DALLAS, March 21, 2007 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ -- Eagle Materials Inc. (NYSE: EXP), today announced that its Board of Directors has approved an increase in its annual cash dividend from $0.70 per share to $0.80 per share (representing an increase in the regular quarterly cash dividend from $0.175 per share to $0.20 per share). The increased regular cash dividend will commence with the cash dividend to be paid in July 2007. This increase reflects the Board's confidence in Eagle's financial strength and ability to pay the enhanced dividend from its cash flow without materially impacting its ability to take advantage of future growth opportunities. This increased dividend will not affect the previously announced dividend to be paid on April 20, 2007 to stockholders of record on March 23, 2007. The Board of Directors will set the record and payment date for the enhanced July 2007 dividend in the normal course.

Eagle Materials Inc. is a Dallas-based company that manufactures and distributes Cement, Gypsum Wallboard, Recycled Paperboard, and Concrete and Aggregates.

Forward-Looking Statements. This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the context of the statement and generally arise when the Company is discussing its beliefs, estimates or expectations. These statements are not historical facts or guarantees of future performance but instead represent only the Company's belief at the time the statements were made regarding future events which are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and other factors many of which are outside the Company's control. Actual results and outcomes may differ materially from what is expressed or forecast in such forward-looking statements. The principal risks and uncertainties that may affect the Company's actual performance include the following: the cyclical and seasonal nature of the Company's business; public infrastructure expenditures; adverse weather conditions; availability of raw materials; changes in energy costs including, without limitation, natural gas; changes in the cost and availability of transportation; unexpected operational difficulties; inability to timely execute announced capacity expansions; governmental regulation and changes in governmental and public policy; changes in economic conditions specific to any one or more of the Company's markets; competition; announced increases in capacity in the gypsum wallboard and cement industries; changes in demand for residential housing construction or commercial construction; general economic conditions; and interest rates. For example, increases in interest rates, decreases in demand for construction materials or increases in the cost of energy (including natural gas) could affect the revenues and operating earnings of our operations. In addition, changes in national or regional economic conditions and levels of infrastructure and construction spending could also adversely affect the Company's result of operations. These and other factors are described in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2006 and its quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2006. These reports are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements made herein are made as of the date hereof, and the risk that actual results will differ materially from expectations expressed herein will increase with the passage of time. The Company undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statement to reflect future events or changes in the Company's expectations.

SOURCE Eagle Materials Inc.

Steven R. Rowley, President & CEO, or Arthur R. Zunker, Jr., Senior Vice
President & CFO, both of Eagle Materials Inc., +1-214-432-2000

http://www.eaglematerials.com/

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