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 USFilter Announces Record Fiscal Third Quarter Earnings and Backlog
 
 PALM DESERT, Calif., Feb. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- United States Filter
 Corporation (NYSE: USF) today reported revenues for its third quarter ended
 December 31, 1998 of $1,225,109,000, an increase of 26% over the year ago
 quarterly revenues of $969,513,000.  Net income was a record $63,491,000 vs. a
 loss of ($389,255,000) for last year's third quarter.  Basic earnings per
 share was $0.37 for the quarter, compared with a loss of ($2.63) for the same
 quarter last year.  Diluted earnings per share was $0.36 vs. last year's
 ($2.63).  Diluted weighted average number of shares outstanding was
 187,056,000, up from 147,763,000 in the prior year.  Total backlog grew to a
 record $1,024,924,000 from $972,731,000 for the same period last year.
 
 The Company said that gross profit margin for the quarter was 29.7% up
 from 27.7%, last year and that operating margin improved to 9.9% from last
 year's loss.  Revenues for the most recent nine months were $3,570,322,000 vs.
 $2,700,807,000 for the same period last year with diluted loss per share of
 ($0.19) vs. a loss of ($2.32) for the previous nine month period.  The Company
 released the following summary of results of the operations of its five
 operating groups:
 
 -- Water and Wastewater Group revenues were $532,098,000 for the three
 
 months ended December 31, 1998 compared to $412,471,000 in the prior year,
 
 up 29%.  Gross profit margins and operating margins were 31.8% and 11.5%,
 
 respectively, compared to 29.9% and 8.9% in the prior year.  Water and
 
 Wastewater Group backlog was $767,562,000 at December 31, 1998.  The
 
 Company indicated its outsourcing and privatization group continues to
 
 grow with over 1 billion gallons of water per day treated through its
 
 contract operations.  Internal growth for the period was approximately
 
 8.7%.
 
 -- WaterWorks Distribution Group revenues were $243,361,000 for the
 
 quarter as compared to $218,334,000 in the prior year, up 11%.  Gross
 
 profit margins and operating margins were 20.0% and 5.6%, respectively,
 
 vs. 19.3% and 4.9% last year.  The WaterWorks Distribution Group does not
 
 report backlog, as its revenues are not derived from long-term contracts.
 
 Internal growth was approximately 7.2% for the quarter.
 
 -- Industrial Products Group revenues were $234,343,000 for the three
 
 months as compared to $169,338,000 in the prior year, up 38%.  Gross
 
 profit margins and operating margins were 25.1% and 8.3%, respectively,
 
 vs. 21.3% and 6.4% in the prior fiscal year.  Backlog for the quarter was
 
 199,629,000 at December 31, 1998.  Internal growth was a negative (19%)
 
 for the quarter.  This reflects the groups exposure to the
 
 microelectronics business.
 
 -- Consumer and Commercial Group revenues were $126,734,000 for the three
 
 months ended December 31, 1998 as compared to $117,689,000 in the prior
 
 year, up 8%.  Gross profit margins and operating margins were 44.9% and
 
 16.0%, respectively, compared to 42.9% and 13.3% in the prior year.  The
 
 group does not report backlog, as its revenues are not derived from long-
 term contracts.  Internal growth for the period was approximately 7.1%.
 
 -- Filtration and Separations Group revenues were $88,573,000 for the
 
 quarter.  Gross profit margins and operating profit margins were 33.3% and
 
 8.1%, respectively.  Backlog for the group was $57,733,000 at December 31,
 
 1998.  Prior year comparisons for this group are not meaningful as the
 
 Company's acquisition of Memtec Limited occurred  late in the third
 
 quarter of the prior fiscal year and was accounted for as a purchase.
 
 "During calendar 1998, USFilter began to ramp up its efforts in electronic
 commerce on the World Wide Web, exploiting the growing importance of the World
 Wide Web as a marketing and sales channel," said Richard J. Heckmann,
 Chairman, and CEO of USFilter.  "Efforts were focused on two key areas:  the
 generation of qualified sales leads and the direct sale of products.  We have
 generated more than $100 million in sales from electronic commerce initiatives
 during calendar 1998, and we expect e-commerce to be a rapidly growing part of
 the business," he said.
 
 USFilter is the leading global provider of commercial, industrial,
 municipal and residential water and wastewater treatment systems, products and
 services.  USFilter has the industry's largest network of sales, service and
 manufacturing facilities through over 2,000 locations in 94 countries.
 USFilter is also a leading provider of outsourced water services, including
 the operation of water and wastewater treatment systems at customer sites.  It
 is also actively involved in the development of privatization initiatives for
 municipal water treatment facilities in the United States and around the
 world.  USFilter, which is based in Palm Desert, CA, invites you to visit its
 web site at usfilter.com.
 
