| Year ended December 31, | Three months ended | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | March 31, 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||
Earnings before taxes |
$ | 266,069 | $ | 242,867 | $ | 204,847 | $ | 160,184 | $ | 154,224 | $ | 35,033 | ||||||||||||
Fixed charges: |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Interest expense
(including
amortization of
deferred financing
fees) |
25,390 | 21,003 | 17,492 | 14,880 | 12,888 | 5,241 | ||||||||||||||||||
Rentals (a) |
12,120 | 10,962 | 10,392 | 10,223 | 9,814 | 3,030 | ||||||||||||||||||
Total fixed charges |
$ | 37,510 | $ | 31,965 | $ | 27,884 | $ | 25,103 | $ | 22,702 | $ | 8,271 | ||||||||||||
Earnings before taxes and fixed charges |
$ | 303,579 | $ | 274,832 | $ | 232,731 | $ | 185,287 | $ | 176,926 | $ | 43,304 | ||||||||||||
Ratio of earnings to fixed charges |
8.1 | 8.6 | 8.3 | 7.4 | 7.8 | 5.2 | ||||||||||||||||||
| (a) | One-third of rental expense under operating leases (the portion that has been deemed by us to be representative of an interest factor). |