Thomas & Betts (TNB) 10-Q 2008 Q2 Quarterly report

Exhibit 12

COMPUTATION OF RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

	Six Months
	Ended
	June 30,			December 31,			December 31,			December 31,			December 31,			December 31,
	2008			2007			2006			2005			2004			2003
(In thousands)
Earnings before income taxes	$	313,099		$	263,891		$	233,442		$	175,860		$	127,830		$	47,745
Add:
Interest on indebtedness		26,118			33,311			29,227			36,234			34,227			39,324
Amortization of debt expense		325			796			704			939			1,098			1,741
Portion of rents representative of the interest factor		5,801			8,578			7,735			7,392			7,089			7,807
Deduct:
Undistributed earnings from less-than-50-percent-owned entities		(376	)		427			(61	)		(631	)		(1,055	)		(1,777	)
Earnings (as defined)	$	344,967		$	307,003		$	271,047		$	219,794		$	169,189		$	94,840
Fixed charges:
Interest on indebtedness		26,118			33,311			29,227			36,234			34,227			39,324
Amortization of debt expense		325			796			704			939			1,098			1,741
Portion of rents representative of the interest factor		5,801			8,578			7,735			7,392			7,089			7,807
Total fixed charges	$	32,244		$	42,685		$	37,666		$	44,565		$	42,414		$	48,872
Ratio of earnings to fixed charges		10.7	x		7.2	x		7.2	x		4.9	x		4.0	x		1.9x