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Archer

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FY2003 Annual Report · Archer
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Arch Coal, Inc.

One CityPlace Drive

Suite 300

St. Louis, Missouri 63141

www.archcoal.com

Coal is the source fuel for more than half the electricity Americans use each day.

Arch  Coal  is  the  nation’s  second  largest  coal  producer.  Its  core  business  is 

providing  U.S.  power  producers  with  clean-burning,  low-sulfur  coal  for  power

generation. Through mining operations in both the eastern and western United

States,  Arch  supplies  the  fuel  for  approximately  6%  of the nation’s  electricity.

The company  also  excels  at  operating  safe  mines  and  reclaiming  the  land  to  a 

natural  and  productive  state  once  mining  is  complete.  Arch  Coal  maintains  its

headquarters in St. Louis and its stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange

under the ticker symbol ACI.

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Arch Coal, Inc. 

2003 Annual Report and 2004 Proxy

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                   
F R A N K   M .   B U R K E (a)*(d)
Chairman, CEO and Managing Partner,
Burke Mayborn Company, Ltd.

J A M E S   R .   B O Y D (a)(b)(c)
Chairman of the Board, Arch Coal, Inc.;
Retired Senior Vice President and 
Group Operating Officer, Ashland Inc.

BABA board  of  directors

T H O M A S   A .   L O C K H A R T (c)(d)
Member, Wyoming State
House of Representatives

S T E V E N   F .   L E E R
President and Chief Executive Officer

senior  officers

D O U G L A S   H .   H U N T (c)(d)*
Director of Acquisitions, Petro-Hunt, LLC

K E N N E T H   G .   W O O D R I N G
Executive Vice President, Mining Operations

C .   H E N R Y   B E S T E N
Senior Vice President, Strategic Development

J A M E S   L .   PA R K E R
President, Hunt Coal Corporation and
Retired President, Hunt Petroleum Corporation

R O B E R T   J .   M E S S E Y
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

J O H N   W.   E AV E S
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

S T E V E N   F .   L E E R (c)
President and Chief Executive Officer, Arch Coal, Inc.

other  officers

A .   M I C H A E L   P E R R Y (a)(b)*
Retired Chairman of the Board,
Bank One, West Virginia, N.A.

R O B E R T   G .   P O T T E R (b)(d)
Retired Chairman and CEO, Solutia Inc.

T H E O D O R E   D .   S A N D S (c)*(d)
President, HAAS Capital, LLC;
Retired Managing Director, Investment Banking,
For the Global Metals/Mining Group, Merrill Lynch and Co.

(a) Audit Committee 
(b) Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee 
(c) Finance Committee 
(d) Personnel and Compensation Committee 

*Committee Chairman 

B R A D L E Y   M .   A L L B R I T T E N
Vice President, Marketing

S H E I L A   B .   F E L D M A N
Vice President, Human Resources

R O B E R T   G .   J O N E S
Vice President — Law, General Counsel and Secretary

D AV I D   B .   P E U G H
Vice President, Business Development

L A R R Y   R .   B R O W N
Vice President and Chief Information Officer

J A M E S   E .   F L O R C Z A K
Treasurer

B E N N E T T   K .   H A T F I E L D
Vice President, Eastern Operations

J O H N   W.   L O R S O N
Controller

R O B E R T   W.   S H A N K S
Vice President, Western Operations, and 
President, Arch Western Resources, LLC

D E C K   S .   S L O N E
Vice President, Investor Relations and Public Affairs

C .   D AV I D   S T E E L E
Vice President, Tax

J O H N   Z I E G L E R ,   J R .
Director, Internal Audit

Coal is Back. We are Ready.

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We are Ready.

Arch Coal, Inc.

                
D E A R   F E L L OW   S H A R E H O L D E R :

“Coal is Back” I S   T H E   T H E M E   O F   T H I S   A N N UA L   R E P O RT.

