C.H. Robinson Reports Third Quarter Results

October 14, 2005

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 25, 2005--C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc. ("C.H. Robinson") (NASDAQ:CHRWD), today reported financial results for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2005. As previously reported, all share and per share data is reflective of a two-for-one stock split, effective October 14, 2005.

For the third quarter, gross profits increased 32.9 percent to $228.9 million in 2005 from $172.2 million in 2004. Income from operations increased 40.3 percent to $85.6 million in the third quarter of 2005 from $61.0 million in the third quarter of 2004. Net income increased 44.8 percent to $54.1 million in the third quarter of 2005 from $37.3 million in the third quarter of 2004. Diluted net income per share increased 40.9 percent to $0.31 per share in the third quarter of 2005 from $0.22 per share in the third quarter of 2004.

For the nine months ended September 30, 2005, gross profits increased 34.2 percent to $643.7 million from $479.8 million in 2004. Income from operations increased 45.5 percent to $233.7 million from $160.7 million in 2004. Net income increased 47.1 percent to $145.2 million from $98.7 million in 2004. Diluted net income per share increased 45.6 percent to $0.83 per share from $0.57 per share in 2004.

For the third quarter, total Transportation gross profits increased 31.9 percent to $198.0 million in 2005 from $150.1 million in 2004. Our transportation gross profit margin increased to 16.3 percent in 2005 from 15.9 percent in 2004.

The increase in our truck transportation gross profits of 31.4 percent in the third quarter of 2005 was driven by volume growth and price increases in both truckload and less-than-truckload transactions. Tight capacity created opportunities with new and existing customers. We are adding new carriers and expanding our existing carrier relationships, both of which gave us the capacity we needed to efficiently meet these needs.

Our intermodal gross profits increase of 19.6 percent in the third quarter of 2005 resulted from an increase in gross profit margins, offset by a decrease in volume. Our volume was impacted by market conditions that continue to drive business back to truck in certain lanes. Our gross profit margin increase resulted from the elimination of some lower margin business and some rate increases to offset increased costs.

Our international ocean and air gross profits increased 50.0 percent in the third quarter of 2005. This growth includes the impact of our acquisitions of Bussini Transport S.r.l. and Hirdes Group Worldwide during the quarter.

Our ocean gross profits increased 48.8 percent and our air gross profits increased 53.0 percent in the third quarter of 2005. Excluding the impact of the acquisitions above, our growth rates in ocean and air gross profits would have been 38.2 percent and 17.3 percent in the third quarter of 2005. We continue to add new customers and broaden our relationships with existing customers to include international transportation.

Miscellaneous transportation gross profits consist of transportation management fees, customs brokerage fees, warehouse and cross-dock services, and other miscellaneous transportation related services. The increase of 32.5 percent in the third quarter was driven by increases in our transportation management fees and customs brokerage business.

For the third quarter, Sourcing gross profits increased 55.3 percent to $21.0 million in 2005 from $13.5 million in 2004. Excluding the impact of the acquisitions of FoodSource and Epic Roots, announced in the first quarter, our Sourcing gross profits increased 0.6 percent.

For the third quarter, Information Services gross profits increased 16.5 percent to $9.9 million in 2005 from $8.5 million in 2004, primarily due to transaction volume growth.

For the quarter, personnel expense as a percentage of gross profits decreased to 48.3 percent in 2005 from 49.9 percent in 2004. While many of our personnel expenses are variable, we gain leverage in periods of growth.

For the quarter, selling, general, and administrative expenses increased 29.7 percent to $32.7 million in 2005 from $25.2 in 2004. Selling, general, and administrative expenses as a percentage of gross profits decreased for the third quarter of 2005 to 14.3 percent compared to 14.6 percent in 2004.

Founded in 1905, C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., is one of the largest non-asset based third party logistics companies in the world. C.H. Robinson is a global provider of multimodal transportation services and logistics solutions, currently serving over 18,000 customers through a network of 195 offices in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia. C.H. Robinson maintains one of the largest networks of motor carrier capacity in North America and works with approximately 35,000 carriers worldwide.

Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters set forth in this release are forward-looking statements that represent our expectations, beliefs, intentions or strategies concerning future events. These forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from our historical experience or our present expectations, including, but not limited to such factors as market demand and pressures on the pricing for our services; competition and growth rates within the third-party

logistics industry; freight levels and availability of truck capacity or alternative means of transporting freight, and changes in relationships with existing truck, rail, ocean and air carriers; changes in our customer base due to possible consolidation among our customers; our ability to integrate the operations of acquired companies with our historic operations successfully; risks associated with litigation and insurance coverage; risks associated with operations outside of the U.S.; changing economic conditions such as general economic slowdown, decreased consumer confidence, fuel shortages and the impact of war on the economy; and other risks and uncertainties detailed in our Annual and Quarterly Reports.

