Ball Corp. made $48.3 million in the fourth quarter, up from its $47.4 million profit a year earlier.
Its aerospace-and-technologies segment had operating earnings of $16.7 million in the fourth quarter, up from $15.7 million a year earlier.
The outlook for the aerospace-and-technologies segment for 2007 is “much improved” from the beginning of “a difficult 2006,” according to Ball.
Aerospace-and-technologies sales in the quarter were $166.6 million, down from $167.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2005.
For the full year, aerospace and technologies had operating earnings of $50 million, down from $54.7 million in 2005. Sales were $672.3 million, down from $694.8 million in 2005.
David Taylor, president of Ball Corp. subsidiary Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., said it was a difficult year because of “program stretch-outs and government funding moving around.” He expects margins of about 8 percent to 9 percent in the future.
Contracts, including one to build the WorldView 2 satellite for DigitalGlobe, contributed to a year-end contracted backlog of $886 million for the aerospace-and-technologies segment.
Ball Aerospace is “teed up for a very good year,” said Ball Corp. chief executive R. David Hoover.
While other aerospace companies are being acquired, selling this subsidiary would hurt the company, he said.
“This business is one of our top performers. … We like it. We’re going to grow it and make it good,” Hoover said.
Staff writer Kelly Yamanouchi can be reached at 303-954-1488 or kyamanouchi@denverpost.com.
