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Non-Tech : DEATHcare Stocks-Grim Reaper of Profits? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: HairyWho? who wrote (73)	1/13/1998 2:48:00 PM
From: HairyWho?	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 114

Hillenbrand posts record Q4 earnings (Nice!) BATESVILLE, Ind., Jan 13 (Reuters) - Hillenbrand Industries Inc said Tuesday that strong growth in its health care and funeral services groups powered fourth quarter earnings to a record high. ''We are very pleased with our record fourth quarter and annual performance as the health care and funeral service groups both turned in good performances,'' said Gus Hillenbrand, president and chief executive officer. ''Successful new product introductions, add-on businesses and new products across all of our businesses continue to drive new revenue growth,'' he said. ''On the cost side of our business, our continuous improvement efforts have yielded impressive results,'' he said. ''Overall, we are optimistic about the company's growth prospects for 1998.'' Fourth quarter earnings rose to $0.67 a share from $0.56 a year earlier. In the health care group, sales increased 23.6 percent from the 1996 fourth quarter. Hillenbrand cited higher sales in acute care, sales of new products in nurse communications and long-term care, and higher capital sales in Europe. Funeral services sales grew by 5.3 percent, due largely to increased volume and success of new burial and cremation products, the company said. Shares of Hillenbrand, which makes caskets, hospital beds and other equipment, were up 1/4 at 48-3/4.