I N   R E A L I T Y,   I T   N E V E R   W E N T   AWAY.   O N   T H E   C O N T R A RY,

C OA L   H A S   S E RV E D   A S   T H E   V E RY   B AC K B O N E   O F

A M E R I C A’ S   E L E C T R I C   P OW E R   S Y S T E M   FO R   D E C A D E S .

S T E V E N   F .   L E E R

President and CEO

So why the title? Because despite our tremendous reliance
on this remarkable fuel, coal has until recently been viewed as
a  fuel  of  the  past.  A relic.  A stopgap  until  something  better
came along. 

Today,  that  perception  is  changing,  and  changing  rapidly. 
In fact, there is a growing recognition that we need coal now
more than ever. As competing fuels struggle just to maintain
current levels of output, coal is poised to shoulder even more
of the load in U.S. energy markets in the years ahead. 

To paraphrase Mark Twain, the rumors of coal’s demise have
been  greatly  exaggerated.  Coal  is  indeed  back— back  in  the
public  eye,  back  in  vogue  among  investors,  and  back  in
America’s future plans.

Coal can already claim many advantages detailed elsewhere in
this  report—cost-effectiveness,  abundance,  reliability,  and  a
proven track record as an increasingly clean energy source. Just
as  noteworthy  is  the  fact  that  these  advantages  are  growing
even  more  pronounced.  In  2003,  a  resurgent  U.S.  economy
helped  boost  power  demand—and  it  was  coal  that  captured
the lion’s share of the growth. Meanwhile, coal’s higher-profile
competition, nuclear and natural gas, actually saw output fall
during 2003.

The  U.S.  Department  of  Energy  projects  that  U.S.  power
demand will continue to climb steadily— rising by nearly 50%
over the course of the next two decades. For coal, the DOE sees
an equally bright future, as this indispensable fuel captures an
increasing share of the market over time. 

WHAT’S  BEHIND  THIS  RENAISSANCE?

WE  ARE  READY

There is no great secret to coal’s success. Electricity is a perva-
sive presence in our lives, and it’s becoming more so every day.
If the last century was the Age of Oil, then the current century
is rapidly becoming the Age of the Electron. Coal may prove
to be the ideal fuel source for such an age. 

I  believe  we  have  created  a  special  coal  company —
one uniquely  equipped  to  compete  and  grow  in  such  a
dynamic  environment.  We  have  amassed  a  large  and  highly

2

Arch Coal, Inc. 2003 Annual Report

           
Coal is indeed back—

back in the public eye, 

back in vogue among investors, and 

back in America’s future plans.

strategic  reserve  base  that  can  support  future  mining  for
decades. We have carved out leading positions in the nation’s
three principal low-sulfur coal basins. We have built a portfo-
lio of large, modern mines that rank among the most produc-
tive in their supply regions. And we have assembled a talented
and  motivated  workforce  that  has  made  Arch  an  industry
leader in safety and environmental performance year after year.

PROGRESS ON MANY FRONTS

We  regard  these  attributes  as  a  highly  strategic  platform  for
future  growth. Throughout  2003,  we  pursued  a  careful  plan
to strengthen  this  foundation  still  further  by  enhancing
our financial  flexibility.  We
reduced  our  overall  leverage,
built  a  healthy  cash  balance,
and  made  further  headway  in
our  ongoing  effort  to  unlock
the value of our equity invest-
ment  in  Natural  Resource
Partners (NRP).

The  first  of  these  moves
occurred  in  February  2003,
when  we  raised  $139  million
through  a  preferred  stock
offering and used the proceeds
to  pay  down  debt  and  boost
liquidity.  Then  in  June  we
locked  in  a  favorable  interest
rate on the remainder of our debt for the next 10 years when
our  Arch  Western  subsidiary  issued  $700  million  in  6.75%
senior  notes.  Finally,  in  late  December,  we  raised  another
$115 million  through  the  sale  of  a  portion  of  our  stake  in
Natural Resource Partners.

