C.H. Robinson Reports Third Quarter Results

September 30, 2006

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 24, 2006--C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc. ("C.H. Robinson") (NASDAQ:CHRW), today reported financial results for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2006. As previously reported, all share and per share data is reflective of a two-for-one stock split, effective October 14, 2005.

Summarized financial results for the quarter and nine months ended September 30 are as follows (dollars in thousands, except per share data):


                Three months ended             Nine months ended
                   September 30,                 September 30,
           ----------------------------- -----------------------------
             2006      2005    % Change    2006      2005    % Change
           ----------------------------- -----------------------------

Gross
 profits   $278,346  $228,874     21.6 % $804,022  $643,668     24.9 %
Operating
 income     111,118    85,618     29.8 %  307,470   233,739     31.5 %
Net income   70,390    54,089     30.1 %  195,098   145,212     34.4 %
Diluted EPS   $0.40     $0.31     29.0 %    $1.11     $0.83     33.7 %

Total Transportation gross profits increased 23.2 percent to $243.9 million in the third quarter of 2006 from $198.0 million in the third quarter of 2005. Our Transportation gross profit margin increased to 17.5 percent in 2006 from 16.3 percent in 2005.

The increase in our Transportation gross profit margin is due to the mix of services that make up this business line. We had faster growth in our air freight and miscellaneous transportation management services business lines, which have a higher gross profit margin than our overall Transportation business line.

Our truck transportation gross profits increased 23.5 percent in the third quarter of 2006. Approximately half of the growth was driven by increased volumes, with the remainder of the growth due to an increase in gross profit margins and increased truck transportation rates compared to 2005. Our growth in truck net revenues slowed as the quarter progressed. While gross profit margins were consistent throughout the quarter, volume growth slowed. A significant amount of the volume in the second half of 2005 was driven by a robust spot market. In the third quarter and through the first three weeks of October 2006, we have not seen the same level of spot market demand.

Our intermodal gross profit increase of 6.9 percent in the third quarter of 2006 resulted from an increase in gross profit margins, offset by a slight decrease in volume.

In our international freight forwarding business, our ocean gross profits increased 17.4 percent and our air gross profits increased 25.0 percent in the third quarter of 2006. Excluding the impact of the acquisitions of Bussini Transport S.r.l. ('Bussini') and Hirdes Group Worldwide ('Hirdes'), announced in the third quarter of 2005, we estimate our ocean gross profits would have increased approximately 10 percent and our air gross profits would have decreased approximately 10 percent in the third quarter of 2006. In the third quarter of 2005 we had project-related airfreight business with a few large customers that did not recur in the third quarter of 2006.

Miscellaneous transportation gross profits consist primarily of transportation management fees, customs brokerage fees, and warehouse and cross-dock services. The increase of 48.5 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 11.1 percent to $23.3 million in 2006 from $21.0 million in 2005. This increase was due to higher volumes with retail and foodservice customers through integrated programs. Our Sourcing gross profit margin decreased from 8.1% to 7.6%, due to weather-related growing conditions that increased our costs of some commodities.

Information Services gross profits increased 12.0 percent to $11.1 million in the third quarter of 2006 from $9.9 million in the third quarter of 2005, due to transaction volume growth and an increase in pricing related to certain truck stop services.

For the third quarter, operating expenses increased 16.7 percent to $167.2 million in 2006 from $143.3 million in 2005. This was due to an increase of 17.5 percent in personnel expenses and an increase of 14.0 percent in selling, general and administrative expenses.

As a percentage of gross profits, operating expenses decreased to 60.1 percent in 2006 from 62.6 percent in 2005. This decrease was due to a decline in personnel expenses as a percentage of gross profits from 48.3 percent to 46.7 percent and a decrease in selling, general and administrative expenses as a percentage of gross profits from 14.3 percent to 13.4 percent. We gain leverage in periods of strong gross profit growth in our personnel expenses and also in several categories of our selling, general and administrative expenses.

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 20,500 customers through a network of 210 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 40,000 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.; risks associated with the produce industry, including food safety and contamination issues; 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 2006 Earnings Conference Call

Wednesday, October 25, 2006 10:00 a.m. Eastern time

Live webcast available through Investor Relations link at www.chrobinson.com

Telephone access: 800-257-2101

Webcast replay available through November 8, 2006; Investor Relations link at www.chrobinson.com

Telephone audio replay available until 12:59 a.m. Eastern Time on October 28, 2006: 800-405-2236; passcode:11073232#


             CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
                             (unaudited)
                (In thousands, except per share data)

