Dole Foods Reports Wider-Than-Expected Loss

Dole Food (DOL Quote) lost considerably more money in the fourth quarter than analysts were expecting, as the strong dollar abroad, high fuel prices and competitive pricing pressures, especially in the banana business, conspired to dampen the bottom line.

The fresh fruit company said it lost $7.4 million, or 13 cents a share. Dole earned $2.1 million, or 4 cents a share, in the year-ago period. Revenue for the quarter totaled $1.06 billion, down from $1.08 billion in the year-ago period. ...