As  you  may  recall,  we  joined  in  the  creation  of  NRP  in
October 2002 as a vehicle for monetizing certain non-strategic
coal reserves that we viewed as greatly undervalued on our bal-
ance sheet. At that time, Arch contributed assets with a book
value  of  $85  million  to  NRP  in  exchange  for  equity  in the
company. To date, we have raised a total of nearly $150 million
through the sale of a portion of our stake in NRP — and we
continue  to  hold  2.9  million  common  units  valued  at  more
than $100 million at the time of this writing.

As  a  result  of  these  and  other  efforts,  Arch  is  now  in  its
strongest  financial  position  in  recent  years.  In  the  five  years
since acquiring our western assets, we have paid down a total
of $664 million in debt. Our total debt as a percentage of cap-
italization has declined from a high of 84% to just over 50%
today. Moreover, we have cash on hand in excess of $200 mil-
lion. In short, we are poised for careful and deliberate growth
in a market bursting with opportunity.

STRONG  RETURNS

I’m pleased to say that investors in Arch Coal were rewarded for
their  patience  in  2003.  For  much  of  the  past  two  years, an
extended stockpile correction at
the  nation’s  coal-based  power
plants had masked very attrac-
tive market fundamentals.

But  late  in  2003,  with  utility
stockpiles  approaching  more
normal  levels,  coal  markets
began  to  rally — and  rally
strongly.  Spot  prices  for  east-
ern  low-sulfur  coal  increased
more than 50% in a period of
just a few months. The price of
metallurgical  coal — a  small
but  important  niche  product
used in steel production—sur-
increase,
passed  even  that 
reaching levels not seen in decades. Other basins experienced
solid gains as well.

Naturally, such strong market dynamics are spurring renewed
enthusiasm  about  Arch’s  stock.  During  calendar  2003,  we
achieved a total return to shareholders of 44% —an impressive
figure by any measure. 

SEIZING  THE  DAY

Given a resurgent U.S. economy, high natural gas prices, and
a strong international coal market, we expect continued robust
demand for coal that should support attractive prices for some
time to come.

Arch has placed itself in an excellent position to capitalize on
this renewed vigor in the marketplace. While we have only a
small amount of uncommitted coal available for sale in 2004,

Arch Coal, Inc. 2003 Annual Report

3

          
L E T T E R   T O   S H A R E H O L D E R S

we  entered  the  year  with  roughly  35%  and  50%  of  our
expected  production  in  2005  and  2006,  respectively,  still  to
be priced. That means that if the current market dynamics per-
sist, Arch could experience additional top line revenue growth
in each of the next two years. The implications for our bottom
line results could be great. 

WE  ARE  NOT  SATISFIED

In recent years, Arch has repeatedly ranked as the most produc-
tive  operator  in  the  nation’s  two  largest  coal  basins —
the Powder River Basin and Central Appalachia. However, like
other  producers,  we  have  grappled  in  recent  quarters  with
higher  costs  in  areas  such as
health  care,  fuel, 
insurance,
bonding, and permitting, partic-
ularly at our eastern operations.

steadily  increasing  output,  America’s  104  nuclear  plants  are
now operating at very close to capacity. In fact, with utilities
planning to replace aging reactor vessel heads at nearly a third
of  the  nuclear  fleet  over  the  next  five  years,  just  maintaining
recent levels of performance may prove to be a challenge. 

Natural gas, which supplies 17% of America’s electricity needs,
faces a different challenge. During the past four years, utilities
have  added  nearly  150,000  megawatts  of  new  gas-fired 
capacity.  But  all  this  new  capacity  came  on  line  just  as  the 
perceived  “natural  gas  bubble”  gave  way  to  a  new  reality —
a declining North American resource base. Since that time, gas
prices  have soared,  making
natural  gas  a fuel  of  last
resort for many utilities.

