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 OF EARLIEST EVENT REPORTED): OCTOBER 15, 2003

                              ROWAN COMPANIES, INC.
             (EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN ITS CHARTER)


                                    DELAWARE
                 (STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION OF INCORPORATION)



            1-5491                            75-0759420
   (COMMISSION FILE NUMBER )        (IRS EMPLOYER IDENTIFICATION NO.)




                             2800 POST OAK BOULEVARD
                                   SUITE 5450
                           HOUSTON, TEXAS  77056-6127
           (ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICE, INCLUDING ZIP CODE)



                                 (713) 621-7800
              (REGISTRANT'S TELEPHONE NUMBER, INCLUDING AREA CODE)






ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS

(c)  Exhibits

Exhibit
Number          Exhibit Description
------          -------------------

99          Press release of Rowan Companies, Inc. dated October 15, 2003


ITEM 9.  REGULATION FD DISCLOSURE (INFORMATION PROVIDED UNDER ITEM 12 - RESULTS
OF OPERATIONS AND FINANCIAL CONDITION).

The following information is disclosed pursuant to Item 12 - Results of
Operations and Financial Condition.  It is being furnished under Item 9 of this
Form 8-K in accordance with the interim guidance provided in SEC Release No.
33-8216.

   On October 15, 2003, Rowan Companies, Inc. issued a press release announcing
   its results for the third quarter of 2003. The press release is attached
   as Exhibit 99.



                                   SIGNATURES



     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 hereunto duly authorized.


                                ROWAN COMPANIES, INC.

                                By: /s/ E. E. THIELE
                                    -------------------------------------------
                                    E. E. Thiele,
                                    Senior Vice President - Administration
                                    and Finance and Principal Financial Officer


Dated: October 15, 2003








                                INDEX TO EXHIBITS

                               EXHIBIT DESCRIPTION




     Exhibit
     Number                  Exhibit Description
     ------                  -------------------

       99          Press release of Rowan Companies, Inc. dated October 15, 2003







                                                                      EXHIBIT 99

                                                           ROWAN COMPANIES, INC.
NEWS  RELEASE                                2800 POST OAK BOULEVARD, SUITE 5450
                                            HOUSTON, TEXAS  77056 (713) 621-7800

FOR  IMMEDIATE  RELEASE                                   October  15,  2003

HOUSTON,  TEXAS  --  ROWAN  REPORTS  IMPROVED  OPERATING  RESULTS.

     For  the  three  months  ended  September  30,  2003, Rowan Companies, Inc.
(RDC-NYSE) generated net income of $11.6 million, or $.12 per share, on revenues
of $193.9 million, compared to a net loss of $6.6 million, or $.07 per share, on
revenues  of  $158.1  million  in  the second quarter of 2003, and net income of
$10.2  million,  or  $.11  per share, on revenues of $184.2 million in the third
quarter  of  2002.

     Rowan's  offshore rig utilization was 94% during the third quarter of 2003,
versus  88%  in  the  second quarter and 93% in the year-earlier period, and our
average  offshore  day  rate  of  $49,100  increased by $9,700, or 25%, from the
second  quarter  and  by $7,200, or 17%, from the year-earlier period.  Land rig
utilization  was  72%  during  the  third  quarter  of  2003,  versus 76% in the
year-earlier  period,  and our average land rig day rate of $11,000 increased by
$300,  or  3%,  from  the  second  quarter  and  by  $1,400,  or  15%,  from the
year-earlier  period.

     Bob  Palmer, Chairman of the Board, commented, "We are pleased to return to
profitability,  but  were  disappointed  with  our  third  quarter  performance.
Unanticipated  downtime  in  our  Gulf  of  Mexico  fleet  hindered our drilling
operations  and  our manufacturing and aviation financial results were less than
we  anticipated.  Our  longer-term  outlook,  however, remains highly favorable.

