AAR Reports Third Quarter Fiscal Year 2012 Results

• Third quarter sales of $534 million, up 17% year-over-year
• Diluted earnings per share of $0.50
• Recent acquisitions performing well

WOOD DALE, ILLINOIS — AAR (NYSE: AIR) today reported third quarter fiscal year 2012 consolidated sales of $534.2 million and net income attributable to AAR of $20.7 million, or $0.50 per diluted share. For the third quarter of the prior fiscal year, the Company reported sales of $458.0 million and net income attributable to AAR of $17.9 million, or $0.44 per diluted share.

On December 2, 2011, the Company completed the acquisition of Telair International GmbH (Telair) and Nordisk Aviation Products, AS (Nordisk). Telair is a leader in the design, manufacture and support of cargo loading systems for wide-body and narrow-body commercial aircraft with established positions on the world’s most popular current and next-generation passenger and freighter aircraft. Nordisk designs and manufactures heavy duty pallets and lightweight cargo containers for commercial airlines. Both companies have a strong aftermarket position. Sales during the third quarter for Telair and Nordisk were a combined $55.3 million and are reported in the Structures and Systems segment.

During the third quarter of fiscal 2012, the Company recorded a $4.0 million ($0.09 per diluted share) tax benefit, principally relating to a reduction in the Company’s state income tax rate due to the implementation of state income tax planning strategies. The Company expects its effective income tax rate to be approximately 34.5% in the fourth quarter.

Results for the period were unfavorably impacted by aircraft shortages at the Company’s airlift operation within the Government and Defense Services segment due to unscheduled maintenance inspections and the delayed receipt of several aircraft into the Company’s operating fleet, as well as higher maintenance expenses. In addition, the Company’s precision machining business within the Structures and Systems segment continued to experience start-up costs and cost overruns on certain programs in excess of what had been anticipated.

“We had strong results within our Aviation Supply Chain segment which benefitted from investments made earlier in the fiscal year and steady demand from airline customers. In addition, we are very pleased with the contributions from the newly acquired businesses and are excited about our prospects going forward,” said David P. Storch, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of AAR CORP.

Storch continued, “While performance at our airlift operation did not meet our expectations, demand remains strong and we are taking tangible steps to address ongoing aircraft shortages. We have also implemented a number of initiatives to improve our precision machining business. These improvement initiatives will continue during the fourth quarter. We expect fourth quarter results to be similar to third quarter results for both businesses, with improvement beginning in the first quarter of fiscal 2013.”

Selling, general and administrative expenses as a percentage of sales were 9.6% and the consolidated gross profit margin was 16.3% during the third quarter. Margins improved over the prior year in the Aviation Supply Chain segment due to enhanced product availability. Margins in the MRO segment were lower year-over-year as last year’s third quarter was favorably impacted by a high-margin engineering services contract. In the Government and Defense Services segment, margins were lower than last year primarily as a result of the aircraft availability issues at the Company’s airlift operation. The Company generated $13.4 million in cash flow from operations and had capital expenditures, exclusive of the Telair and Nordisk acquisitions, of $7.5 million.

In January 2012, the Company completed the sale of $175 million of senior unsecured notes due 2022. The Company used the proceeds to repay a portion of the borrowings incurred under its revolving credit agreement to purchase Telair and Nordisk and to pay fees and expenses of the offering. Net interest expense increased $2.6 million over the prior year due to the increase in outstanding borrowings to fund the Telair and Nordisk acquisitions. On February 13, 2012, the Company paid a quarterly cash dividend of $0.075 per share to its stockholders of record as of the close of business on January 30, 2012.