


                                               PEABODY ENERGY CORPORATION

Date:  April 8, 2003                           /s/ RICHARD A. NAVARRE
                                         ---------------------------------------
                                                   Richard A. Navarre
                                              Executive Vice President and
                                                 Chief Financial Officer



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                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


The exhibits below are numbered in accordance with the Exhibit Table of Item 601
of Regulation S-K.


      Exhibit
        No.          Description of Exhibit

       99.1          Press release of Peabody Energy Corporation dated
                     April 8, 2003.








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EX-99.1

[PEABODY LOGO]                                                 PEABODY ENERGY
                                                               NEWS RELEASE

                                                               CONTACT:
                                                               Vic Svec
                                                               (314) 342-7768


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 8, 2003

PEABODY ENERGY (NYSE: BTU) PURCHASES
REMAINING 18% OF BLACK BEAUTY COAL COMPANY


ST. LOUIS, April 8 - Peabody Energy announced today that it has purchased the
remaining 18.3 percent of Black Beauty Coal Company for approximately $90
million and other contingent consideration. The acquisition is expected to be
accretive to earnings in the first year.

         Black Beauty's seven mines in Indiana and three in Illinois sold 24.1
million tons of low, medium and high sulfur steam coal in 2002. Black Beauty is
the largest coal company in the Midwest, and sells 93 percent of its output
under multi-year contracts with electricity generators.

         Key management and staff will remain in place at Black Beauty's
Evansville, Ind. offices. Steven E. Chancellor will remain chairman of Black
Beauty, with ongoing involvement in Black Beauty and Peabody activities. Dan
Hermann will remain president and has been named chief executive officer of
Black Beauty, reporting to Peabody Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Irl F.
Engelhardt.

         Peabody Energy (NYSE: BTU) is the world's largest private-sector coal
company, with 2002 sales of 198 million tons of coal and $2.7 billion in
revenues. Its coal products fuel more than 9 percent of all U.S. electricity
generation and more than 2 percent of worldwide electricity generation.


                                      -30-

Certain statements in this press release are forward looking as defined in the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements involve
certain risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ
materially from expectations as of the date of this release. These risks
include, but are not limited to: growth in coal and power markets; coal's share
of electricity generation; timing of reductions in customer coal inventories;
the pace and extent of the economic recovery; severity of weather; railroad and
other transportation performance and costs; the ability to renew sales contracts
upon expiration or renegotiation; the ability to successfully implement
operating strategies; the effectiveness of cost-cutting measures; regulatory and
court decisions; future legislation; changes in post-retirement benefit and
pension obligations; credit, market and performance risk associated with
customers; modification or termination of long-term coal supply agreements;
reduction of purchase by major customers; risks inherent to mining including
geologic conditions or unforeseen equipment problems; implementation of new
accounting standards and other risks detailed from time to time in the company's
reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These factors are
difficult to accurately predict and may be beyond the control of the company.