Sales were $717.2 million in the fourth quarter, up 10.6
percent from $648.4 million a year ago. Diebold earned slightly under $184
million, or $2.54 per share, on sales of $2.38 billion, up 12.9 percent from
2003.
The Thomson First Call surveyed analysts’ expectation was
$2.56 per share for the year. Diebold earned $174.8 million, or $2.40 per
share, in 2003 as sales reached $2.1 billion.
Diebold earnings were posted Wednesday before the market
opened. Diebold shares fell $1.10, or 2 percent, to $52.26 in early trading on
the New York Stock Exchange.
