These problems are expected to continue to hurt earnings in the near future, the company said.

The company said the deal was expected to hurt earnings slightly next year but increase them after that.

He said the company's introduction of a new mainframe computer would hurt earnings.

All told, the combined charges hurt operating earnings by $105.4 million, or about 18 cents a share.

"But Asia really doesn't start hurting earnings until the first and second quarter of 1998."

But that would probably hurt earnings in the short run.

But stock traders concluded it was growing too slowly and could hurt earnings.

To build those reserves to adequate levels will hurt future earnings, they say.

The cellular unit's costs and expenses rose 32 percent, to $157.3 million, hurting earnings.

He predicted that Kraft would not hurt earnings at all next year.