     "We  believe  that  foreign  drilling  markets  will  continue  to  attract
competitive  rigs, further tightening the Gulf of Mexico jack-up market.  We are
witnessing  increasing  opportunities  abroad  for  our  own  harsh  environment
equipment.  We  expect  that our average Gulf of Mexico jack-up day rates, which
increased by 10% in the third quarter, will continue improving during the fourth
quarter, and our fleet utilization will again increase.  Of course, our optimism
is  based  upon oil and natural gas prices sufficiently high enough to encourage
exploration  and  development  drilling by our customers.  The prospects for our
manufacturing  operations  are improving as backlog more than doubled during the
third  quarter  to  just  over  $45  million,  which  is  a  five-year  high."

     Rowan  Companies,  Inc.  is  a major provider of international and domestic
offshore  contract  drilling and aviation services.  The Company also operates a
mini-steel  mill, a manufacturing facility that produces heavy equipment for the
mining,  timber  and transportation industries, and a drilling products division
that  has  designed  or  built  about  one-third  of all mobile offshore jack-up
drilling rigs, including all 23 operated by the Company.  The Company's stock is
traded  on  the  New York Stock Exchange and the Pacific Stock Exchange.  Common
Stock  trading  symbol:  RDC.  Contact:  William  C.  Provine,  Vice-President -
Investor  Relations,  713-960-7575.  Website:  www.rowancompanies.com

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This  report  contains  forward  looking  statements  within  the meaning of the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, without limitation,
statements  as  to  the  expectations,  beliefs  and  future  expected financial
performance  of  the  Company  that  are  based  on current expectations and are
subject  to  certain  risks,  trends  and  uncertainties that could cause actual
results  to  differ  materially  from those projected by the Company.  Among the
factors  that  could  cause  actual results to differ materially include oil and
natural  gas  prices,  the  level  of offshore expenditures by energy companies,
energy  demand,  the general economy, including inflation, weather conditions in
the  Company's  principal  operating  areas and environmental and other laws and
regulations.  Other  relevant  factors  have  been  disclosed  in  the Company's
filings  with  the  U.  S.  Securities  and  Exchange  Commission.

                                       -1-





                             ROWAN  COMPANIES,  INC.
                     CONDENSED  CONSOLIDATED  BALANCE  SHEET
                            Unaudited (In Thousands)


                                                           SEPTEMBER  30
                                                           -------------
                                                           2003       2002
                                                           ----       ----
               ASSETS
                                                                  
Cash and  short-term  investments                     $  50,014    $  168,294
Accounts  receivable                                    120,066       130,412
Inventories                                             199,920       158,161
Other  current  assets                                   65,446         8,726
                                                     ----------    ----------
                Total  current  assets                  435,446       465,593

Property,  plant  and  equipment  -  net              1,686,716     1,538,008
Other  assets                                            19,326        18,418
                                                     ----------    ----------
                TOTAL                             $   2,141,488  $  2,022,019
                                                     ==========    ==========

               LIABILITIES  AND  STOCKHOLDERS'  EQUITY

Current  maturities  of  long-term  debt          $      52,809  $     42,458
Other  current  liabilities                              91,065        76,434
                                                     ----------    ----------
                Total  current  liabilities             143,874       118,892

Long-term  debt                                         552,110       494,848
Other  liabilities                                      317,172       232,409
Stockholders'  equity                                 1,128,332     1,175,870
                                                     ----------    ----------
                TOTAL                             $   2,141,488  $  2,022,019
                                                     ==========    ==========

                           CONSOLIDATED   STATEMENT  OF  OPERATIONS
                    Unaudited  (In  Thousands  Except  Per  Share  Amounts)


                                         For The Three Months          For The Nine Months
                                          Ended September 30,           Ended September30,
                                      -------------------------     -----------------------
                                           2003          2002          2003          2002
                                      ------------  -----------     ---------     ---------
                                                                       
REVENUES:
  Drilling services                     $ 124,582    $ 108,483     $ 297,606     $ 265,450
  Manufacturing sales and services         27,067       28,754        86,738        92,340
  Aviation services                        42,234       46,916        98,994       112,666
                                      ------------  -----------     ---------     ---------
      Total                               193,883      184,153       483,338       470,456
                                      ------------  -----------     ---------     ---------

