CARBO Announces Third Quarter 2009 Earnings

Conference Call Scheduled for Today, 10:00 a.m. Central Time
- Quarterly revenues of $91.8 million were down 11 percent compared to the prior year
- Quarterly global proppant sales volume of 296 million pounds was down 3 percent versus the prior year, despite a corresponding 51 percent drop in the U.S. drilling rig count
- Net income of $14.4 million, or $0.62 per diluted share, for the quarter
- Acquired the assets of BBL Falcon Industries, Ltd. on October 2, 2009

• Press Release
• Source: CARBO Ceramics Inc.
• On 4:30 am EDT, Thursday October 29, 2009

HOUSTON, Oct. 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- CARBO Ceramics Inc. (NYSE: CRR - News) today reported net income of $14.4 million, or $0.62 per diluted share, on revenues of $91.8 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2009. The Company previously reported that it had sold its fracture and reservoir diagnostics business. Because of the transaction, which closed on October 10, 2008, the 2008 operating results of this business have been accounted for as discontinued operations. Continuing operations include the Company's ceramic proppant, software, consulting services and geotechnical monitoring businesses.

President and CEO Gary Kolstad commented, "We are pleased with our third quarter results. Looking forward, we remain cautious about the demand in North America where depressed and volatile industry conditions still exist. In the near term, pricing remains competitive. Despite this climate, we continue to experience growing acceptance of our products by E&P companies that understand the benefits associated with Economic Conductivity(TM) resulting from the use of our high quality ceramic proppants such as CARBOHYDROPROP®."

Third Quarter Results

Revenues for the third quarter of 2009 decreased 11 percent compared to the third quarter of 2008 and increased 32 percent sequentially. Worldwide proppant sales volume totaled 296 million pounds for the third quarter of 2009, representing a year-over-year decrease of 3 percent and a sequential increase of 37 percent. Proppant sales volume for the third quarter grew in the U.S. both year-over-year and sequentially.

Operating profit for the third quarter of 2009 increased $0.9 million compared to the third quarter of 2008. Revenue decreases, resulting from decreases in volume and average selling price experienced during the third quarter of 2009, were offset by decreases in cost of sales, which was positively affected by a favorable product mix, lower freight costs and lower natural gas prices. Selling, general, administrative and other operating expenses for the third quarter of 2009 decreased $0.8 million on a year-over-year basis.

Income from continuing operations for the third quarter of 2009 decreased $0.9 million compared to the third quarter of 2008, mainly due to tax-related benefits realized during the third quarter of 2008.

Technology and Business Highlights

• On October 2, 2009, a wholly-owned subsidiary of CARBO purchased substantially all of the assets of BBL Falcon Industries, Ltd. ("Falcon"), a supplier of spill prevention and containment systems for the oil and gas industry. The acquisition expands CARBO's product and service offerings to its existing client base of E&P and oilfield service companies. Falcon uses proprietary technology to provide value-added solutions that are designed to enable its clients to extend the life of their storage assets, reduce the potential for hydrocarbon spills and provide secure containment of stored materials.
• Three technical papers, co-authored by CARBO engineers, were presented at the 2009 SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition in New Orleans. The papers covered fracture efficiency and economic gains when employing ceramics in the Bakken and Haynesville shale reservoirs.
• Using a full suite of surface and subsurface instrumentation, Applied Geomechanics is monitoring the second largest active landslide in Colorado. The system comprises 3DTracker GPS, Little Dipper borehole tiltmeters and vibrating wire piezometers. Data is monitored continuously using Web monitoring software.

Outlook

CEO Gary Kolstad commented on the outlook for the Company stating, "While we experienced a positive trend this quarter in the North American rig count, which achieved 13 percent sequential growth, opinions vary as to whether this is the start of a recovery or simply a short-term correction. From our perspective, we believe that a sustainable recovery in the oil and gas industry is inevitable; however, the exact timing of the recovery is difficult to pinpoint."

Mr. Kolstad continued, "We remain committed to expanding our client base and product and service offerings. The acquisition of the Falcon assets in early October is an example of our commitment to invest our cash reserves in high-growth, cash-generating businesses. Newly incorporated as Falcon Technologies and Services, Inc., its existing management team will build on its leading technology position and already successful strategy by taking advantage of CARBO's well-established geographic footprint, a common client base and our ability to fund product innovation. We expect that the transaction will be accretive to our financial results in 2010."

As previously announced, a conference call to discuss the Company's third quarter results is scheduled for today at 10:00 a.m. central time (11:00 a.m. eastern). To participate in the teleconference, investors should dial 1-800-860-2442 about 10 minutes before the start time and reference the CARBO conference call. International callers should dial 1-412-858-4600. The conference call can also be accessed by visiting the company's Web site, www.carboceramics.com.

