SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION


                            WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549


                                   FORM 8-K

                                CURRENT REPORT


              Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
                             Exchange Act of 1934



Date of Report (Date earliest event reported):  January 30, 1998



                             NL INDUSTRIES, INC.
            (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)


New Jersey                            1-640                     13-5267260
(State or other                      (Commission                (IRS Employer
jurisdiction of                      File Number)               Identification
incorporation)                                                  No.)


16825 Northchase Drive, Suite 1200, Houston, Texas                    77060-2544
    (Address of principal executive offices)                          (Zip Code)


Registrant's telephone number, including area code:  (281) 423-3300


                                 Not applicable
            (Former name or address, if changed since last report)







Item 2.     Acquisition or Disposition of Assets

            On  January  30,  1998 the  Company  completed  the  disposition  of
            substantially all of the net assets of its Rheox specialty  chemical
            operations  to  Elementis  plc, a U.K.-based  corporation,  for $465
            million cash  consideration,  including $20 million  attributed to a
            five-year covenant not to compete. The Company used a portion of the
            net  proceeds  to repay  and  terminate  Rheox's  U.S.  bank  credit
            facilities.

Item 7.     Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits

            (b)  Pro forma financial information

                 Pro forma condensed  consolidated  financial  statements of the
                 Registrant,   which  present  the  pro  forma  effects  of  the
                 transactions   described  in  Item  2  above,   assuming   such
                 transactions  had  occurred  as of the  dates  set forth in the
                 accompanying notes, are included herein as Exhibit 99.1.

            (c)  Exhibit

                 Item No.            Exhibit Index

                 99.1      Pro forma financial information of the Registrant.

                                  * * * * *

                                  SIGNATURE

            Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the  Registrant  has duly  caused  this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

                               NL INDUSTRIES, INC.
                               (Registrant)


                               /s/ Dennis G. Newkirk
                               Dennis G. Newkirk
                               Vice President & Controller

Dated:  February 13, 1998





                                                                    Exhibit 99.1

                       NL INDUSTRIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

             INDEX TO PRO FORMA CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS




                                                                         Page
                                                                       ---------
     Pro Forma Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet -
         September 30, 1997                                             F-2/F-3

     Notes to Pro Forma Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet              F-4

     Pro Forma Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations -
         Nine months ended September 30, 1997                             F-5

     Pro Forma Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations -
         Year ended December 31, 1996                                     F-6

     Notes to Pro Forma Condensed Consolidated Statements of
         Operations                                                       F-7





     These pro forma condensed  consolidated financial statements should be read
     in conjunction with the historical  consolidated financial statements of NL
     Industries,  Inc. The pro forma condensed consolidated financial statements
     are not  necessarily  indicative  of the Company's  consolidated  financial
     position or results of continuing operations as they may be in the future.

















                                          F-1




         NL INDUSTRIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

     PRO FORMA CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET

                  September 30, 1997
                      (Unaudited)

                     (In millions)

