Bridgestone Reports OP Increase

Bridgestone will report a 7.9 per cent rise in 2004 operating profit, Reuters has reported. This equates to operating profits of 197.7 billion yen (roughly £991 million), exceeding the company’s projection of 185 billion yen for the year ended 31 December. At the same time the company will forecast a 14 per cent drop in this year’s OP, due to pressures from higher raw material prices, the report continues. This means the company expects to achieve an operating profit of 170 billion yen in 2005.