Controlling  costs  is  a  passion  at
Arch  Coal,  and  we  take  such
increases personally—even when
the  cost  drivers  are  external  in
nature. As a result, we are inten-
sifying  our  efforts  to  offset  such
cost  increases  with  cost  savings
and productivity gains elsewhere. 

U.S. Coal Consumption

2002

2003

1,066

1,090

estimated, in millions of tons

TOTAL COAL CONSUMPTION WAS

UP AN ESTIMATED 2.2% IN 2003.

In 2004, we will relentlessly pur-
sue  opportunities  across  all  of
our  mines  to  extend  best  prac-
tices;  analyze  major  cost  drivers
and  bottlenecks;  implement  process  improvements;  apply 
cutting-edge  maintenance  programs;  and  invest  in  advanced
technologies  where  true  returns  are  possible.  Our  goal  is
unchanged—to build on Arch’s position as one of the indus-
try’s lowest-cost producers. 

COMPETING  FUELS  FACE  OBSTACLES  TO  GROW TH

Coal  is  likely  to  figure  increasingly  in  America’s  power 
generation plans for two reasons: it offers unique advantages as
a fuel for electric generation, and its competition faces serious
barriers to future growth. 

Consider the challenges confronting nuclear power, the source
of roughly 20% of America’s electricity supply. After years of

Other fuels face similar con-
straints. The  nation  has  not
added a major hydro dam in
years,  and  competition  for
water  at  existing  facilities
is
fierce.  America’s  aging
oil-fired  capacity  is  prohibi-
tively  expensive  and  rapidly
becoming obsolete. Even with
high  levels  of  investment,
renewables will remain expen-
sive and play only a niche role
for several decades to come.

Source: EIA

COAL  FACES  NO  SUCH  BARRIERS 

That leaves coal to do most of the heavy lifting in U.S. power
markets.  Fortunately,  the  industry  appears  poised  to  do  just
that.  In  stark  contrast  to  the  nuclear  system,  America’s  coal-
based  generating  plants  operated  at  approximately  70%  of
capacity in 2003. Over time, we believe that the existing coal-
based fleet can achieve a utilization level of close to 85%. That
equates to an increase in coal consumption of more than 200
million tons. Such excess capacity is the best available option
to satisfy new power demand. 

But taking advantage of excess capacity is not the only path to
increased  coal  consumption.  Over  the  course  of  the  next
20 years, the DOE projects that more than 100,000 megawatts
of  new  coal-based  power  generation  will  be  constructed.

4

Arch Coal, Inc. 2003 Annual Report

               
In 2003, we reduced our 
overall leverage, built a 
healthy cash balance, and made
further headway in our 

ongoing effort to unlock the 

value of our equity investment 

in Natural Resource Partners.

In fact,  plans  for  nearly  that  much  have  been  announced
already.  While  not  all  the  projects  currently  being  contem-
plated are likely to be built, it now seems clear that some of the
projects are reaching critical mass. The first of these capacity
additions  is  scheduled  to  come  on  line  in  2005,  and  many
more projects are beginning to gain momentum.

CREATING  FUTURE  VALUE

Arch  plans  to  create  value  through  a  carefully  laid  plan  for
increased  profitability  and  growth.  In  the  months  and  years
ahead, we will:
n Focus on controlling costs and registering productivity gains

across  the  entire  corpora-
tion, 
strengthening  our
existing  position  as  a  low-
cost producer.

n Build  on  our  reputation  as
a reliable,  innovative  and
customer-oriented  supplier
to  the  nation’s  largest  elec-
tric utilities. 

n Further strengthen our posi-
tion as an industry leader in
safety  and  environmental
stewardship,  and  use  this
commitment as the founda-
tion for our future success.  
n Capitalize on our large and
highly strategic reserve base
by  investing  in  internal  growth  opportunities —including
promising idle reserves in both the East and West.

n Evaluate acquisitions that strengthen or complement Arch’s

leading positions in key low-sulfur coal basins.  