Pro forma adjustments -------------------------------- ASSETS Historical (I) (II) (III) Pro forma ---------- --------- --------- --------- ---------- Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 102.2 $318.1 $20.0 ($125.3) $ 315.0 Accounts and notes receivable 160.6 (23.8) - - 136.8 Inventories 172.3 (18.5) - - 153.8 Other 12.6 (1.2) - - 11.4 --------- ------- ------ -------- --------- 447.7 274.6 20.0 (125.3) 617.0 --------- ------- ------ -------- --------- Other assets: Marketable securities 31.1 - - - 31.1 Investment in joint ventures 175.4 (2.1) - - 173.3 Other 45.1 (1.6) - - 43.5 --------- ------- ------ -------- --------- 251.6 (3.7) - - 247.9 --------- ------- ------ -------- --------- Property and equipment, net 423.9 (29.9) - - 394.0 --------- ------- ------ -------- --------- $1,123.2 $241.0 $20.0 ($125.3) $1,258.9 ========= ======= ====== ======== =========
F-2 NL INDUSTRIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES PRO FORMA CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET (CONTINUED) September 30, 1997 (Unaudited) (In millions)
Pro forma adjustments --------------------------------- ---------- LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY (DEFICIT) Historical (I) (II) (III) Pro forma ---------- --------- --------- --------- ---------- Current liabilities: Notes payable & current long-term debt $ 78.7 $ - $ - ( $15.1) $ 63.6 Accounts payable & accrued liabilities 165.8 (12.8) - - 153.0 Other 19.6 - 4.0 - 23.6 --------- ------- ------- -------- --------- 264.1 (12.8) 4.0 (15.1) 240.2 --------- ------- ------- -------- --------- Noncurrent liabilities: Long-term debt 694.6 - - (110.2) 584.4 Deferred income taxes 139.5 (3.6) - - 135.9 Other 253.4 (0.7) 16.0 - 268.7 --------- ------- ------- -------- --------- 1,087.5 (4.3) 16.0 (110.2) 989.0 --------- ------- ------- -------- --------- Minority interest 0.3 - - - 0.3 --------- ------- ------- -------- --------- Shareholders' equity (deficit): Common stock and paid-in capital 767.6 - - - 767.6 Accumulated deficit (509.7) 256.2 - - (253.5) Adjustments (120.9) 1.9 - - (119.0) Treasury stock (365.7) - - - (365.7) --------- ------- ------- -------- --------- (228.7) 258.1 - - 29.4 --------- ------- ------- -------- --------- $1,123.2 $241.0 $ 20.0 ($125.3) $1,258.9 ========= ======= ======= ======== =========
See accompanying notes to pro forma condensed consolidated balance sheet. F-3 NL INDUSTRIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES NOTES TO PRO FORMA CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET (Unaudited) Note 1 - Basis of presentation: The Pro Forma Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet assumes the following transactions, more fully described in Item 2 of this Current Report on Form 8-K dated February 13, 1998, occurred on September 30, 1997: I - The Company sells substantially all of Rheox's specialty chemical net assets, excluding debt, for $445 million cash consideration. II - The Company agrees with the purchaser not to compete in the rheological products business for a period of five years for $20 million cash consideration. III - Rheox repays and terminates its U.S. bank indebtedness. Note 2 - Pro forma adjustments: I - Reflect the sale of substantially all of Rheox's net assets as follows:
Amount ------------ (In millions) Aggregate cash consideration, net of estimated fees and expenses of $10 million $435.0 ------- Carrying value of assets sold and liabilities assumed: Cash and cash equivalents 6.9 Receivables 23.8 Inventories 18.5 Prepaid expenses 0.7 Investment in joint ventures 2.1 Other assets 1.3 Net property, plant and equipment 29.9 Accounts payable & accrued liabilities (12.8) Other noncurrent liabilities (0.7) Foreign currency translation component of equity 1.9 ------- 71.6 ------- Pre-tax gain 363.4 Income tax expense 107.2 ------- Net-of-tax gain $256.2 =======
The Company's actual net-of-tax gain on the sale Rheox's net assets will differ from the amount shown above because of, among other things, (a) differences in the net carrying value of the assets sold and liabilities assumed and (b) differences in income tax expense resulting from different tax law limitations in the period the sale actually occurred. II - Reflect the Company's agreement not to compete with the purchaser. The $20 million consideration will be amortized over the five-year non-compete period. III - Reflect repayment of Rheox's U.S. bank indebtedness. F-4 NL INDUSTRIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES PRO FORMA CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS Nine months ended September 30, 1997 (Unaudited) (In millions, except per share data)
Pro forma adjustments --------------------- Historical (I) (II) Pro forma ---------- --------- --------- --------- Revenues and other income: Net sales $740.4 ($111.3) $ - $629.1 Other, net 11.7 - 3.0 14.7 ------- -------- ------- ------- 752.1 (111.3) 3.0 643.8 ------- -------- ------- ------- Costs and expenses: Cost of sales 557.4 (55.1) - 502.3 Selling, general and administrative 152.7 (22.1) - 130.6 Interest 57.9 (8.7) - 49.2 ------- -------- ------- ------- 768.0 (85.9) - 682.1 ------- -------- ------- ------- Loss before income taxes (15.9) (25.4) 3.0 (38.3) Income tax expense (benefit) 7.8 (9.5) - (1.7) ------- -------- ------- ------- Loss from continuing operations ($23.7) ($15.9) $3.0 ($36.6) ======= ======== ======= ======= Loss from continuing operations per basic share ($0.46) ($0.72) ======= ======= Weighted average common shares outstanding 51.1 51.1 ======= =======
See accompanying notes to pro forma condensed consolidated statements of operations. F-5 NL INDUSTRIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES PRO FORMA CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS Year ended December 31, 1996 (Unaudited) (In millions, except per share data)
Pro forma adjustments --------------------- Historical (I) (II) Pro forma ---------- --------- --------- --------- Revenues and other income: Net sales $ 986.1 ($134.9) $ - $851.2 Other, net 30.4 (2.8) 4.0 31.6 --------- -------- ------- ------- 1,016.5 (137.7) 4.0 882.8 --------- -------- ------- ------- Costs and expenses: Cost of sales 738.4 (69.8) - 668.6 Selling, general and administrative 177.5 (26.3) - 151.2 Interest 75.0 (5.8) - 69.2 --------- -------- ------- ------- 990.9 (101.9) - 889.0 --------- -------- ------- ------- Income (loss) before income taxes 25.6 (35.8) 4.0 (6.2) Income tax expense (benefit) 14.8 (13.3) - 1.5 --------- -------- ------- ------- Income (loss) from continuing operations $ 10.8 ($22.5) $ 4.0 ($ 7.7) ========= ======== ======= ======= Income (loss) from continuing operations per basic share $0.21 ($0.15) ========= ======= Weighted average common shares outstanding 51.1 51.1 ========= =======
See accompanying notes to pro forma condensed consolidated statements of operations. F-6 NL INDUSTRIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES NOTES TO PRO FORMA CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (Unaudited) Note 1 - Basis of presentation: The Pro Forma Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations assume the disposition of the Company's specialty chemical operations, more fully described in Item 2 of this Current Report on Form 8-K dated February 13, 1998, occurred as of the beginning of 1996. Note 2 - Pro forma adjustments: I - Eliminate Rheox's historical results of operations included in the Company's consolidated statements of operations. In future filings, the Company will report Rheox's results of operations through the date of disposal as discontinued operations. II - Record amortization of the deferred income related to the Company's agreement not to compete. There is no adjustment of income tax expense since the incremental income only results in a reduction of a loss for which no income tax benefit was previously recognized. F-7