LITTLE ROCK — Deltic Timber profit up in second quarter
Deltic Timber Corp. reported after the stock markets closed Wednesday that second-quarter net income totaled $3.5 million, or 28 cents per share, compared with $2 million, or 16 cents per share, a year ago. Net sales were $37.1 million compared with $32.3 million in the second quarter of 2011.
The El Dorado-based company attributed the increases to its Deltic Mills segment, which it said benefited from higher lumber prices and sales volumes compared with the same quarter in 2011.
However, the company reported decreases in its real estate and woodlands segments because of a lack of acreage sales, declines in saw-timber harvests and per-ton sales prices, as well lower sales of hardwood timberland used for recreation.
President and Chief Executive Officer Ray Dillon called the second-quarter results “encouraging” in a “difficult operating environment.”
Meeting set Aug. 7
for cattle ranchers
Cattle ranchers in north central Arkansas will have the chance to discuss strategies for managing their herds and farms in the midst of an ongoing drought at a meeting at 6 p.m. Aug. 7 in Quitman.
The drought that’s struck Arkansas and other states has dried up pastures, forcing many ranchers to sell their herds as feed and hay costs jumped.
Topics at the meeting will include tax advice for livestock producers facing herd reduction; grazing techniques to increase drought tolerance; forage utilization; alternative water supplies and foodstuffs; and developing and managing winter annuals for grazing.
There is no cost or preregistration needed to attend the meeting, which will be in the Quitman High School cafeteria, 6275 Heber Springs Road West.
More information is available by contacting extension offices in Cleburne County at (501) 362-2524, Faulkner County at (501) 329-8344, Stone County at (870) 269-3336 or Van Buren County at (501) 745-7117.
Arkansas Index rises as 7 stocks advance
The Arkansas Index, a price-weighted index that tracks the largest public companies based in the state, rose 0.43 to 226.82 on Wednesday.
“The Arkansas Index rose slightly as seven stocks advanced and nine declined,” said John Blackwell, senior vice president and managing director of equity trading at Stephens Inc. in Little Rock.
USA Truck traded at another 52-week low of $4.22 before closing down 3.6 percent at $4.23.
First Federal Bancshares gained 3.3 percent in light trading.
The index was developed by Bloomberg News and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette with a base value of 100 as of Dec. 30, 1997.
Business, Pages 25 on 07/26/2012