About 65 percent of the 1985 U.S. cotton crop was packaged in universal density (UD) bales at the gin. Most recently built gins have UD Dresses and many older gins with annual volumes above 10,000 bales have been retrofitted. The UD bale value advantage varies widely throughout the cotton belt, and presses are available at a wide range of costs. This paper estimates the annual volumes necessary to amortize a UD press at various costs and bale value advantages under current economic conditions.