Ralston|NNP Purina|NNP Co.|NN reported|VBD a|DT 47|CD %|NN decline|NN in|IN fourth-quarter|JJ earnings|NNS ,|, reflecting|VBG restructuring|NN costs|NNS as|RB well|RB as|IN a|DT more|RBR difficult|JJ pet|NN food|NN market|NN .|. 

The|DT St.|NN Louis|NNP company|NN earned|VBD $45.2|NN million|CD ,|, or|CC 65|CD cents|NNS a|DT share|NN ,|, compared|VBN with|IN $84.9|NN million|CD ,|, or|CC $1.24|NN a|DT share|NN ,|, a|DT year|NN earlier|RBR .|. 
Sales|NNS in|IN the|DT latest|JJS period|NN were|VBD $1.76|NN billion|CD ,|, a|DT 13|CD %|NN increase|NN from|IN last|JJ year|NN 's|POS $1.55|NN billion|CD .|. 

For|IN the|DT year|NN ended|VBN Sept|NNP .|. 30|CD ,|, Ralston|NNP earned|VBD $422.5|NN million|CD ,|, or|CC $6.44|NN a|DT share|NN ,|, up|RB 8.9|CD %|NN from|IN $387.8|NN million|CD ,|, or|CC $5.63|NN a|DT share|NN .|. 
This|DT year|NN 's|POS results|NNS included|VBD a|DT gain|NN of|IN $70.2|NN million|CD on|IN the|DT disposal|NN of|IN seafood|NN operations|NNS .|. 
Sales|NNS for|IN the|DT full|JJ year|NN were|VBD $6.6|NN billion|CD ,|, up|RB 13|CD %|NN from|IN $5.8|NN billion|CD .|. 

Ralston|NNP said|VBD its|PRP$ restructuring|NN costs|NNS include|VBP the|DT phase-out|NN of|IN a|DT battery|NN facility|NN in|IN Greenville|NNP ,|, N.C.|NN ,|, the|DT recent|JJ closing|NN of|IN a|DT Hostess|NNP cake|NN bakery|NN in|IN Cincinnati|NNP and|CC a|DT reduction|NN in|IN staff|NN throughout|IN the|DT company|NN .|. 
The|DT battery|NN plant|NN ,|, which|WDT makes|VBZ rechargeable|JJ nickel|NN cadmium|NN and|CC carbon|NN zinc|NN products|NNS ,|, will|MD be|VB closed|VBN over|IN the|DT next|JJ year|NN or|CC so|RB ,|, a|DT spokesman|NN said|VBD .|. 

Ralston|NNP attributed|VBD its|PRP$ fourth-quarter|JJ slump|NN partly|RB to|TO higher|JJR costs|NNS of|IN ingredients|NNS in|IN the|DT pet|NN food|NN business|NN as|RB well|RB as|IN competitive|JJ pressures|NNS ,|, which|WDT required|VBD higher|JJR advertising|NN spending|NN .|. 
For|IN the|DT year|NN ,|, pet|NN food|NN volume|NN was|VBD flat|JJ ,|, the|DT company|NN said|VBD .|. 

Its|PRP$ cereal|NN division|NN realized|VBD higher|JJR operating|NN profit|NN on|IN volume|NN increases|NNS ,|, but|CC also|RB spent|VBD more|RBR on|IN promotion|NN .|. 
The|DT Continental|NNP Baking|NNP business|NN benefited|VBD from|IN higher|JJR margins|NNS on|IN bread|NN and|CC on|IN increased|VBN cake|NN sales|NNS ,|, it|PRP added|VBD .|. 

Ralston|NNP said|VBD its|PRP$ Eveready|NNP battery|NN unit|NN was|VBD hurt|VBN by|IN continuing|VBG economic|JJ problems|NNS in|IN South|NNP America|NNP .|. 

Ralston|NNP shares|NNS closed|VBD yesterday|NN at|IN $80.50|NN ,|, off|IN $1|NN ,|, in|IN New|NNP York|NNP Stock|NNP Exchange|NNP composite|JJ trading|NN .|. 

