The company said fourth-quarter earnings might reach last year's level of $1.02 a share.

The company is expected to report fourth-quarter earnings in the last week of March.

Without the charges, the company's fourth-quarter earnings would still have been 43 percent lower than the period a year earlier.

Before Sept. 11, we had thought fourth-quarter earnings would be down 12 percent.

The company said that fourth-quarter earnings for its financial unit were $4 million, down 50 percent from the period a year earlier.

Q. What is the best thing you can say about fourth-quarter earnings?

Along with the personnel changes, the company said its fourth-quarter earnings would be better than expected.

Helped by high oil prices, energy companies have reported fourth-quarter earnings about double their 1998 levels.

On Tuesday, the company reported a rise in its fourth-quarter earnings.

The fourth-quarter 1985 earnings were $8.1 million, or 88 cents a share.