EXHIBIT 12.1 TEREX CORPORATION CALCULATION OF RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES (amounts in millions) Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended September 30, September 30, ------------------------ ------------------------- 1999 1998 1999 1998 ------------ ----------- ----------- ------------- Earnings Income (loss) before taxes and minority interest................................ $ 31.0 $ 20.0 $ 88.9 $ 55.6 Adjustments: Minority interest in losses of consolidated subsidiaries............. --- --- --- --- Undistributed (income) loss of less than 50% owned investments............ --- --- --- --- Distributions from less than 50% owned investments........................... --- --- --- --- Fixed charges........................... 21.8 13.9 53.7 37.2 ---------- --------- ---------- ----------- Earnings.................................. 52.8 33.9 142.6 92.8 ---------- --------- ---------- ----------- Combined fixed charges, including preferred accretion Interest expense, including debt discount amortization............................ 20.0 12.6 48.9 33.6 Accretion of redeemable convertible preferred stock........................ --- --- --- --- Amortization/writeoff of debt issuance costs................................... 0.6 0.5 1.7 1.5 Portion of rental expense representative of interest factor (assumed to be 33%).. 1.2 0.8 3.1 2.1 ---------- --------- ---------- ----------- Fixed charges............................. $ 21.8 $ 13.9 $ 53.7 $ 37.2 ---------- --------- ---------- ----------- Ratio of earnings to combined fixed charges. 2.4x 2.4x 2.7x 2.5x ========== ========= ========== =========== Amount of earnings deficiency for coverage of combined fixed charges................ $ --- $ --- $ --- $ --- ========== ========= ========== ===========