ConAgra, Dean: stellar third quarters

Prepared Foods, April, 1997

Spearheading the charge for the Omaha-based food company was its Refrigerated Foods segment, which garnered a 35% profit gain. Also fashioning double-digit earnings was the Frozen Foods division with 20% growth and its Grocery/Diversified products segment (12%).

Dean Foods, Franklin Park, III., announced record net earnings in the third quarter - a titanic 207% composite increase versus net earnings from like-period '96. Dean's dairy, vegetable and pickle businesses all reported significant boosts in operating earnings, the result of improved operating efficiencies, effective procurement and improved net pricing stemming from better promotional activities management.