Evening star., 1948-08-16
Sharp Rise in Profits
Noted in Bread, Dairy
And Soap Industries
BY the Associoted Press

Bread, dairy and soap manufac.
.turers showed substantial increases
In rates of return on stockholders
investments. in a Federal Trade
Commission study release yesterday
Several industries more than doubled
their rates.
The report compared 1s47 with
prewar 1910 In all, Is industries
were covered, representing 50s
manufacturers. Firms were no,
Identified by name.
In 20 OF the rs industries, the ad.
vance in rates of return after take.
was moderate to very substantial,
the report said. Other figures:
In the bread industry, with II
corporations represented in tn,
study, the rate of return in l94(
was So per cent; in 1947 it was 15.5
Rayon Industry Increases.
For II dairy products manufac.
turers. the rate rose from 9.5 pei
cent to 1875 per cent.
Eight cleaning and polishing soar
makers were included, showing 9
rate of IT'S per cent for the indus
try in 1910 and 24.3 in 1947.
A sharp increase was shown in
rayons. The study covered seven
makers. The 1910 rate was SO
and the 1947 rate 1874.
Petroleum refining also more than
doubled: so did biscuits and crackers
manufacturing, the motor vehicle
equipment field, paper and allied
products, and matches.
Two Industries Show Decline.
OF the 25 industries, two showed
very small increase and three a
decline. Two segments of the to-
bacco industry dropped, apparently
due in large part to great increase
In the price of the raw material
and stability in price of the product.
the FTC said.
In the third industry showing a
decline, engines and turbines, the
report said the loss for the industry
AS a whole was due to a substantial
loss in 1947 for one company. The
rate for the rest increased
The FTC said no industries were
included in the study unless the
total assets of corporations report
ing both years represented in 1910
more than so per cent of ths total
assets of the industry as a whole
In most cases coverage was more
than rs per cent, it noted. Most of
those not represented are small
enterprises. 1t said
Other Comparisons Listed.
Other comparisons in the study,
showing the industry, the number
Of corporations covered. the rate
of return after taxes in 1910 and
In 1941:
Motor vehicles, 18 firms, 17.6 in
1910 and 1875 in l947; motor
vehicle equipment, 81 firms, IL and
1913; petroleum refining. Al firms,
So and IA; carpets and rugs, 10
firms, 89 and l49; linoleum and
felt base. firms. rs and l4.9.
Primary smelling and refining
nonferrous metals, 18 firms, 81 and
14.9; blast furnaces, steel works,
rolling mills, "a firms. 81 and IL:
tires and inner tubes, 13 firms, 9.3
and Is; industrial chemicals, 80
firms, l4.4 and 176.
Paper and allied products. 104
firms. "a and 2O5; matches, 4
firms, 81 and ia; cigarettes, 8
firms, l47 and 49, cigars, 9 firms.
81 and 1872; plug, smoking and
snuff. firms, 10 and 8.
Flat glass, glassware, II firms.
1T and Is; electrical machinery
equipment and supplies. Sc firms,
l4.6 and 1877; biscuits and crackers,
s firms, 88 and 1876; engines and
turbines. IA firms, 1873 and SIS; tin
cans and other tinware. 6 firms,
"a and 1913: abrasives, asbestos and
miscellaneous nonmetalic mineral
products. is firms, 1879 and 1876;
Office and store machines and de-
,icec * firms 132 and A9