GROW TH  THROUGH  ACQUISITION 

In May 2003, Arch announced plans to acquire the nation’s sev-
enth largest coal producer, Triton Coal Company. That transac-
tion is currently under review by the Federal Trade Commission.
Of  course,  Arch  already  has  a  strong  existing  position  in  the
Powder  River  Basin,  and  we  are  excited  about  our  future
prospects. Our debt is at its lowest level in recent years and we
have cash on hand to finance future growth. We believe the cur-
rent market environment will create many exciting opportunities
deserving of our investment and future discretionary cash flow.

BOARD  RETIREMENT

On  a  personal  note,  we  will  be  saying  goodbye  in  April  to
James L. Parker, one of Arch’s longest-standing directors, who
has elected to retire from the board after nine years of service.
Jim has played a key role in our growth and success over the
years.  We  will  miss  his  leadership  and  wise  counsel,  and  we
wish him the very best in his retirement.

LOOKING  AHEAD

Every move we’ve made in recent years has been in preparation
for just this moment in time. A moment when the rest of the
nation begins to see coal in a new way. A moment when poli-
cymakers  stop  looking  at  coal
as a fuel of the past, and start
to focus on its inherent advan-
tages  as  a  fuel  of  the  future.
A moment  when  utilities
begin to  lay  the  foundation
for a  new  fleet  of  coal-based
power plants.

taking 

In 2004, we will work tirelessly
to enhance Arch’s position still
full
further,  while 
advantage of the opportunities
emerging  in  the  current  mar-
ketplace.  We  are  striving  to
be the industry’s premier oper-
ator,  which  to  us  means
achieving  the  strongest  financial  results,  operating  the  safest
mines and acting as the best stewards of the environment. If we
can hit the mark in all three of these crucial areas of perform-
ance, I believe that we will succeed in delivering superior long-
term value to you, our shareholders. 

Sincerely,

Steven F. Leer
President and CEO
Arch Coal, Inc.
March 3, 2004

Coal is Back. We are Ready.

Arch Coal, Inc. 2003 Annual Report

5

                       
A M E R I C A   W I L L   N E E D   M O R E   P OW E R .

The economy is gaining strength.

W

ith  each  passing  year,  America  becomes  increasingly

electrified.  Businesses  grow,  technologies  advance,

incomes rise—and power demand is pushed ever higher. After

several  years  of  sluggish  economic  activity,  power  demand  is

once again climbing. The U.S. Department of Energy expects

U.S. power needs to increase by nearly 50% over the course of

the next two decades. That’s good news for coal, which is the

fuel for more than half the nation’s electricity. 

75% since 1970. In short, our reliance on coal makes America

wealthier,  more  secure,  and  more  competitive  globally,  while

enabling us to achieve our environmental objectives.

In fact, coal’s advantages are becoming even more pronounced.

That’s  because  competing  fuels  face  a  host  of  challenges  that

limit their capacity for growth. The nation’s aging nuclear fleet

is operating at near its effective limit and may struggle to main-

tain  current  levels  of  output.  U.S.  natural  gas  prices  have

Why coal? For starters, it is highly cost-effective, at just one-

soared  in  response  to  declining  North  American  production.

third the cost of natural gas per kilowatt-hour of generation.

Hydroelectric  facilities  face  increasingly  stiff  competition  for

It is also the energy resource that America has in greatest abun-

water  resources,  oil  is  prohibitively  expensive,  and  wind  and

dance, comprising fully 95% of known U.S. fossil fuel reserves.

solar power are expected to remain costly niche contributors for

And,  it  is  increasingly  clean,  with  per-unit  emissions  down

decades to come. 

6

Arch Coal, Inc. 2003 Annual Report

       
C OA L’ S   A DVA N TAG E S   A R E   C O M P E L L I N G .

Competing fuels can’t keep pace. 

F

ortunately, coal is well equipped to take up the slack. Last

year, coal’s share of power markets climbed a full percent-

age point to 51%. Furthermore, the infrastructure is in place

But coal demand is  on the rise  in the rest of the  world, too.

