EX-12 7 g72269ex12.txt RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES EXHIBIT 12 BELLSOUTH CORPORATION COMPUTATION OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES (DOLLARS IN MILLIONS)
Nine Months Ended September 30, Year Ended December 31, 2001 2000 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- 1. Earnings (a) Income from continuing operations before deductions for taxes and interest $ 3,866 $ 5,820 $ 7,926 $ 6,518 $ 6,588 $ 6,182 $ 5,329 (b) Portion of rental expense representative of interest factor 47 83 105 99 81 91 90 (c) Equity in losses from less-than- 50% owned investments (accounted for under the equity method of accounting) 212 88 142 396 97 78 68 (d) Excess of earnings over distributions of less-than-50%-owned investments (accounted for under the equity method of accounting) (244) (129) (707) (87) (46) (85) (53) -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- TOTAL $ 3,881 $ 5,862 $ 7,466 $ 6,926 $ 6,720 $ 6,266 $ 5,434 ======== ======== ======== ======== ======== ======== ======== 2. Fixed Charges (a) Interest $ 1,020 $ 1,009 $ 1,361 $ 1,059 $ 867 $ 783 $ 739 (b) Portion of rental expense representative of interest factor 47 83 105 99 81 91 90 -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- TOTAL $ 1,067 $ 1,092 $ 1,466 $ 1,158 $ 948 $ 874 $ 829 ======== ======== ======== ======== ======== ======== ======== Ratio (1 divided by 2) 3.64 5.37 5.09 5.98 7.09 7.17 6.55 ======== ======== ======== ======== ======== ======== ========