National Press Release

FINDLAY, Ohio, Feb. 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Cooper Tire & Rubber Company (NYSE: CTB) today reported a net loss of $143 million, or $2.43 per share, for the quarter ended Dec. 31, 2008. Net sales for the period were $636 million, down $130 million from the prior year. The decreased revenues were driven by volume declines offset by improved pricing and mix.

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Cooper's results during the quarter included pretax restructuring charges of $76 million related to the impending closure of its facility in Albany, Ga. The Company also had a $31 million pretax charge for impairment of goodwill in the International segment. Results were pressured by high raw material cost increases and production curtailments as the Company manages inventory to align with demand.

For the year Cooper generated net sales of $2.9 billion, down slightly from 2007. Net losses were $219 million for the year compared with net income of $91 million from continuing operations in 2007.

North American Tire Operations

North American Tire operations generated sales of $511 million during the fourth quarter, down from 2007's record fourth quarter. Operating losses for the fourth quarter were $109 million, compared with operating profit of $45 million from the same period in 2007. Sales were affected by weak demand in North America as consumers reacted to the credit crisis and increased gas prices. The most significant volume decreases were in the broadline and light truck product segments and were particularly acute in the private brand distributor channel. The Cooper brand continued to perform well in the U.S. market compared to the Rubber Manufacturer Association's reported shipments. The Company also had success in expanding its market presence in Mexico and Canada.

Operating profit for North American Tire declined during the fourth quarter, year over year, as a result of several key factors. Raw material cost increases during the quarter negatively affected results by $79 million compared to the prior year quarter. This was partially offset by price and mix increases of $49 million. Volume decreases affected profits by $33 million. The curtailment of production resulted in unabsorbed fixed overhead during the period of $20 million. Manufacturing operations improved by $6 million, despite increased utility costs, as a result of the Company's continued focus on improvement in this area. Restructuring charges amount to $76 million during the quarter. The fourth quarter of 2007 included an $8 million dollar LIFO inventory benefit, which did not repeat in 2008.

High prices for raw materials, coupled with the use of last-in, first-out (LIFO) cost flow assumptions for inventory accounting in North America, have contributed to decreased earnings. The LIFO accounting method charges the most recent costs against sales and, in periods of rising raw material costs, results in lower profits compared to other inventory accounting methods. When costs moderate, in the short term, the North American operations will experience lower charges to cost of goods sold than would be reported under other inventory costing methods.

On Dec. 17, the Company announced the impending closure of its facility in Albany, Ga. The total restructuring charges were estimated to be $150 million to $175 million, of which 50 to 60 percent would be non-cash. The equipment write-down charge taken during the fourth quarter of 2008 was $76 million. The Company now estimates that the total charge will be slightly lower, somewhere in the range of $120 million to $145 million. The non-cash portion of the total is now estimated to be 60 percent to 70 percent.

International Tire Operations

The Company's International Tire Operations reported sales of $176 million in the quarter, a decrease from the fourth quarter of 2007. This decrease was the result of decreased volume offset by improved price and mix. Expansion of the facilities in China was partially affected by the decrease in demand globally for tires. The Company continued to implement price increases along with cost savings measures across its international operations in an effort to offset increased raw material costs. The segment was also negatively impacted by the $31 million charge for impairment of goodwill. For the full year, the segment reported net sales of $975 million, an increase of 11 percent from the prior year.

Management Commentary and Outlook

Roy Armes, Chief Executive Officer, commented, "The tire industry and our business are under intense pressure from several angles. These include volatile raw material costs, decreased global demand, and more intense competition. We are proactively taking steps to implement elements of our Strategic Plan and at the same time address market conditions. During the fourth quarter there were further decreases in the global demand for tires.

"We are focused on improving our global cost structure and are beginning to see some of the benefits from these actions; unfortunately much of what we have done is camouflaged by current market conditions.

"While the near term outlook is pressured by macroeconomic events around the globe, we believe the actions we are taking are appropriate and will strengthen our business longer term. We have been able to maintain considerable cash reserves to support our plans, and we maintain unused existing credit facilities. We are repositioning Cooper to emerge from the current recession a stronger competitor."