The torrid rate of economic growth in China, strong demand

in Europe, and a rejuvenated steel industry have helped boost

to  support  additional  growth  in  the  future.  In  2003,  the

international  coal  prices  to  their  highest  levels  in  years. That

existing  fleet  of  coal-based  power  plants  operated  at  roughly

market strength is likely to boost U.S. export volumes in 2004

70%  of  capacity,  well  below  its  theoretical  limit.  We  believe

and beyond.

that  a  utilization  rate  of  around  85%  is  achievable.  Such  an

increase would boost total coal demand by an estimated 200

million tons.

In addition, U.S. power generators are making plans to con-

struct the next generation of coal-based power plants —plants

that  will  be  cleaner  and  more  competitive  than  ever  before.

Utilities  have  announced  plans  to  add  as  much  as  100,000

megawatts  of  new  capacity  in  coming  years.  That’s  a  33%

increase in the size of America’s coal-based fleet. 

U.S. coal demand is expected
to grow by nearly 50%
over the next two decades.

Arch Coal, Inc. 2003 Annual Report

7

         
A RC H   I S   U N I Q U E LY   E Q U I P P E D   T O   C O M P E T E .

We have prepared for this moment.

With extensive reserves in each of the nation’s three major low-

conjunction  with  high-sulfur  coal  in  lieu  of  scrubbing—

sulfur coal basins, Arch is uniquely positioned to compete in

has doubled  in  the  past  12  months.  As  a  result,  Arch’s  low-

this growing marketplace. In recent years, low-sulfur coal has

sulfur coal production should continue to capture a premium

captured  virtually  all  new  demand  growth.  Demand  for  the

in the marketplace.

very  lowest  sulfur  coal—the  kind  that  meets  the  most  strin-

gent clean air standards without the application of scrubbing

technology—has grown at an annual clip of 6%. That trend is

likely to continue. At present, only one quarter of eastern gen-

erating capacity is outfitted with scrubbers, and few additions

are  planned  before  the  end  of  the  decade.  Furthermore,  the

price of so-called emissions allowances—which can be used in

Arch produces 100% low-sulfur
coal. Low-sulfur coals are capturing
nearly all new demand growth.

W

e  have  assembled  a  powerful  set  of  assets — arguably

the  industry’s  premier  low-sulfur  reserve  base,  large

modern  mines,  and  leading  positions  in  the  most  strategic

supply  regions. We  also  boast  a  highly  effective  workforce—

one  that  has  made  Arch  the  productivity  leader  in  its  core

supply regions and helped create a culture of safety and envi-

ronmental stewardship unsurpassed in the industry. 

8

Arch Coal, Inc. 2003 Annual Report

         
A RC H   H A S   T H E   F I N A N C I A L   W H E R E W I T H A L   T O   G ROW.

We boast exciting opportunities for expansion.

ACI

We plan to build on this superb position in the years ahead,

surface mine. In the Powder River Basin, our idle Coal Creek

and we have the financial wherewithal to do so. Since the end

mine has much of the infrastructure already in place to support

of 2000, Arch has reduced its total debt as a percentage of total

capitalization  by  33  points,  to  roughly  51%  at  year-end.

In addition, we have more than $200 million of cash on hand

$1,370

that can fund future growth. 

an 18-million-ton-per-year surface

mine as demand for such coal grows.

Furthermore,  we  will  consider

reserve  additions  and  acquisitions

We expect much of that growth to be organic. Arch’s 2.9-billion-

$706

that  will  complement  Arch’s

ton  reserve  base  creates  exciting  opportunities  for  expansion.

