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Exhibit 12.1
Whole Foods Market, Inc.
Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges
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Sept 24 Sept 26 Sept 27 Sept 28 Sept 29
2000 1999 1998 1997 1996
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<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Earnings:
Income (loss) before income taxes $63,511 $65,616 $63,148 $35,487 ($20,646)
Interest expense 15,093 8,248 7,677 6,033 5,084
Rental expense representative of interest 15,716 12,806 11,595 9,651 8,215
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Total Earnings 94,320 86,670 82,420 51,171 (7,347)
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Fixed charges
Interest, including capitalized interest 17,367 10,007 8,412 6,802 6,267
Rental expense representative of interest 15,716 12,806 11,595 9,651 8,215
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Total fixed charges $33,083 $22,813 $20,007 $16,453 $14,482
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Ratio of earnings to fixed charges 2.85x 3.80x 4.12x 3.11x -
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For fiscal year ended September 29, 1996 the ratio computation indicates a less
than one-to-one coverage. Earnings were inadequate to cover fixed charges by
approximately $21.8 million.
