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

DATE: FRIDAY, August 20, 1993                   TAG: 9308200045
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: A-9   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

REPORTED EARNINGS

Hechinger Co. on Thursday reported second-quarter net earnings of $17.9 million, or 41 cents per share, up 16 percent from $15.5 million, or 36 cents per share, in the 1992 quarter. Sales were $609.2 million, up 11 percent from $549.7 million. Comparable-store sales rose 4 percent.

For the first half, net earnings were $21.1 million, or 50 cents per share, compared with a net loss of $35.6 million, or 85 cents per share, in the 1992 period. Sales were $1.09 billion, up 10 percent from $989.5 million. Comparable-store sales rose 1 percent.

Smithfield Foods

Smithfield Foods Inc. on Thursday reported a net loss of $369,000, or 3 cents per share, in the first quarter of fiscal 1994, compared to net income of $2.7 million, or 17 cents per share, in the year-earlier quarter. Net income for the 1993 quarter was retroactively restated to include income of $1.1 million, or 7 cents per share, reflecting an income-tax accounting change. Sales rose to $299.2 million from $228.3 million.