Brunswick Reports Gains in Sales, Earnings
Brunswick Corp.’s net sales for its third quarter ended September 30 were $1.434.6 billion, up 13% from $1.273.2 billion a year earlier. Operating earnings were $105.9 million, up 7% compared with $99.3 million in the year-ago quarter, and operating margins were down slightly to 7.4% from 7.8%.
Net earnings totaled $88.4 million, or $0.89 per diluted share, up 21% from $72.9 million, or $0.75 per diluted share, for the third quarter of 2004. The company said that net earnings and diluted earnings per share in both 2005 and 2004 benefited from lower tax provisions.
Brunswick Corp.’s Marine Engine segment, consisting of the Mercury Marine Group and Brunswick New Technologies, reported net sales of $643.4 million for its third quarter ended September 30, up 12% from $575.5 million in the year-ago quarter.
Operating earnings in the third quarter were $64.9 million, down 8% from $70.7 million, while operating margins declined to 10.1% from 12.3% for the same quarter in 2004.
Brunswick’s Boat segment – consisting of the Brunswick Boat Group, which is comprised of 19 boat brands, and other parts and accessories distribution and manufacturing businesses – reported net sales for the third quarter of $682.7 million, up 20% compared with $567.3 million in the third quarter of 2004.
Brunswick is based in Lake Forest, Ill.