UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, DC 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT
TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of report (Date of earliest event reported) April 19, 2007

Martin Marietta Materials, Inc.

 

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

North Carolina

(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)

1-12744		56-1848578
(Commission File Number)		(IRS Employer Identification No.)
2710 Wycliff Road, Raleigh, North Carolina		27607
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)		(Zip Code)

(919) 781-4550

(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

Not Applicable

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

o Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

o Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

 

Item 2.02 Results of Operations and Financial Condition.

On April 19, 2007, the Corporation announced revised first-quarter and full-year 2007 earnings guidance. For the quarter ended March 31, 2007, the Corporation expects earnings to range from $0.70 to $0.73 per diluted share. For the full-year 2007, the Corporation expects earnings to range from $6.10 to $6.65 per diluted share. The press release, dated April 19, 2007, is furnished as Exhibit 99.1 to this report and is incorporated by reference herein.

Item 7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure.

On April 19, 2007, the Corporation announced revised first-quarter and full-year 2007 earnings guidance. For the quarter ended March 31, 2007, the Corporation expects earnings to range from $0.70 to $0.73 per diluted share. For the full-year 2007, the Corporation expects earnings to range from $6.10 to $6.65 per diluted share. The press release, dated April 19, 2007, is furnished as Exhibit 99.1 to this report and is incorporated by reference herein.

The Corporation will host an online Web simulcast of its first-quarter 2007 earnings conference call on Tuesday, May 8, 2007. The live broadcast of the Corporation’s conference call will begin at 2 p.m., Eastern Time, on May 8, 2007. An online replay will be available approximately two hours following the conclusion of the live broadcast. A link to these events will be available at the Corporation’s Web site at www.martinmarietta.com. For those investors without online web access, the conference call may also be accessed by calling 913-981-5522, confirmation number 8802467.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(c) Exhibits

99.1		Press Release dated April 19, 2007, announcing revised first-quarter and full-year 2007 earnings guidance.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit No.		Description
99.1		Press Release dated April 19, 2007, announcing revised first-quarter and full-year 2007 earnings guidance.

EXHIBIT 99.1

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE		Contact:		Anne Lloyd
				Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
				and Treasurer
				(919) 783-4660
				www.martinmarietta.com

MARTIN MARIETTA MATERIALS, INC. INCREASES GUIDANCE
FOR FIRST QUARTER AND FULL YEAR

COMPANY TO BROADCAST FIRST-QUARTER CONFERENCE CALL
LIVE ON THE INTERNET

RALEIGH, North Carolina (April 19, 2007) – Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. (NYSE:MLM) today said that it expects its first-quarter 2007 earnings to range from $0.70 to $0.73 per diluted share. The Corporation had previously said that it expected first quarter earnings to range between $0.36 and $0.52 per share. The anticipated increase is the result of excellent cost management, particularly labor and transportation costs, and strong pricing. Aggregates pricing was better than expected due to favorable product and geographic mix. Volumes were weaker than expected because of more severe winter weather conditions than anticipated. Demand from residential construction was down significantly, as expected.

During the quarter, the Corporation repurchased 2.335 million shares, or over 5% of common shares outstanding, for $302 million, contributing $0.02 per diluted share to first-quarter results. The share repurchases were financed using the Corporation’s existing commercial paper program and other short-term loans. Management expects to further increase leverage during the year with the available cash being used for additional share repurchases and/or implementing other shareholder value creating activities, including a wide range of business development opportunities. Management’s current outstanding share repurchase authorization is for an additional 1.9 million shares.

The Corporation’s Board of Directors will consider authorization for additional share repurchases as appropriate. The Corporation will provide further definitive information on its capital structure and leverage targets when first-quarter earnings are reported on May 8, 2007.

2007 OUTLOOK

Based upon the strong first-quarter performance and other favorable developments, the Corporation said that it is raising guidance for net earnings for the full-year 2007 to a range of $6.10 to $6.65 per diluted share, from a previously announced range of $5.95 to $6.50 per diluted share. For the second quarter of 2007, net earnings per share are expected to range from $1.85 to $2.10 per diluted share. Net earnings expectations for the second quarter and full-year 2007 are subject to certain previously disclosed risk factors that may affect performance. The level of aggregate shipments volume is primary among these risk factors, as a further decline in demand from residential construction, a pullback in commercial construction, delays in infrastructure projects, or some combination thereof could affect performance.

MLM Raises Guidance; Announces First-Quarter Conference Call Schedule
Page 2
April 19, 2007

CONFERENCE CALL INFORMATION

Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. will release results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2007, before the market opens on Tuesday, May 8, 2007. The Company will provide an online Web simulcast of its first-quarter 2007 earnings conference call at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time that day. An online replay will be available approximately two hours following the conclusion of the live broadcast and will continue for one year. A link to these events is available at the Company’s website: www.martinmarietta.com.

For those investors without online web access, the conference call may also be accessed by calling 913-981-5522, confirmation number 8802467.

Martin Marietta is the nation’s second largest producer of construction aggregates, a leading producer of magnesia-based chemical products and dolomitic lime and also produces structural composites products.

Investors are cautioned that all statements in this press release that relate to the future involve risks and uncertainties, and are based on assumptions the Corporation believes in good faith are reasonable but which may be materially different from actual results. Factors that the Corporation currently believes could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to finalization of the quarterly financial results, review of the financial results by management and the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors, and other risk factors found in the Corporation’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Corporation assumes no obligations to update such forward-looking statements.