**EXHIBIT12.1**

 

**Ratio ofEarnings to Fixed Charges**

**(unaudited)**

 
| ** **                                                                               | ** ** | **Year Ended October 31,** | ** ** | **Three Months  Ended  January 31,** | ** ** |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------|----------------------------|------------|-------------------------------------------|------------|
| **(in thousands, except ratios)**                                                        | ** ** | **2001**                   | ** ** | **2002**                                  | ** ** | **2003** | ** ** | **2004** | ** ** | **2005** | ** ** | **2006** | ** ** |
| Consolidated pretax earnings (loss) from continuing operations before  minority interest |       | $                          | (270,355   | )                                         | $          | (95,722 | ) | $ | (54,597 | ) | $ | 75,518 |   | $ | 466,016 |   | $ | 13,158 |   |
| Interest expense                                                                         |       | —                     |       | —                                    |       | — |   | 992 | ** ** | 3,000 |   | 750 |   |
| Amortization of debt issuance costs                                                      |       | —                     |       | —                                    |       | — |   | 982 | ** ** | 2,972 |   | 743 |   |
| Interest portion of rental expense                                                       |       | 10,500                     |       | 8,700                                     |       | 7,200 |   | 6,440 | ** ** | 6,990 |   | 1,410 |   |
|                                                                                     |       |                       |       |                                      |       |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| Earnings (loss)                                                                          |       | $                          | (259,855   | )                                         | $          | (87,022 | ) | $ | (47,397 | ) | $ | 83,932 |   | $ | 478,978 |   | $ | 16,061 |   |
|                                                                                     |       |                       |       |                                      |       |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| Interest expense                                                                         |       | $                          | —     |                                      | $          | — |   | $ | — |   | $ | 992 |   | $ | 3,000 |   | $ | 750 |   |
| Amortization of debt issuance costs                                                      |       | —                     |       | —                                    |       | — |   | 982 | ** ** | 2,972 |   | 743 |   |
| Interest portion of rental expense                                                       |       | 10,500                     |       | 8,700                                     |       | 7,200 |   | 6,440 | ** ** | 6,990 |   | 1,410 |   |
|                                                                                     |       |                       |       |                                      |       |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| Fixed charges                                                                            |       | $                          | 10,500     |                                      | $          | 8,700 |   | $ | 7,200 |   | $ | 8,414 |   | $ | 12,962 |   | $ | 2,903 |   |
|                                                                                     |       |                       |       |                                      |       |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| Ratio of earnings to fixed charges                                                       |       | (a)                        |       | (a)                                       |       | (a) |   | 10.0 |   | 37.0 |   | 5.5 |   |

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(a)                   Due to the loss in fiscal 2001, 2002, and2003, the ratio of earnings to fixed charges was less than 1:1 in each of thoseperiods. The Company would have had to generate additional earnings of $270.4million, $95.7 million, and $54.6 million in fiscal 2001, 2002, and 2003,respectively, to achieve a ratio of 1:1.

 

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