EXHIBIT 12.1 CIT GROUP INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES COMPUTATION OF RATIOS OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES ($ in millions) Twelve Nine Months Months Ended Ended Year Ended September 30, September 30, December 31, 2002 2001 2000 ------------- ------------- ------------ (successor) (combined) (predecessor) Net (loss) income .............................. $(6,698.7) $ 263.3 $ 611.6 Provision for income taxes ..................... 367.6 236.3 373.9 --------- -------- -------- Earnings before provision for income taxes ..... (6,331.1) 499.6 985.5 --------- -------- -------- Fixed charges: Interest and debt expenses on indebtedness .. 1,439.3 1,619.8 2,497.7 Minority interest in subsidiary trust holding solely debentures of the Company, before tax ....................... 16.9 14.4 19.2 Interest factor-one-third of rentals on real and personal properties .............. 15.6 13.5 19.6 --------- -------- -------- Total fixed charges ............................ 1,471.8 1,647.7 2,536.5 --------- -------- -------- Total earnings before provisions for income taxes and fixed charges ............. $(4,859.3) $2,147.3 $3,522.0 ========= ======== ======== Ratios of earnings to fixed charges ............ (1) 1.30x 1.39x - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (1) Earnings were insufficient to cover fixed charges by $6,331.1 million in the twelve months ended September 30, 2002. Earnings for the twelve months ended September 30, 2002 included a goodwill impairment charge of $6,511.7 million in accordance with SFAS 142, "Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets."