[BELL MICROPRODUCTS LOGO]



CONTACT:          Rob Damron
                  Investor Relations Representative
                  Bell Microproducts Inc.
                  (414) 224-1668
                  ir@bellmicro.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

                BELL MICROPRODUCTS ANNOUNCES UPDATED Q4 GUIDANCE

SAN JOSE, CA--(January 12, 2004) -- Bell Microproducts Inc. (Nasdaq: BELM), one
of the world's largest storage-centric value-added distributors, is updating its
fourth quarter 2003 sales and EPS guidance. Based on preliminary financial
results, the company's sales and EPS will meet or exceed analysts' consensus
estimates. The First Call consensus fourth quarter 2003 sales estimate is $569
million and EPS estimate is $0.06.

The company's fourth quarter 2003 and year-end earnings are scheduled to be
released after the market close on Tuesday, February 17 with a conference call
set for 4:30 pm EST the same day.

SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT

This release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking
statements, which reflect the Company's current views of our expected growth
rates, profitability and other future events and financial performance, involve
known and unknown risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results or
facts to differ materially from such statements for a variety of reasons
including, but not limited to: changing industry and economic conditions;
changes in product supply, pricing, and customer demand; competition; other
vagaries in the computer and electronic components markets; effects of recent
restructuring initiatives; changes in relationships with key suppliers;
availability of financing; foreign currency fluctuations and the other risks
described from time to time in the Company's reports to the Securities and
Exchange Commission (including the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K).
Investors should take such risks into account when making investment decisions.
Shareholders and other readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on
these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they
are made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any
forward-looking statements.




Bell Microproducts                                                   Page 2 of 2
January 12, 2004


ABOUT BELL MICROPRODUCTS

Bell Microproducts is an international, value-added provider of a wide range of
high-technology products, solutions, and services to the industrial and
commercial markets. The Company's offering includes semiconductors, computer
platforms, peripherals, and storage products of various types including desktop,
high-end computer and storage subsystems, fibre channel connectivity products,
RAID, NAS and SAN storage systems and back-up products. Bell Microproducts is an
industry-recognized specialist in storage products and is one of the world's
largest storage-centric value-added distributors.

The Company's products are available at any level of integration, from
components to subsystem assemblies and fully-integrated, tested and certified
system solutions. The Company adds value with a broad range of services
including testing, software loading, kitting, mass storage system integration,
and computer system integration. Trained and certified technical personnel
complete each of these processes at Bell Microproducts' ISO 9002 facilities.
Bell Microproducts markets and distributes more than 150 brand name product
lines, as well as its own Rorke Data storage and Trademark(R) computer brands,
to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), contract electronic manufacturing
services (EMS) customers, value-added resellers (VARs) and system integrators in
the Americas and Europe. More information can be found in the Company's SEC
filings, or by visiting the Bell Microproducts Web site at www.bellmicro.com.