B.A.T Industries PLC, the British-based parent company of Marshall Field & Co., said Wednesday its third-quarter pretax earnings increased 21 percent, to $700 million from $579 million in the year-earlier period. B.A.T, which forecast that its full-year pretax profits will rise by around 22 percent, said the increase was helped by a particularly strong performance by its financial service businesses. However, the results for the quarter were slightly below analysts` expectations. Third-quarter operating profit at constant rates of exchange rose 26 percent, to $728 million from $576 million. London-based B.A.T recently announced a restructuring plan-which includes selling its retail operations, including Marshall Field & Co.-aimed at fending off an unwanted takeover bid.
