New highs for Goodyear

Article Excerpt

GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER CO. $13.60 (New York symbol GT; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (330-796-2122; www.goodyear.com; Shares outstanding: 281.0 million; Market cap: $3.8 billion; No dividends paid) is the world’s largest tire maker. It operates over 60 plants in 25 countries. In the three months ended September 30, 2011, the company’s sales rose 22.1%, to a record $6.1 billion from $5.0 billion a year earlier. North American sales climbed 17.5%, to a record $2.6 billion from $2.2 billion. Sales rose 31.3% in Europe, the Middle East and Africa; 14.4% in Latin America; and 20.5% in Asia. The company earned a record $161.0 million in the quarter, or $0.66 a share, compared with a loss of $20.0 million, or $0.08 a share. The latest earnings were more than double the consensus estimate of $0.27. Goodyear gained from record sales and a shift toward higher-priced items. It also cut costs, including pension expenses. Rising costs for raw materials, especially rubber, could limit Goodyear’s earnings growth in…