Conference Call Information:

C.H. Robinson Worldwide Third Quarter 2005 Earnings Conference Call
Wednesday, October 26, 2005 10:00 a.m. Eastern time
Live webcast available through Investor Relations link at
www.chrobinson.com
Telephone access:1-800-219-6110
Webcast replay available through November 9, 2005; Investor
Relations link at www.chrobinson.com
Telephone audio replay available until 12:59 a.m. Eastern Time on
October 29, 2005: 800-405-2236; passcode:11040861#



             CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
                             (unaudited)
                (In thousands, except per share data)
 (All share and per share data is reflective of a two-for-one stock
                   split effective October 14, 2005)

                        ---------------------- -----------------------
                         Three months ended      Nine months ended
                             September 30,          September 30,
                        ---------------------- -----------------------
                           2005       2004        2005        2004
                        ---------------------- -----------------------
Gross Revenues:
  Transportation        $1,218,026   $943,256  $3,340,267  $2,587,383
  Sourcing                 257,409    172,026     737,067     535,513
 Information Services        9,934      8,524      28,117      24,621
                        ----------- ---------- ----------- -----------
        Total gross
         revenues        1,485,369  1,123,806   4,105,451   3,147,517
                        ----------- ---------- ----------- -----------
Gross Profits:
  Transportation
     Truck                 172,435    131,248     488,438     360,084
     Intermodal              8,469      7,083      22,737      21,919
     Ocean                   8,638      5,806      20,412      15,275
     Air                     3,495      2,284       8,481       6,412
     Miscellaneous           4,938      3,727      14,321      10,514
                        ----------- ---------- ----------- -----------
        Total
         transportation    197,975    150,148     554,389     414,204
  Sourcing                  20,965     13,501      61,162      40,987
  Information Services       9,934      8,524      28,117      24,621
                        ----------- ---------- ----------- -----------
     Total gross profits   228,874    172,173     643,668     479,812
                        ----------- ---------- ----------- -----------

Operating costs and
 expenses:
  Personnel expenses       110,595     85,978     317,662     244,777
  Selling, general, and
   administrative
   expenses                 32,661     25,184      92,267      74,336
                        ----------- ---------- ----------- -----------
       Total operating
        expenses           143,256    111,162     409,929     319,113
                        ----------- ---------- ----------- -----------
Income from operations      85,618     61,011     233,739     160,699

Investment and other
 income:
  Interest income and
   other                     1,726        637       4,129       1,981
  Nonqualified deferred
   compensation
      investment gain
       (loss)                  139        (80)        154         (49)
                        ----------- ---------- ----------- -----------
Investment and other
 income                      1,865        557       4,283       1,932
                        ----------- ---------- ----------- -----------

Income before provision
 for income taxes           87,483     61,568     238,022     162,631
Provision for income
 taxes                      33,394     24,219      92,810      63,932
                        ----------- ---------- ----------- -----------
Net income                 $54,089    $37,349    $145,212     $98,699
                        =========== ========== =========== ===========

Net income per share
 (basic)                     $0.32      $0.22       $0.85       $0.58
Net income per share
 (diluted)                   $0.31      $0.22       $0.83       $0.57
Weighted average shares
 outstanding (basic)       170,105    169,232     170,072     169,276
Weighted average shares
 outstanding (diluted)     174,533    173,096     174,357     173,017



                CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
                             (unaudited)
                            (In thousands)

                                            September 30, December 31,
                                                2005          2004
                                            ------------- ------------
Assets
  Current Assets:
    Cash and cash equivalents                   $191,942     $166,476
    Available-for-sale securities                123,181      121,600
    Receivables, net                             698,254      544,274
    Other current assets                          15,666       13,637
                                            ------------- ------------
        Total current assets                   1,029,043      845,987

Property and equipment, net                       58,595       51,122
Intangible and other assets                      249,311      183,587
                                            ------------- ------------
                                              $1,336,949   $1,080,696
                                            ============= ============

Liabilities and stockholders' investment
  Current liabilities
    Accounts payable and outstanding checks     $469,132     $358,929
    Accrued compensation                          71,969       60,261
    Other accrued expenses                        38,253       33,629
                                            ------------- ------------
        Total current liabilities                579,354      452,819

  Long term liabilities:
    Deferred tax liability                         4,871        4,153
    Nonqualified deferred compensation
     obligation                                    3,030        2,868
                                            ------------- ------------
        Total long term liabilities                7,901        7,021
                                            ------------- ------------
            Total liabilities                    587,255      459,840

Total stockholders' investment                   749,694      620,856
                                            ------------- ------------
                                              $1,336,949   $1,080,696
                                            ============= ============



           CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
                             (unaudited)
               (In thousands, except operational data)
                                                    Nine months ended
                                                      September 30,
                                                   -------------------
                                                     2005      2004
                                                   --------- ---------
Operating activities:
  Net income                                       $145,212   $98,699
  Depreciation and amortization                      13,326     8,461
  Net changes in operating elements                  (1,907)  (44,178)
                                                   --------- ---------
      Net cash provided by operating activities     156,631    62,982

Investing activities:
  Net property additions                            (16,151)  (22,575)
  Insurance proceeds                                      -     1,590
  Cash paid for acquisitions                        (60,124)   (9,112)
  Purchases of available-for-sale securities        (99,791)  (37,050)
  Sales/maturities of available-for-sale
   securities                                        98,225    36,569
  Other assets, net                                  (1,891)   (1,050)
                                                   --------- ---------
      Net cash used for investing activities        (79,732)  (31,628)

Financing activities:
  Net repurchases of common stock                   (12,720)  (10,694)
  Cash dividends                                    (38,578)  (30,648)
                                                   --------- ---------
      Net cash used for financing activities        (51,298)  (41,342)
Effect of exchange rates on cash                       (135)   (1,000)
                                                   --------- ---------

      Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash
       equivalents                                   25,466   (10,988)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period      166,476   123,413
                                                   --------- ---------
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period           $191,942  $112,425
                                                   ========= =========


                                                   As of September 30,
                                                   -------------------
                                                     2005      2004
                                                   --------- ---------
Operational Data:
  Employees                                           5,605     4,671
  Branches                                              195       170
Contact:
C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc. Chad Lindbloom, chief financial officer, 1-952-937-7779 Angie Freeman, vice president, 1-952-937-7847 Source: C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc.

"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Statements in this press release regarding C.H. Robinson Worldwide Inc's business which are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of such risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report or Form 10-K for the most recently ended fiscal year.