 Forward looking statements in this release, including, without limitation,
 statements relating to the Company's plans, strategies, objectives,
 expectations, intentions and adequacy of resources, are made pursuant to the
 safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
 1995.  These forward looking statements involve known and unknown risks,
 uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results,
 performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any
 future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such
 forward looking statements.  These factors include, among others, the
 following: general economic and business conditions; competition; success of
 operating initiatives, advertising and promotional efforts; existence of
 adverse publicity or litigation; changes in business strategy or plans;
 quality of management; availability, terms and development of capital;
 business abilities and judgment of personnel; changes in, or the failure to
 comply with governmental regulations; and other factors described in filings
 of the Company with the SEC.  The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly
 update or revise any forward looking statements, whether as a result of new
 information, future events or otherwise.
 
 UNITED STATES FILTER CORPORATION
 
 CONSOLIDATED INCOME STATEMENTS
 
 December 31, 1998
 
 (Unaudited)
 
 Three Months            Nine Months
 
 Ended December 31,      Ended December 31,
 
 1998        1997         1998       1997
 
 (in thousands, except per share data)
 
 Revenues                   $1,225,109     969,513    3,570,322  2,700,807
 
 Cost of sales                 861,690     700,740    2,511,304  1,996,804
 
 Gross profit              363,419     268,773    1,059,018    704,003
 
 Selling, general and
 
 administrative expenses      241,652     189,419      709,231    520,085
 
 Purchased in-process
 
 research and development          --     319,675        3,558    319,675
 
 Merger, restructuring,
 
 acquisition and other
 
 related charges                   --     150,582      257,920    150,582
 
 241,652     659,676      970,709    990,342
 
 Operating income (loss)   121,767    (390,903)      88,309   (286,339)
 
 Other income (expense):
 
 Interest expense          (29,999)    (15,773)     (85,180)   (39,651)
 
 Gain on disposition of
 
 investment in affiliate       --          --           --     31,098
 
 Interest income and
 
 other, net                 7,497       1,532       15,227      4,314
 
 (22,502)    (14,241)     (69,953)    (4,239)
 
 Income (loss) before
 
 income tax expense        99,265    (405,144)      18,356   (290,578)
 
 Income tax expense (benefit)   35,774     (15,889)      50,051     25,819
 
 Net income (loss)         $63,491    (389,255)     (31,695) (316,397)
 
 Net income (loss) per
 
 common share:
 
 Basic                       $0.37       (2.63)      (0.19)     (2.32)
 
 Diluted                     $0.36       (2.63)      (0.19)     (2.32)
 
 Basic weighted average
 
 number of shares outstanding 171,207     147,763      164,761    136,171
 
 Diluted weighted average
 
 number of shares outstanding 187,056     147,763      164,761    136,171
 
 UNITED STATES FILTER CORPORATION
 
 AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
 SELECTED SEGMENT DATA
 
 The following unaudited summary selected segment data is provided for
 
 informational purposes only.  The Company will implement the provisions of
 
 Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 131 "Disclosures about
 
 Segments of an Enterprise and Related Information" in connection with the
 
 filing of its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ending March
 
 31, 1999.
 
 Three Months          Nine Months
 
 Ended December 31,    Ended December 31,
 
 1998    1997         1998      1997
 
 (in thousands)
 
 Revenues:
 
 Water and Wastewater Group    $532,098  412,471   1,480,888 1,136,132
 
 Waterworks Distribution Group  243,361  218,334     761,160   682,433
 
 Consumer and Commercial Group  126,734  117,689     404,241   276,019
 
 Filtration and
 
 Separations Group             88,573   51,681(b)  253,777   114,904(b)
 
 Industrial Products Group      234,343  169,338     670,256   491,319
 
 Consolidated             1,225,109  969,513   3,570,322 2,700,807
 
 Gross profit:
 
 Water and Wastewater Group     169,452  123,215     468,141   336,342
 
 Waterworks Distribution Group   48,781   42,140     150,108   130,475
 
 Consumer and Commercial Group   56,947   50,531     187,827   119,810
 
 Filtration and
 
 Separations Group             29,501   16,864(b)   89,002    35,308(b)
 
 Industrial Products Group       58,738   36,023     163,940    82,068
 
 Consolidated               363,419  268,773   1,059,018   704,003
 
 Operating income: (a)
 
 Water and Wastewater Group      61,302   36,637     161,762    91,568
 
 Waterworks Distribution Group   13,635   10,735      46,108    36,512
 
 Consumer and Commercial Group   20,236   15,696      63,987    36,653
 
 Filtration and
 
 Separations Group              7,189    5,392(b)   21,189    11,118(b)
 
 Industrial Products Group       19,405   10,894      56,741     8,068
 
 Consolidated              $121,767   79,354     349,787   183,919
 
 (a) Does not include one-time charges consisting of purchased in-process
 research and development and merger, restructuring, acquisition and other
 related charges.
 
 (b) Does not include a full quarter of results of operations of Memtec
 Limited, which was acquired in December 1997 and accounted for as a purchase.
 
 SOURCE  United States Filter Corporation
 
 CO:  United States Filter Corporation
 
 ST:  California
 
 IN:  ENV MNG UTI
 
 SU:  ERN
 
 02/02/99 06:00 EST prnewswire.com
 
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