Goodyear posts strong financial report for 3rd quarter

AKRON (Oct. 27)--Goodyear continued its financial recovery in the third quarter, reporting its highest net income for the period since 1998 and record quarterly sales.

Third quarter net income rose to $142 million for the period ended Sept. 30, compared with $38 million a year ago, the firm said. Sales grew 7 percent to $5030 million.

For the nine months, Goodyear had net profits of $279 million on sales of $14 800 million, compared with a loss of $10 million on sales of $13 500 million in the 2004 period .

The company said all its tyre business segments achieved higher operating income from the corresponding period in 2004. The results were attributed to focusing on high margin segments and introducing higher-margin products quickly.

Goodyear's Engineered Products unit, which is on the selling block, had a 20.6-percent falloff in operating income, to $27 million, although sales climbed 7.4 percent to $407 million. The company said higher manufacturing and raw material costs, and increased expenses from bad debt and freight costs cut into income.

Operating profits in the quarter more than doubled for the North American Tire business unit, to $58 million, as sales grew 5 percent to $2370 million. Unit sales were flat at 26.6 million.

The quarterly results for the other tire units are:

* European Union Tire--operating income increased 17.6 percent to $80 million, sales up 4.2 percent to $1130 million;

* Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa Tire--operating income rose 6.6 percent to $64 million, sales 14.5 percent to $394 million;

* Latin American Tire: a 20.3-percent increase in operating income to $77 million, sales up 17.7 percent to $372 million; and

* Asia/Pacific Tire: operating income rose 16.3 percent to $24 million, sales 11.6 percent to $356 million.

From Rubber & Plastics News (A Crain publication)

Press release from Goodyear

Profits, sales up for tire maker Akron Beacon Journal (country)

Goodyear 3Q Profit More Than Triples AP - Forbes (US)

TABLE-Goodyear Q3 earnings surge Reuters (US)