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

DATE: THURSDAY, November 17, 1994                   TAG: 9411170114
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: B6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

REPORTED EARNINGS

Hechinger Co., Landover, Md., home center retailer, reported net earnings of $3.3 million, or 8 cents per share, on sales of $633.9 million for its third quarter ended Oct. 29, compared with year-earlier $2.4 million, or 6 cents per share, on sales of $524.3 million. For the nine months, earnings were $29.3 million, or 69 cents per share, on sales of $1.92 billion, compared with $23.5 million, or 56 cents, on sales of $1.61 billion.

Hills Stores Co.

Hills Stores Co., Canton, Mass., discount retailer, reported net earnings of $12.9 million, or 91 cents per share, on sales of $457.2 million for its third quarter ended Oct. 29, compared with year-earlier $4 million, or 29 cents, on sales of $145,7 million.

Lowe's Cos.

Lowe's Cos. Inc., North Wilkesboro, N.C., home center retailer, reported net earnings of $54.2 million, or 34 cents per share, on sales of $1.58 billion in its third quarter ended Oct. 31, compared with year-earlier $31.6 million, or 21 cents per share, on sales of $1.16 billion. For the nine months, earnings were $177.3 million, or $1.11 per share, on sales of $4.62 billion, compared with $106.5 million, or 71 cents, on $3.39 billion.

Westmoreland Coal

Westmoreland Coal Co., Philadelphia coal marketer with operations in Western Virginia, reported a third-quarter net loss of $704,000, equal to 10 cents per share, on revenues of $96.8 million, compared with a year-earlier net loss of $3.9 million, equal to 57 cents per share, on revenue of $117.3 million. For the nine months, the net loss was $8.4 million, equal to $1.21 per share, on revenue of $304.7 million, compared with a loss of $9 million, equal to $1.30 per share, on revenue of $343.2 million.