Cooper's management team will discuss the financial and operating results for the quarter in a conference call today at 11 a.m. Eastern time. Interested parties may access the audio portion of that conference call on the investor relations page of the Company's web site at www.coopertire.com.

About Cooper Tire & Rubber Company

Cooper Tire & Rubber Company is a global company that specializes in the design, manufacture, marketing and sales of passenger car, light truck, medium truck tires and subsidiaries that specialize in motorcycle and racing tires. With headquarters in Findlay, Ohio, Cooper Tire has manufacturing, sales, distribution, technical and design facilities within its family of companies located in 10 countries around the world. For more information, visit Cooper Tire's web site at: www.coopertire.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This report contains what the Company believes are "forward-looking statements," as that term is defined under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, regarding projections, expectations or matters that the Company anticipates may happen with respect to the future performance of the industries in which the Company operates, the economies of the United States and other countries, or the performance of the Company itself, which involve uncertainty and risk.

Such "forward-looking statements" are generally, though not always, preceded by words such as "anticipates," "expects," "believes," "projects," "intends," "plans," "estimates," and similar terms that connote a view to the future and are not merely recitations of historical fact. Such statements are made solely on the basis of the Company's current views and perceptions of future events, and there can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be true.

It is possible that actual results may differ materially from those projections or expectations due to a variety of factors, including but not limited to:

    -- changes in economic and business conditions in the world;
    -- increased competitive activity;
    -- the inability to obtain and maintain price increases to offset higher
       production or material costs;
    -- the inability to recover the costs to develop and test new products;
    -- the risks associated with doing business outside of the United States;
    -- the failure to achieve expected sales levels;
    -- consolidation among the Company's competitors and customers;
       technology advancements;
    -- inability to adequately protect the Company's intellectual property
       rights;
    -- volatility in raw material and energy prices, including those of steel,
       crude petroleum and natural gas and the unavailability of such raw
       materials or energy sources;
    -- the failure of the Company's suppliers to timely deliver products in
       accordance with contract specifications;
    -- changes in interest and foreign exchange rates;
    -- changes in pension expense and/or funding resulting from investment
       performance of the Company's pension plan assets and changes in
       discount rate, salary increase rate, and expected return on plan assets
       assumptions;
    -- government regulatory initiatives, including regulations under the
       TREAD Act;
    -- changes in the Company's customer relationships, including loss of
       particular business for competitive or other reasons;
    -- the impact of labor problems, including a strike brought against the
       Company or against one or more of its large customers or suppliers;
    -- litigation brought against the Company including products liability;
    -- an adverse change in the Company's credit ratings, which could increase
       its borrowing costs and/or hamper its access to the credit markets;
    -- changes to the credit markets and/or access to those markets;
    -- the impact of reductions in the insurance program covering the
       principal risks to the Company, and other unanticipated events and
       conditions;
    -- inability to use deferred tax assets;
    -- failure to successfully integrate acquisitions into operations and;
    -- the inability or failure to successfully implement the Company's
       strategic plan including closure of the Albany, Georgia facility.

It is not possible to foresee or identify all such factors. Any forward- looking statements in this report are based on certain assumptions and analyses made by the Company in light of its experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors it believes are appropriate in the circumstances.

Prospective investors are cautioned that any such statements are not a guarantee of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected.

The Company makes no commitment to update any forward-looking statement included herein or to disclose any facts, events or circumstances that may affect the accuracy of any forward-looking statement.

Further information covering issues that could materially affect financial performance is contained in the Company's periodic filings with the U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC").

     (Statements of income and balance sheets follow ... )



                           Cooper Tire & Rubber Company
                        Consolidated Statements of Income

    (Dollar amounts in thousands except per share amounts)

                                   Quarter Ended           Year Ended
                                    December 31            December 31
                                  2007       2008        2007        2008

    Net sales                   $765,130   $635,832  $2,932,575  $2,881,811
    Cost of products sold        672,000    645,589   2,617,161   2,805,638
    Gross profit (loss)           93,130     (9,757)    315,414      76,173

    Selling, general and
     administrative               50,117     46,256     177,507     185,064
    Impairment of goodwill             -     31,340           -      31,340
    Restructuring charges              -     76,402       3,515      76,402
    Operating profit (loss)       43,013   (163,755)    134,392    (216,633)

