A reduced upstream pricing environment and higher energy costs affected out results this quarter. |
achieve future sustained savings and profitable growth. |
As demand for aluminum strengthens, we will capture the efficiencies generated by last year's strategic restructuring of our operations, |
As we move forward to the fourth quarter, Alcoa expects to benefit from the current strength in aluminum prices, the continued integration of our recent acquisitions, the cost-reduction program and the seasonal strength of our packaging and consumer business, |
Despite increasing softness in the construction, transportation, building, and distribution markets, as well as significantly higher energy prices, Alcoa achieved record performance as a result of rapid integration of new acquisitions and execution of its cost-cutting initiative, |
Despite significantly higher energy prices which offset more favorable metal prices, we achieved solid cost savings results from the restructuring undertaken over the last two years..., |
Earnings were up 6 percent from the first quarter, making the second quarter of 2000 Alcoa's eighth consecutive quarter of improved earnings, |
Global manufacturing weakness has persisted longer than we anticipated, ... In particular, aerospace, industrial gas turbine and telecommunication markets remained soft, reinforcing the need to increase the scope of our cost savings and restructuring initiatives. |
However, as these markets continued to decline in the third quarter, it became likely that even with our efforts, third-quarter earnings will probably fall below the 2000 second-quarter level. |
I will not mortgage the future of the company. |
If economic trends solidify, we should continue to see improving profitability over the second half of the year, even at current aluminum prices, |
It was a great quarter by any measure. We did not have significant one-time effects as we did throughout the year last year. |
Looking to the fourth quarter, we expect to continue to benefit from recent acquisitions, our cost reduction program, and the seasonal strength of our packaging and consumer business, ... However, we also expect the softness to continue in the construction, transportation, building and distribution markets and see no relief from the higher energy prices. |
Our aerospace and commercial transportation markets are particularly robust this year, and we expect overall market conditions to remain strong. |
That is the best long-term job protection we can offer all of our employees. |