                       ----------------------- -----------------------
                         Three months ended       Nine months ended
                            September 30,           September 30,
                       ----------------------- -----------------------
                          2006        2005        2006        2005
                       ----------------------- -----------------------
Gross Revenues:
  Transportation       $1,394,979  $1,218,026  $3,974,134  $3,340,267
  Sourcing                307,384     257,409     907,659     737,067
 Information Services      11,128       9,934      31,810      28,117
                       ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
       Total gross
        revenues        1,713,491   1,485,369   4,913,603   4,105,451
                       ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Gross Profits:
  Transportation
    Truck                 213,015     172,435     609,579     488,438
    Intermodal              9,053       8,469      26,556      22,737
    Ocean                  10,144       8,638      27,563      20,412
    Air                     4,370       3,495      15,847       8,481
    Miscellaneous           7,334       4,938      20,260      14,321
                       ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
       Total
        transportation    243,916     197,975     699,805     554,389
  Sourcing                 23,302      20,965      72,407      61,162
  Information Services     11,128       9,934      31,810      28,117
                       ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
    Total gross profits   278,346     228,874     804,022     643,668
                       ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------

Operating costs and
 expenses:
  Personnel expenses      129,981     110,595     386,801     317,662
  Selling, general, and
   administrative
   expenses                37,247      32,661     109,751      92,267
                       ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
      Total operating
       expenses           167,228     143,256     496,552     409,929
                       ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Income from operations    111,118      85,618     307,470     233,739

Investment and other
 income                     2,971       1,865       8,513       4,283
                       ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------

Income before provision
 for income taxes         114,089      87,483     315,983     238,022
Provision for income
 taxes                     43,699      33,394     120,885      92,810
                       ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Net income                $70,390     $54,089    $195,098    $145,212
                       =========== =========== =========== ===========

Net income per share
 (basic)                    $0.41       $0.32       $1.14       $0.85
Net income per share
 (diluted)                  $0.40       $0.31       $1.11       $0.83
Weighted average shares
 outstanding (basic)      170,925     170,105     171,001     170,072
Weighted average shares
 outstanding (diluted)    174,776     174,533     174,989     174,357

                CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
                             (unaudited)
                            (In thousands)


                                           September 30, December 31,
                                               2006          2005
                                           ------------- -------------
Assets
  Current assets:
    Cash and cash equivalents                  $285,388      $230,628
    Available-for-sale securities               129,031       122,551
    Receivables, net                            786,405       716,725
    Other current assets                         18,551        14,877
                                           ------------- -------------
      Total current assets                    1,219,375     1,084,781

Property and equipment, net                      78,924        60,721
Intangible and other assets                     289,402       249,566
                                           ------------- -------------
                                             $1,587,701    $1,395,068
                                           ============= =============

Liabilities and stockholders' investment
  Current liabilities:
    Accounts payable and outstanding
     checks                                    $542,594      $473,882
    Accrued compensation                         77,557        94,333
    Other accrued expenses                       49,346        44,268
                                           ------------- -------------
      Total current liabilities                 669,497       612,483

Long term liabilities                             1,231         2,548
                                           ------------- -------------
          Total liabilities                     670,728       615,031

Total stockholders' investment                  916,973       780,037
                                           ------------- -------------
                                             $1,587,701    $1,395,068
                                           ============= =============

            CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
                             (unaudited)
               (In thousands, except operational data)

                                                  Nine months ended
                                                    September 30,
                                               -----------------------
                                                  2006        2005
                                               ----------- -----------
Operating activities:
  Net income                                     $195,098    $145,212
  Stock-based compensation                         38,048      28,324
  Depreciation and amortization                    17,742      13,326
  Other non-cash expenses, net                       (712)      8,786
  Net changes in operating elements               (19,265)    (41,750)
                                               ----------- -----------
     Net cash provided by operating activities    230,911     153,898

Investing activities:
  Net property additions                          (32,951)    (16,151)
  Cash paid for acquisitions                      (36,174)    (60,124)
  Purchases of available-for-sale securities      (83,956)    (99,791)
  Sales/maturities of available-for-sale
   securities                                      78,203      98,225
  Other assets, net                                (2,017)     (1,891)
                                               ----------- -----------
     Net cash used for investing activities       (76,895)    (79,732)

Financing activities:
  Net repurchases of common stock                 (43,622)    (12,720)
  Excess tax benefit from stock based
   compensation plans                              11,378       2,734
  Cash dividends                                  (68,046)    (38,578)
                                               ----------- -----------
     Net cash used for financing activities      (100,290)    (48,564)
Effect of exchange rates on cash                    1,034        (135)
                                               ----------- -----------

     Net increase in cash and cash equivalents     54,760      25,467
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period    230,628     166,476
                                               ----------- -----------
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period         $285,388    $191,943
                                               =========== ===========


                                                 As of September 30,
                                               -----------------------
                                                  2006        2005
                                               ----------- -----------
Operational Data:
  Employees                                         6,590       5,605
  Branches                                            210         195
C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc. Chad Lindbloom, chief financial officer, 1-952-937-7779 Angie Freeman, vice president, 1-952-937-7847

"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.