EXHIBIT 12 ---------- NEWELL RUBBERMAID INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES STATEMENT OF COMPUTATION OF RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES (in thousands, except ratio data) Six Months Ended June 30, 1999 1998* ---- ---- Earnings (loss) available to fixed charges: Income before income taxes $(5,752) $490,312 Fixed charges: Interest expense 49,701 43,677 Portion of rent determined to be interest (1) 13,996 12,168 Minority interest in income of subsidiary trust 13,396 13,304 Eliminate equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities (4,056) (4,458) -------- -------- $67,285 $555,003 ======== ======== Fixed charges: Interest expense 49,701 43,677 Portion of rent determined to be interest (1) 13,996 12,168 Minority interest in income of subsidiary trust 13,396 13,304 -------- -------- $ 77,093 $ 69,149 ======== ======== Ratio of earnings to fixed charges 0.87 8.03 ======== ======== (1) A standard ratio of 33% was applied to gross rent expense to approximate the interest portion of short-term and long-term leases. *Restated for the March 1999 merger with Rubbermaid Incorporated and the merger with Calphalon on May 7, 1998, both of which were accounted for as poolings of interests.