In fact,  Arch  boasts  two  properties  that  rank  among  the 

industry’s  very  best  inactive  reserve  blocks —one  in  the  East

and one in the West. In southern West Virginia, we have more

than  100 million  tons  of  contiguous  reserves  that  we  are 

currently seeking to permit. In time, we expect these reserves

to support a highly efficient longwall operation and a low-cost

1998

2003 

T O TA L   D E B T  

( I N   M I L L I O N S )

already strong positions in our core

operating  regions.  In  2003,  Arch

made  just  such  an  acquisition  in

southern  West  Virginia,  adding 

49 million tons of reserves adjacent

to the Campbells Creek operation.

Arch Coal, Inc. 2003 Annual Report

9

        
A RC H   I S   A   C A R E F U L   S T E WA R D   O F   T H E   L A N D .

We operate some of the industry’s safest mines. 

Arch  has  made  excellence  in  safety  and  environmental 

When  mining  is  complete,  Arch  seeks  to  make  former  mine

stewardship an organizational hallmark. In fact, we regard such

lands  into  assets  for  the  communities  in  which  we  operate. 

excellence  as  the  foundation  of  our  future  success.  Year  after

At present, former Arch mine lands support an 18-hole cham-

year,  Arch’s  operating  subsidiaries  rank  in  the  industry’s

pionship golf course, a wood products manufacturing facility,

upper echelon  of  performance  in  these  key  areas.  In  2003,

a large recreational lake, a fish hatchery and a new addition to

our safety  record  was  more  than  50%  better  than  the  coal

a state park. On other former mine sites, we have planted well

industry average.

A

rch has also received recognition for reclaiming the land

to a natural and productive state after mining. For the

third year in a row, an Arch subsidiary was honored with the

over a million trees and created more than 200 acres of wet-

lands  that  are  a  boon  to  diverse  wildlife  populations.  At  our

western mines, reclaimed lands support large herds of elk, mule

deer and pronghorn antelope. 

state of West Virginia’s top reclamation award in 2003. Other

In  the  years  ahead,  Arch  will  continue  to  apply  the  most

subsidiaries claimed impressive environmental honors as well,

advanced  reclamation  techniques  as  we  seek  to  transform

including  the  Wetlands  West  Virginia  Award  from  Ducks

mined lands into valuable resources for future generations.

Unlimited, and two awards for reclamation excellence from the

National Association of State Land Reclamationists.

10

Arch Coal, Inc. 2003 Annual Report

       
F I N A N C I A L   S U M M A RY

Tons sold
Revenues
Income from operations
Earnings (loss) per common share

2 0 0 3

100.6
1,435.5
40.4
.19

2 0 0 2

106.7
1,473.6
29.3
(.05)

Total debt
Debt to total capitalization

At 12/31/03

At 12/31/02

$706.4
50.7%

$747.3
58.3%

Note: In millions, except share data and debt to total capitalization; does not include tonnage or revenues from
65%-owned Canyon Fuel Company

F I N A N C I A L   S U M M A RY   A N D

I N D U S T RY   DATA

F U E L   S H A R E S   F O R   E L E C T R I C   G E N E R AT I O N

C O M P E T I N G   F U E L   P R I C E S

Coal is the dominant fuel source for
electric generation in the United States.

Coal is the lowest-cost source for additional electrons. 

2% Renewables

3% Oil

7% Hydroelectric

17% Natural Gas

20% Nuclear

Average generating cost in 2003

$55.42

$59.55

51% Coal

$17.66

Coal

Oil

Natural Gas

(in dollars per megawatt-hour)

Arch Coal, Inc. 2003 Annual Report

11

                  
E L E C T R I C I T Y   D E M A N D

P RO D U C T I V I T Y

The U.S. is becoming more and more 
dependent on electricity.

Arch’s productivity far exceeds the industry average.

Tons produced per employee-shift

3,848

398

347

43

35

443

1953

2003

Arch

Industry
Average 

Arch

Industry
Average 

(in billions of kilowatt-hours)

Powder River Basin

Central Appalachia

(for the twelve months ended Sept. 30, 2003)

I N D U S T RY   DATA

Sources: EEI, EIA, MSHA, Platts

U. S .   E N E RG Y   R E S O U RC E S

E A S T E R N   A N D   W E S T E R N   O P E R AT I O N S

Coal is America’s most abundant domestic fuel source. 

