Brunswick Corporations total sales for its fourth quarter ended Dec. 31, 2008 were $837.7 million, a 41.7% drop from last year's sales of $1.44 billion. The company said this drop was primarily the result of marine sales that had dropped 49.7% as weakness in the global marine marketplace accelerated during the quarter.
The Fitness segment, saw sales in the fourth quarter of 2008 totaled $171.8 million, down 20% from $214.5 million in the year-ago quarter. Operating earnings declined 21.0% to $25.6 million from $32.4 million. The segment recorded $1.2 million in restructuring charges during the fourth quarter of 2008. For the year, the Fitness segment reported net sales of $639.5 million, down 2.2% with operating income declining 12.6% to $52.2 million.
Commercial equipment sales, which account for the largest percentage of Fitness segment sales, declined double-digits in the quarter as gym and fitness club operators were cautious about ordering equipment in the final months of the year. Consumer sales also were down double-digits year-over-year, reflecting the effects of the weakening economy.
Bowling & Billiards net sales declined 8.2% to $113.2 million for the fourth quarter from $123.3 million last year. However, operating income for the division jumped 49.5% to $16.6 million from $11.1 million last year. For the quarter, a mid-single-digit increase in bowling product sales partially offset lower sales in billiards and a mid-singles decline at retail bowling centers.
