3Q prediction

The results are (almost) in. Martin Marietta anticipates a great third quarter. The company says it expects third-quarter earnings to be in a range from $1.61 to $1.66 per diluted share. The company previously had projected that it would record third-quarter 2005 earnings per diluted share in a range of $1.20 to $1.35. The company attributes the earnings increase to strong aggregates pricing, solid volume and good cost management. Those factors, the company believes, will more than compensate for rising fuel costs and the negative impact of hurricanes Katrina and Rita on the firm's operations. Look for the other publicly traded companies to follow suit. Your comment?