From Arch’s national network of mines, we can ship coal
cost-competitively to most major coal-based power plants
in the United States.

2% Crude Oil

3% Natural Gas

95% Coal

12

Arch Coal, Inc. 2003 Annual Report

                 
F R A N K   M .   B U R K E (a)*(d)
Chairman, CEO and Managing Partner,
Burke Mayborn Company, Ltd.

J A M E S   R .   B O Y D (a)(b)(c)
Chairman of the Board, Arch Coal, Inc.;
Retired Senior Vice President and 
Group Operating Officer, Ashland Inc.

BABA board  of  directors

T H O M A S   A .   L O C K H A R T (c)(d)
Member, Wyoming State
House of Representatives

S T E V E N   F .   L E E R
President and Chief Executive Officer

senior  officers

D O U G L A S   H .   H U N T (c)(d)*
Director of Acquisitions, Petro-Hunt, LLC

K E N N E T H   G .   W O O D R I N G
Executive Vice President, Mining Operations

C .   H E N R Y   B E S T E N
Senior Vice President, Strategic Development

J A M E S   L .   PA R K E R
President, Hunt Coal Corporation and
Retired President, Hunt Petroleum Corporation

R O B E R T   J .   M E S S E Y
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

J O H N   W.   E AV E S
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

S T E V E N   F .   L E E R (c)
President and Chief Executive Officer, Arch Coal, Inc.

other  officers

A .   M I C H A E L   P E R R Y (a)(b)*
Retired Chairman of the Board,
Bank One, West Virginia, N.A.

R O B E R T   G .   P O T T E R (b)(d)
Retired Chairman and CEO, Solutia Inc.

T H E O D O R E   D .   S A N D S (c)*(d)
President, HAAS Capital, LLC;
Retired Managing Director, Investment Banking,
For the Global Metals/Mining Group, Merrill Lynch and Co.

(a) Audit Committee 
(b) Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee 
(c) Finance Committee 
(d) Personnel and Compensation Committee 

*Committee Chairman 

B R A D L E Y   M .   A L L B R I T T E N
Vice President, Marketing

S H E I L A   B .   F E L D M A N
Vice President, Human Resources

R O B E R T   G .   J O N E S
Vice President — Law, General Counsel and Secretary

D AV I D   B .   P E U G H
Vice President, Business Development

L A R R Y   R .   B R O W N
Vice President and Chief Information Officer

J A M E S   E .   F L O R C Z A K
Treasurer

B E N N E T T   K .   H A T F I E L D
Vice President, Eastern Operations

J O H N   W.   L O R S O N
Controller

R O B E R T   W.   S H A N K S
Vice President, Western Operations, and 
President, Arch Western Resources, LLC

D E C K   S .   S L O N E
Vice President, Investor Relations and Public Affairs

C .   D AV I D   S T E E L E
Vice President, Tax

J O H N   Z I E G L E R ,   J R .
Director, Internal Audit

Coal is Back. We are Ready.

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Arch Coal, Inc.

One CityPlace Drive

Suite 300

St. Louis, Missouri 63141

www.archcoal.com

Coal is the source fuel for more than half the electricity Americans use each day.

Arch  Coal  is  the  nation’s  second  largest  coal  producer.  Its  core  business  is 

providing  U.S.  power  producers  with  clean-burning,  low-sulfur  coal  for  power

generation. Through mining operations in both the eastern and western United

States,  Arch  supplies  the  fuel  for  approximately  6%  of the nation’s  electricity.

The company  also  excels  at  operating  safe  mines  and  reclaiming  the  land  to  a 

natural  and  productive  state  once  mining  is  complete.  Arch  Coal  maintains  its

headquarters in St. Louis and its stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange

under the ticker symbol ACI.

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Arch Coal, Inc. 

2003 Annual Report and 2004 Proxy