Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, May 15, 1993                   TAG: 9305150041
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: A-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

REPORTED EARNINGS

Lowe's Cos. Inc., a North Wilkesboro, N.C., building supplies chain operating Roanoke Valley stores, on Friday reported first-quarter sales of $992.1 million, up 12 percent from $883.3 million in the 1992 quarter. Comparable-store sales were $824.7 million, up 7 percent. Net earnings were $29.4 million, or 40 cents a share, up 24 percent from $23.8 million, or 33 cents a share.

Unilever

Unilever, the Anglo-Dutch parent of Elizabeth Arden Co. of Roanoke, on Friday reported first-quarter net earnings of $437 million at current exchange rates on sales of $10.68 billion, up 7 percent from $433 million on sales of $9.98 billion in the 1992 quarter. Earnings per share rose to $1.56 from the year-earlier $1.54.