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

DATE: THURSDAY, February 10, 1994                   TAG: 9402100073
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: B-17   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: DEARBORN, MICH.                                LENGTH: Short

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Ford Motor Co. on Wednesday posted profits for the fourth quarter and the full year in contrast to losses a year ago. Its profit of $2.5 billion for all of 1993 was its largest in four years.

Its automotive and financial operations contributed to the improvement.

Ford earned $719 million, or $1.30 a share, in the last three months of 1993, compared with a loss of $840 million, or $1.85 a share, in the same period of 1992.

The 1992 results were depressed by a $419 million restructuring charge for the automaker's European auto business.

Revenue for the quarter rose 9.4 percent to $27.8 billion from $25.4 billion a year ago. Analysts had expected Ford to earn $565 million, or $1.14 a share, in the period.

For the year, Ford's earnings amounted to $4.55 a share. In 1992, Ford lost $7.38 billion, or $15.61 a share, mostly because of a one-time charge for future retiree health-care costs.

The 1993 earnings were the best since 1989, when Ford earned $3.8 billion.

Annual revenue was $108.52 billion, up 8.3 percent from $100.13 billion.

Ford Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Alex Trotman credited employees with the strongest turnaround in Ford history.

"As economies around the world have strengthened or stabilized during the year, we've improved our profitability," he said. "Looking ahead, we're in good shape for 1994."

Ford's sales in the U.S. market continued to rise last year, and its market share grew by 0.8 percentage point to 25.5 percent.

by CNB