Tlc Beatrice Posts Small Profit For Quarter

Food distributor TLC Beatrice International Holdings Inc., the nation’s largest black-owned business, on Tuesday reported a small profit in the fourth quarter compared with a year-earlier loss.

TLC Beatrice said it earned $117,000, or 1 cent a share, in the quarter ended Dec. 31, vs. a loss of $4.1 million a year ago.

Sales in the fourth quarter increased to $526.5 million from $412.2 million.

The company credited cost reductions and favorable foreign exchange rates for the turnaround.