Ampal-American Israel Corporation Reports Third Quarter 2009 Financial Results

Ampal-American Israel Corporation (Nasdaq:AMPL), a holding company with experience in acquiring interests in various businesses with emphasis in recent years on energy and related fields, today announced financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2009.

For the quarter ended September 30, 2009, revenues were $102.9 million, compared to revenues of $145.7 million for the corresponding period of 2008.

Net loss for the quarter was ($18.1) million, or ($0.32) per basic and diluted share compared to a net loss of ($12.6) million, or ($0.22) per basic and diluted share, for the corresponding period in 2008.

The Company also noted that for the nine month period ended September 30, 2009, revenues were $296.1 million compared to revenues of $427.8 million for the corresponding period of 2008.

Net loss for the nine month period was ($19) million, or ($0.34) per basic and diluted share compared to a net loss of ($40.3) million, or ($0.70) per basic and diluted share, for the corresponding period in 2008.

As of September 30, 2009, the Company had cash, cash equivalents, other financial investments and deposits of $137.2 million. Ampal ended the quarter with total assets of $920.3 million and shareholders' equity of $223.2 million, as compared to total assets of $935.9 million and shareholders' equity of $240.1 million at December 31, 2008.

Mr. Yosef Maiman, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Ampal said, “The loss in the third quarter of 2009 is mainly attributed to the devaluation of the New Israeli Shekel against the US Dollar, the increase in the Israeli Consumer Price Index as well as interest expenses."

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (In thousands, except earnings per share)
				Â
	Nine Months Ended September 30, (Unaudited)				Three Months Ended September 30, (Unaudited)
	2009	Â	2008		2009	Â	2008
Revenues	$296,082		$427,779		$102,945		$145,724
Net loss	($19,041)		($40,287)		($18,131)		($12,642)
Basic EPS loss per Class A share	($0.34)		($0.70)		($0.32)		($0.22)
					Â
	September 30, 2009				December 31, 2008
Total Assets	$920,287				$935,917
Shareholders' Equity	$223,193				$240,095

About Ampal:

Ampal and its subsidiaries acquire interests primarily in businesses located in the State of Israel or that are Israel-related. The Company is seeking opportunistic situations in a variety of industries, with a focus on energy and related sectors. The Company's goal is to develop or acquire majority interests in businesses that are profitable and generate significant free cash flow that Ampal can control. For more information about Ampal please visit our web site at www.ampal.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

Certain information in this press release includes forward-looking statements (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) and information relating to Ampal that are based on the beliefs of management of Ampal as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to the management of Ampal. When used in this press release, the words "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "plan," and similar expressions as they relate to Ampal or Ampal's management, identify forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect the current views of Ampal with respect to future events or future financial performance of Ampal, the outcome of which is subject to certain risks and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by the forward-looking statements, including among others, the economic and political conditions in Israel, the Middle East, including the situation in Iraq, and the global business and economic conditions in the different sectors and markets where Ampal's portfolio companies operate. Should any of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results or outcome may vary from those described herein as anticipated, believed, estimated, expected, intended or planned. Subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to Ampal or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements in this paragraph. Please refer to the Ampal's annual, quarterly and periodic reports on file with the SEC for a more detailed discussion of these and other risks that could cause results to differ materially. Ampal assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements.

Contacts:

AMPAL-AMERICAN ISRAEL CORPORATION
Irit Eluz, CFO - SVP Finance & Treasurer, 1 866-447-8636
[e-mail]
or
KM/KCSA - Investor Relations
Roni Gavrielov, 011-972-3-516-7620
[e-mail]
or
Jeff Corbin / Marybeth Csaby, 212-896-1214 / 212-896-1236
[e-mail] / [e-mail]
or
Cohen Rimon Cohen - Public Relations
Eran Yoels, 011-972-3-608-1525 or 011-972-52-440-8020
[e-mail]