COSTS AND EXPENSES:
  Drilling services                        86,162       79,091       242,793       229,162
  Manufacturing sales and services         25,199       26,852        80,518        86,896
  Aviation services                        33,327       32,005        86,697        89,681
  Depreciation and amortization            21,740       20,330        62,973        57,332
  General and administrative                6,126        6,434        19,420        19,251
                                      ------------   ----------     ---------     ---------
      Total                               172,554      164,712       492,401       482,322
                                      ------------   ----------     ---------     ---------
INCOME (LOSS) FROM OPERATIONS              21,329       19,441        (9,063)      (11,866)
                                      ------------   ----------     ---------     ---------

OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE):
  Net proceeds from Gorilla V
    settlement                                                                     157,125
  Interest expense                         (5,213)      (5,255)      (14,869)      (15,479)
  Less interest capitalized                 1,004          846         3,457         3,980
  Interest income                             139          945         1,023         3,267
  Other - net                                  38           48           417           433
                                      ------------   ----------     ---------     ---------
      Other income (expense) - net         (4,032)      (3,416)       (9,972)      149,326
                                      ------------  -----------     ---------     ---------

INCOME (LOSS) BEFORE INCOME TAXES          17,297       16,025       (19,035)      137,460
  Provision (credit) for
    income taxes                            5,710        5,861        (6,816)       48,358
                                      ------------  -----------      ---------    ---------
NET INCOME (LOSS)                       $  11,587    $  10,164     $ (12,219)     $ 89,102
                                      ============  ===========     =========     =========

NET INCOME (LOSS) PER COMMON SHARE:
  Basic                                 $     .12   $      .11     $    (.13)     $    .95
                                      ============  ===========     =========     =========
  Diluted                               $     .12   $      .11     $    (.13)     $    .93
                                      ============  ===========     =========     =========
DILUTED  SHARES                            95,877       95,177        93,738        95,433
                                      ============  ===========     =========     =========

                                                                   (CONTINUED)
                                              -2-




                             ROWAN  COMPANIES,  INC.
              CONDENSED  CONSOLIDATED   STATEMENT  OF  CASH  FLOWS
                           Unaudited  (In  Thousands)


                                                               FOR  THE  NINE  MONTHS
                                                                ENDED  SEPTEMBER  30
                                                                --------------------
                                                                 2003           2002
                                                                 ----           ----
                                                                  
CASH  PROVIDED  BY  (USED  IN):
 Operations:
  Net  income  (loss)                                      $    (12,219)   $    89,102
  Adjustments  to  reconcile  net  income  (loss)
   to  net  cash  provided  by (used in) operations:
   Depreciation  and  amortization                               62,973         57,332
   Deferred  income  taxes                                       (6,727)        44,286
   Other -  net                                                  (1,585)         5,341
  Net changes in current assets and liabilities                 (45,202)      (115,329)
  Net changes in other noncurrent assets and liabilities         (1,124)          (218)
                                                              ----------     ----------
 Net  cash  provided  by  (used  in)  operations                 (3,884)        80,514
                                                              ----------     ----------

 Investing  activities:
  Property, plant and equipment additions                      (184,711)      (176,581)
  Proceeds from disposals of property, plant and equipment        6,360          4,387
                                                              ----------     ----------
 Net  cash  used  in  investing  activities                    (178,351)      (172,194)
                                                              ----------     ----------

 Financing  activities:
  Proceeds  from  borrowings                                     84,350         91,097
  Repayments  of  borrowings                                    (34,733)       (34,733)
  Proceeds from stock option and convertible debenture plans      3,876          2,188
  Payment  of  cash  dividends                                                 (23,511)
  Payments  to  acquire  treasury  stock                                       (12,056)
                                                              ----------     ----------
 Net  cash  provided  by  financing  activities                  53,493         22,985
                                                              ----------     ----------
INCREASE  (DECREASE)  IN  CASH  AND  CASH  EQUIVALENTS         (128,742)       (68,695)
CASH  AND  CASH  EQUIVALENTS,  BEGINNING  OF  PERIOD            178,756        236,989
                                                              ----------     ----------
CASH  AND  CASH  EQUIVALENTS,  END  OF  PERIOD               $   50,014     $  168,294
                                                              ==========     ==========

                                       -3-