Foreign markets a plus for these two

Article Excerpt

GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER CO. $13.34 (New York symbol GT; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (330-796-2122; www.goodyear.com; Shares outstanding: 247.0 million; Market cap: $3.4 billion; No dividends paid) is the world’s largest tire maker. The company operates over 60 plants in 25 countries. In the three months ended June 30, 2011, the company’s sales rose 24.1%, to a record $5.6 billion from $4.5 billion a year earlier. North American sales climbed 17.7%. Sales rose 33.5% in Europe, the Middle East and Africa; 21.0% in Latin America; and 36.4% in the Asia-Pacific region. Before one-time items, the company earned $0.65 a share, compared with $0.12 a share a year earlier. The latest earnings were much higher than the consensus estimate of $0.27 a share. The record sales and a shift toward higher-priced items were the main reasons for the higher earnings. The company also cut its costs, including pension expenses. Big potential in China and Brazil Recently, Goodyear said that its raw-material costs could rise as…