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Quixote Corporation Reports Record Fiscal Q3 Sales and Earnings

    CHICAGO--April 25, 2001--Quixote Corporation today reported record third quarter results for its fiscal 2001 quarter ended March 31, 2001.
    Net sales for its third quarter increased 13% to $22,688,000, compared with $20,053,000 in its third quarter of fiscal 2000. Operating profit rose 28% to $3,353,000, compared with $2,629,000 in its third quarter of fiscal 2000. Net earnings increased 25% to $1,850,000, compared with $1,484,000 in its third quarter of last year. Earnings per share for the quarter increased 28% to $0.23 per diluted share, compared with $0.18 per diluted share last year.
    Net sales for the nine-month period increased 16% to $64,288,000, compared with $55,584,000 in the same period of fiscal 2000. Operating profit rose 24% to $9,696,000, compared with $7,804,000 in the first nine months of fiscal 2000. Net earnings increased 21% to $5,403,000, compared with $4,468,000 for the nine-month period of last year. Earnings per share for the nine-month period increased 28% to $0.69 per diluted share, compared with $0.54 per diluted share for the same period last year.
    Leslie J. Jezuit, Quixote's Chief Executive Officer, said, "We are extremely pleased with our record results for the third quarter. As described in our last annual report, Quixote's highway safety products are now organized into two groups which either Protect and Direct the motorist or Inform the motorist. Our strong sales reflect overall growth of 8% for the quarter in the Protect and Direct group, which includes our core crash cushion and delineation products. We are particularly pleased with the strength of our QuadGuard(R) crash cushion product line, which increased 24% during the quarter. Sales for the Inform group, which includes our Intelligent Transportation Systems' sensing, measuring and information products, increased 45% as a result of the acquisition of National Signal, Inc. in January 2001."
    Philip E. Rollhaus, Jr., Quixote's Chairman, commented, "This third quarter represents our 15th consecutive quarter of record net sales and earnings. We are extremely encouraged by the success of our Company and its promising prospects for continued growth. We remain optimistic as the Company continues to see the benefits of the increased federal highway funding guaranteed by the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century ("TEA-21"). The Company is also looking toward developing additional innovative products and completing synergistic acquisitions which would further position Quixote as the solution for most highway safety needs. In anticipation of our continued strong growth, we are currently expanding the Company's primary manufacturing facility, located in Pell City, Alabama, to 300,000 square feet, nearly doubling its current capacity. We believe that the ongoing federal funding, together with our manufacturing expansion and the continued development of new innovative products, will allow Quixote to remain a leader in transportation safety both in the United States and abroad."

    Quixote Corporation will be hosting a telephone conference call at

                          Quixote Corporation
                           Earnings Summary

                    Three months ended         Nine months ended
                         March 31,                  March 31,
                    2001          2000         2001           2000
                    ----          ----         ----           ----

Net sales       $22,688,000   $20,053,000   $64,288,000   $55,584,000
Cost of sales    12,863,000    10,309,000    36,033,000    29,400,000
                -----------   -----------   -----------   -----------
Gross profit      9,825,000     9,744,000    28,255,000    26,184,000

Operating expenses:
 Selling & 
  administrative  6,158,000     6,739,000    17,647,000    17,336,000
 Research &
  development       314,000       376,000       912,000     1,044,000
                -----------   -----------   -----------   -----------
                  6,472,000     7,115,000    18,559,000    18,380,000

Operating profit  3,353,000     2,629,000     9,696,000     7,804,000

Other income (expense)
 Interest income      9,000         8,000        60,000        23,000
 Interest expense  (378,000)     (225,000)   (1,042,000)     (617,000)
 Other                            (19,000)                     (4,000)
                -----------   -----------   -----------   -----------
                   (369,000)     (236,000)     (982,000)     (598,000)

Earnings before
 income taxes     2,984,000     2,393,000     8,714,000     7,206,000
Provision for
 income taxes     1,134,000       909,000     3,311,000     2,738,000
                -----------   -----------   -----------   -----------
Net earnings     $1,850,000    $1,484,000    $5,403,000    $4,468,000
                ===========   ===========   ===========   ===========

Per share data:
 Basic earnings
  per share           $0.25         $0.19         $0.74         $0.56
 Diluted earnings 
  per share           $0.23         $0.18         $0.69         $0.54

 Average common
  shares 
  outstanding     7,367,245     7,891,580     7,343,640     7,997,553

 Average diluted
  common shares
  outstanding     7,979,747     8,068,079     7,889,014     8,270,950


                          Quixote Corporation
                          Balance Sheet Data

                                     As of March 31,   As of June 30,
                                         2001               2000
                                         ----               ----
Assets
 Current assets
   Cash and cash equivalents          $1,744,000         $1,524,000
   Accounts receivable, net           18,534,000         20,210,000
   Inventories                        16,461,000         10,072,000
   Other current assets                3,135,000          2,513,000
                                  ----------------     --------------
                                      39,874,000         34,319,000
                                  ----------------     --------------
 Property, plant and equipment, net   15,736,000         15,001,000
 Intangible assets and other          26,724,000         23,944,000
                                  ----------------     --------------
                                     $82,334,000        $73,264,000
                                  ================     ==============

Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity
 Current liabilities                  $9,704,000        $12,192,000
 Long-term debt, net                  24,729,000         15,596,000
 Other long-term liabilities           2,124,000          2,360,000
 Shareholder's equity                 45,777,000         43,116,000
                                  ----------------     --------------
                                     $82,334,000        $73,264,000
                                  ================     ==============