[LOGO GOES HERE]

- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                  PRESS RELEASE

- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:                               CONTACT:

CompX International Inc.                             Joseph S. Compofelice
16825 Northchase Drive                               Chairman, President & CEO
Houston, Texas 77060                                 Tel.  281-423-3303


                  COMPX DECLARES REGULAR QUARTERLY DIVIDEND AND
                        HOLDS ANNUAL STOCKHOLDERS MEETING

     HOUSTON,  TEXAS . . . May 11, 2000 . . . CompX  International  Inc.  (NYSE:
CIX)  announced  today that its board of directors,  at its May annual  meeting,
declared  CompX's  regular  quarterly  dividend  of twelve  and  one-half  cents
($0.125) per share on its class A and class B common stock,  payable on June 30,
2000 to stockholders of record at the close of business on June 22, 2000.

     CompX also  announced  that its  stockholders  elected seven  directors for
terms  of one  year at the  annual  stockholders  meeting  held  today.  CompX's
directors are: Joseph S. Compofelice, Paul M. Bass, Jr., David A. Bowers, Edward
J. Hardin, Ann Manix, Glenn R. Simmons and Steven L. Watson.

     CompX is a leading  manufacturer  of ergonomic  computer  support  systems,
precision ball bearing slides and security products.

                                    * * * * *