    Interest expense             (11,465)   (13,484)    (48,492)    (50,525)
    Interest income                5,710      1,593      18,004      12,887
    Debt extinguishment           (1,017)         -      (2,558)       (593)
    Dividend from
     unconsolidated subsidiary         -          -       2,007       1,943
    Other income - net             1,662     (7,128)     12,677      (4,854)
    Income (loss) from
     continuing operations
     before income taxes          37,903   (182,774)    116,030    (257,775)
    Income tax benefit
     (expense)                     2,582     28,327     (15,835)     30,274

    Income (loss) from
     continuing operations
     before noncontrolling
     shareholders' interests      40,485   (154,447)    100,195    (227,501)

    Noncontrolling
     shareholders' interests      (2,015)    11,009      (8,760)      8,057

    Income (loss) from
     continuing operations        38,470   (143,438)     91,435    (219,444)

    Income (loss) from
     discontinued operations,
     net of income taxes         (13,943)       (16)      1,660          64

    Gain on sale of
     discontinued operations,
     net of income taxes          26,475          -      26,475           -

    Net income (loss)            $51,002  $(143,454)   $119,570   $(219,380)

    Basic earnings (loss) per
     share
      Income (loss) from
       continuing operations       $0.62     $(2.43)      $1.48      $(3.72)
      Income (loss) from
       discontinued operations     (0.23)       -          0.03         -
      Gain on sale
       of discontinued
       operations                   0.43        -          0.43         -
        Net income (loss)          $0.83*    $(2.44)*     $1.93*     $(3.72)

    Diluted earnings (loss) per
     share
      Income (loss) from
       continuing operations       $0.62     $(2.43)      $1.46      $(3.72)
      Income (loss) from
       discontinued operations     (0.22)       -          0.03         -
      Gain on sale of discontinued
       operations                   0.42        -          0.42         -
        Net income (loss)          $0.82     $(2.44)*     $1.91      $(3.72)

    Weighted average shares
     outstanding
       Basic                      61,684     58,910      61,938      59,048
       Diluted                    62,432     58,910      62,712      59,048
    Depreciation                 $33,961    $34,918    $131,007    $138,805
    Amortization                  $1,402       $319      $5,925      $3,954
    Capital expenditures         $37,201    $28,181    $140,972    $128,773

    Segment information
      Net sales
        North American Tire     $585,276   $510,766  $2,209,822  $2,142,139
        International Tire       227,980    175,576     881,297     975,007
        Eliminations             (48,126)   (50,510)   (158,544)   (235,335)

      Segment profit (loss)
        North American Tire       45,004   (109,138)    119,440    (174,065)
        International Tire         3,837    (50,179)     28,902     (30,094)
        Eliminations                (891)    (1,443)       (572)     (1,330)
        Unallocated
         corporate charges        (4,937)    (2,995)    (13,378)    (11,144)



                           CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
                                                         December 31
                                                 2007                   2008
    Assets
    Current assets:
     Cash and cash equivalents                $345,947               $247,672
     Short-term investments                     49,765                      -
     Accounts receivable                       354,939                318,109
     Inventories                               304,560                420,112
     Other current assets                      134,713                 58,290
       Total current assets                  1,189,924              1,044,183

    Net property, plant and equipment          992,215                901,274
    Goodwill                                    31,340                      -
    Restricted cash                              2,791                  2,432
    Intangibles and other assets                82,220                 95,007
                                            $2,298,490             $2,042,896


    Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity
    Current liabilities:
     Notes payable                             $86,384               $184,774
     Trade payables and accrued liabilities    443,369                372,408
     Income taxes                                1,450                  1,409
     Liabilities of discontinued operations      1,332                  1,182
     Current portion of long-term debt               -                147,761
       Total current liabilities               532,535                707,534

    Long-term debt                             464,608                325,749
    Postretirement benefits other than
     pensions                                  244,491                236,025
    Pension benefits                            55,607                268,773
    Other long-term liabilities                108,116                115,803
    Long-term liabilities of discontinued
     operations                                 10,185                  8,046
    Noncontrolling shareholders' interests      90,657                 86,850
    Stockholders' equity                       792,291                294,116
                                            $2,298,490             $2,042,896

    * Amounts do not add due to rounding.

SOURCE Cooper Tire & Rubber Company