CARBO is the world's largest supplier of ceramic proppant, the provider of the world's most popular fracture simulation software, and provides leading fracture design and consulting services. The Company also provides a broad range of technologies for spill prevention, containment and geotechnical monitoring.

The statements in this news release that are not historical statements, including statements regarding our future financial and operating performance, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and estimates, which involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements. Among these factors are changes in overall economic conditions, changes in demand and prices charged for our products, changes in the demand for, or price of, oil and natural gas, risks of increased competition, technological, manufacturing and product development risks, loss of key customers, changes in government regulations, foreign and domestic political and legislative risks, the risks of war and international and domestic terrorism, risks associated with foreign operations and foreign currency exchange rates and controls, weather-related risks and other risks and uncertainties described in our publicly available filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We assume no obligation to update forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

                                   Three Months Ended      Nine Months Ended
                                      September 30           September 30
                                    -----------------      ----------------
                                    2009         2008      2009        2008
                                    -----        ----      ----        ----
                                  (In thousands except   (In thousands except
                                     per share data)       per share data)

    Revenues                      $91,783    $102,587    $251,747   $282,247
    Cost of sales                  59,512      70,449     160,300    196,645
                                   ------      ------     -------    -------
    Gross profit                   32,271      32,138      91,447     85,602
      Selling, general &
       administrative expenses     10,819      10,183      31,082     27,502
      Start-up costs                    -           -           -        231
      Loss on disposal or
       impairment of assets            37       1,449         128      1,559
                                   ------      ------      ------     ------
    Operating profit               21,415      20,506      60,237     56,310
    Interest income, net               78          21         398         77
    Foreign currency exchange
     gain (loss), net                  30        (511)       (216)       916
    Other income, net                 (50)         75         128        262
                                   ------      ------      ------     ------
    Income before income taxes     21,473      20,091      60,547     57,565
    Income taxes                    7,071       4,779      20,330     17,649
    ------------                   ------      ------      ------     ------
    Income from continuing
     operations                    14,402      15,312      40,217     39,916
    -----------                    ------      ------      ------     ------
    Discontinued operations (1):
      Operating results,
       net of income taxes              -       3,108           -      6,265
                                  -------     -------     -------    -------
    Net income                    $14,402     $18,420     $40,217    $46,181
                                  =======     =======     =======    =======

    (1) Discontinued operations include the Company's fracture mapping and
    reservoir monitoring assets, which were sold on October 10, 2008.

    Basic earnings per share:
      Continuing operations         $0.62       $0.62       $1.73      $1.62
      Discontinued operations           -        0.13           -       0.26
                                    -----       -----       -----      -----
    Basic earnings per share        $0.62       $0.75       $1.73      $1.88
                                    =====       =====       =====      =====

    Diluted earnings per share:
      Continuing operations         $0.62       $0.62       $1.73      $1.62
      Discontinued operations           -        0.13           -       0.26
                                    -----       -----       -----      -----
    Diluted earnings per share      $0.62       $0.75       $1.73      $1.88
                                    =====       =====       =====      =====

    Average shares outstanding:
      Basic                        22,919      24,482      23,153     24,466
                                   ======      ======      ======     ======
      Diluted                      22,933      24,512      23,170     24,518
                                   ======      ======      ======     ======

    Depreciation and amortization:
      Continuing operations        $5,970      $6,220     $18,294    $18,473
      Discontinued operations           -       1,038           -      3,994
                                   ------      ------     -------    -------
                                   $5,970      $7,258     $18,294    $22,467
                                   ======      ======     =======    =======

    Selected Balance Sheet Information

                                       September 30, 2009   December 31, 2008
                                       ------------------   -----------------
                                                   (In thousands)
    Assets
    ------
      Cash and cash equivalents              $90,911 (a)          $154,817
      Other current assets                   144,340               140,895
      Property, plant and equipment, net     261,509               244,902
      Intangible and other assets, net         2,953                 3,806
    Total assets                             504,572               549,279

    Liabilities and Shareholders'
     Equity
    -----------------------------
      Accrued income taxes                    $1,231               $47,929
      Other current liabilities               32,246                35,919
      Deferred income taxes                   25,482                22,897
      Shareholders' equity                   445,613               442,534
                                            --------              --------
    Total liabilities and
     shareholders' equity                   $504,572              $549,279
                                            ========              ========

    (a) On October 2, 2009, CARBO acquired the assets of BBL Falcon
    Industries, Ltd. for cash consideration of $23.0 million.

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