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

DATE: FRIDAY, February 24, 1995                   TAG: 9502240091
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: A7   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

REPORTED EARNINGS

American Safety Razor Co., Verona maker of private-label shaving blades and razors, bar soap and other personal and foot-care items, reported 1994 net income of $11.3 million, or 94 cents per share, on sales of $192.6 million, compared with year-earlier $3.6 million, or 34 cents, on sales of $158.1 million. Fourth-quarter net income was $3.4 million, or 28 cents, on sales of $52.1 million, compared with $2 million, or 17 cents, on sales of $39.8 million.

Hechinger

Hechinger Co., Landover, Md.-based hardware chain with a store in Roanoke that it has announced it will close, reported a net loss of $9.9 million, equal to 24 cents per share, on sales of $2.45 billion for its fiscal year ended Jan. 28, compared with year-earlier net earnings of $24.8 million, or 59 cents per share, on sales of $2.09 billion. The fourth-quarter net loss was $39.2 million, equal to 93 cents per share, on sales of $532.5 million, compared with earnings of $1.2 million, or 3 cents, on sales of $482.3 million. In the quarter, Hechinger recorded a charge of $40.8 million to close 18 stores.

Kellwood

Kellwood Co., St. Louis apparel, camping goods and home textiles company and parent of Halmode Apparel Co. of Roanoke, reported a net loss of $2 million, equal to 9 cents per share, on sales of $291.5 million for its third quarter ended Jan. 31, compared with year-earlier earnings of $3.5 million, or 17 cents per share, on sales of $251.6 million. For nine months, earnings were $19.8 million, or 94 cents, on sales of $968.5 million, compared with $24.1 million, or $1.16, on sales of $892.1 million.

J.C. Penney

J.C. Penney Co., Dallas-based retailer with stores in the Roanoke and New River valleys, reported net income of $1.06 billion, or $4.05 per share, on sales of $20.38 billion for its fiscal year ended Jan. 28, compared with year-earlier $940 million, or $3.53, on sales of $18.98 billion. Fourth-quarter net income was $428 million, or $1.66 per share, on sales of $6.64 billion, compared with $437 million, or $1.64, on sales of $6.32 billion.

Westvaco

Westvaco Corp., New York maker of paper, packaging and chemicals with a bleached-board division in Covington, reported net income of $49 million, or 73 cents per share, on sales of $742 million for its first quarter ended Jan. 31, compared with year-earlier $15.8 million, or 24 cents, on sales of $577 million.