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                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549


                                    FORM 10-K
(Mark One)

[X]           ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
                        SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

                                       OR

[ ]           TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF
                      THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the year ended December 31, 1996                 Commission File No. 0-12361

                        Richton International Corporation
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

                Delaware                                       05-012205
    (State or other jurisdiction of                         (I.R.S. Employer
     incorporation or organization)                        Identification No.)

  340 Main Street, Madison, New Jersey                            07940
(Address of principal executive offices)                        (Zip Code)

Issuer's telephone number ......................................  (201) 966-0104

   Securities registered under            Name of Exchange on which Registered:
Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act:

  Common Stock, par value $.10                    American Stock Exchange

         Securities registered under Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act:

            Series A Preferred Stock, par value $1.00. Purchase Right

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant (1) has filed all reports required
to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during
the  preceding 12 months (or for such  shorter  period that the  Registrant  was
required  to file  such  reports,  and  (2)  has  been  subject  to such  filing
requirements  for  the  past  90  dates.     Yes [X]   No [ ]  

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent  filers  pursuant to Item 405
of Regulation  S-K is not contained  herein,  and will not be contained,  to the
best of registrant's  knowledge,  in definitive proxy or information  statements
incorporated  by reference in Part II of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this
Form 10-K.   [X]

State the aggregate  market value of the voting stock held by  nonaffiliates  of
the Registrant.

         Aggregate market value at March 1, 1997 amounted to $8,100,000

Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the Registrant's classes of
Common Stock, as of the latest practicable date.

         Common Stock, par value $.10, 2,949,447 shares at March 1, 1997

                       DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Portions of the annual  shareholders report for the year ended December 31, 1996
are incorporated by reference into I and II. 

Portions of the proxy statement for the annual  shareholders  meeting to be held
April 28, 1997 are incorporated by reference into Part III.

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<PAGE>

ITEM 6. Selected Financial Data

                              SUMMARY OF OPERATIONS
            (In thousands, except percentages and per share amounts)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                    December 31                    
                                  --------------------------------------------       April
                                    1996        1995        1994        1993         1993
                                  --------    --------    --------    --------     --------
<S>                               <C>         <C>         <C>         <C>                
Net Sales .....................   $ 87,750    $ 66,659    $ 50,306    $ 11,080         --
Gross Profit percentage .......         28%         28%         28%         27%        --
Operating Profit ..............      3,832       3,466       2,702        (847)        --
Interest expense. net .........      1,216       1,092         817          21     $     55
Income (loss) from operations .      1,766       1,365       1,004        (573)      (1,001)
Income (loss) from Discontinued
   Operations .................       --          --          --          (426)         164
Net Income ( loss) ............      1,766       1,365       1,004        (999)        (837)
Net Income (loss) per share ...   $   0.54    $   0.43    $   0.34    $  (0.37)    $  (0.32)
</TABLE>

                               FINANCIAL POSITION
                          (In thousands, except ratios)

                                          December 31                
                           ------------------------------------------     April
                              1996       1995       1994       1993       1993
                           ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
Total Assets ............     32,374     26,114     15,801     15,849      3,096
Long-term Debt ..........      6,986      7,150      3,834      6,621       --
   
Working Capital .........      5,610      3,029      2,341      2,537      2,682
    
Current ratio ...........  1.31 to 1  1.22 to 1  1.28 to 1  1.32 to 1  6.66 to 1

Notes to Selected Financial Data:
Note a -- The Registrant acquired CBE effective March 29, 1995
Note b -- The Registrant acquired Century effective August 31, 1993
Note c -- The Registrant  was a shell company with no operating  units from May,
1992 until August, 1993


                                       5
<PAGE>

ITEM 8. Financial Statements

     The financial statements required by this Item, are set forth below:

                                                                         Page
                              Description                               Number
                              -----------                               ------
     Report of Independent Public Accountants .........................   F-1
     Consolidated Balance Sheets at December 31, 1996 and
        December 31, 1995 .............................................   F-2
     Consolidated Statements of Operations for the three years
        ended December 31, 1996 .......................................   F-3
     Consolidated Statements of Shareholders' Equity for the
        three years ended December 31, 1996 ...........................   F-4
     Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the three years
        ended December 31, 1996 .......................................   F-5
     Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements .......................   F-6

Richton International Corporation

     Quarterly analysis of sales,  operating margin, net income and earnings per
share

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                       Net                  Equivalent
                                                         Pre-Tax      Income    Earnings      Shares
                      Sales      Gross $     Profit %    Profit       (Loss)    Per Share   Outstanding
                      -----      -------     --------    -------      ------    ---------   ----------
<S>                <C>          <C>            <C>     <C>           <C>          <C>        <C>      
1st Qtr.  1996     10,449,000   2,445,000      23.40   (1,373,000)   (872,000)    (0.27)     3,185,000
          1995      5,165,000   1,237,000      23.95   (1,256,000)   (794,000)    (0.28)     2,866,000
2nd Qtr.  1996     27,903,000   8,773,000      31.44    2,962,000   1,860,000      0.57      3,236,000
          1995     24,840,000   7,124,000      28.68    2,593,000   1,634,000      0.52      3,166,000
                                                                                           
3rd Qtr.  1996     32,660,000   9,714,000      29.74    1,829,000   1,107,000      0.34      3,247,000
          1995     23,089,000   6,407,000      27.75    1,561,000     872,000      0.28      3,152,000
                                                                                           
4th Qtr.  1996     16,738,000   3,852,000      23.01     (802,000)   (329,000)    (0.10)     3,290,000
   
          1995     13,565,000   3,790,000      27.94     (524,000)   (347,000)    (0.11)     3,161,000
    
                   ----------   ---------      -----     --------    --------      ----      ---------
Year      1996     87,750,000  24,784,000      28.24    2,616,000   1,766,000      0.54      3,290,000
          1995     66,659,000  18,558,000      27.84    2,374,000   1,365,000      0.43      3,161,000
</TABLE>