With a few isolated exceptions, the world's major tire makers reported measurable gains in earnings and sales in the first quarter of fiscal 2011, overcoming rising raw materials costs.

Among those reporting lower earnings for the period were Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd., Cooper Tire & Rubber Co., Hankook Tire Co. Ltd. and Toyo Tire & Rubber Co. Ltd.

Bridgestone Corp. reported operating and net income gains of 55.2 and 77.6 percent, respectively, to $679.7 million and $381.1 million, despite rising raw materials prices and the negative effects of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan,

Revenue rose 6.9 percent to $8.57 billion on improved sales in all geographic regions, including a 7-percent gain in the Americas, where growth was led by a revived North American OE market and demand for ultra-high-performance and other "strategic" products.

Bridgestone's tire segment reported 64.7-percent better operating earnings of $663 million on 7.9-percent higher sales of $7.19 billion.

Group Michelin's sales grew 28.1 percent to $6.89 billion on the strength of 16.5-percent greater unit sales and a 7.7- percent improvement in the price-mix component, the company said. Michelin attributed some of the sharp volume growth to customers' buying ahead of rolling price increases.

Michelin did not disclose earnings at this time, but said it "reaffirms its objective of reporting higher operating income in 2011" over 2010 because of its pricing strategy, which should offset about 80 percent of the estimated additional costs this year attributable to higher materials costs.

Michelin's specialty businesses—OTR, farm, aircraft, motorcycle tires, etc.—led the way with a 46.8-percent increase to $1.04 billion. Truck tires and related distribution activities reported a 32.5-percent sale jump to $2.19 billion, while the consumer tire businesses achieved 21.2-percent better sales of $3.67 billion.

Goodyear posted net income of $103 million for the first quarter, compared with a net loss of $47 million in the year-earlier period, while posting record sales of $5.4 billion, up 27 percent over the 2010 period as tire unit volumes rose 7 percent to 46.8 million tires.

Goodyear's segment operating income of $327 million was up 36 percent, reflecting higher volume and an improved price/mix of $361 million, which nearly offset $385 million in higher raw materials costs.

Goodyear's North American Tire (NAT) unit posted operating earnings of $40 million, compared with a $14 million loss, as sales climbed 30 percent to $2.31 billion.

Continental A.G. achieved record sales and profits in the quarter, as both the automotive and rubber groups contributed with double-digit revenue and earnings improvements, including 28-percent growth by the tire divisions.

Conti reported net income of $502.7 million on sales of $10 billion, gains of 61.7 and 23 percent, respectively. Pre-tax operating income jumped 28 percent to $866.1 million, or 14 percent of sales, Conti said.

Conti's passenger/light truck tire business reported 15.4-percent higher pre-tax operating income of $428.8 million on 23.2-percent better sales of $2.16 billion.

The commercial vehicle tires unit's pre-tax earnings shot up nearly 65 percent to $58.2 million on 49.9-percent higher sales of $574.9 million. OE demand globally and replacement growth in North America paced the business's results.

Sumitomo suffered a 27.7-percent drop in net income despite 8.2-percent higher sales of $1.76 billion. Sumitomo's net income fell to $51.6 million, or 2.9 percent of sales, and operating income slipped 0.6 percent to $118.1 million, or 6.7 percent of sales.

The tire segment reported 17.4-percent higher operating income of $103 million on 11.4-percent better sales of $1.51 billion.

Pirelli Tyre S.p.A.'s pre-tax operating profit rose 59.6 percent on 24.7-percent higher sales, as the company's consumer and industrial businesses both contributed improved results and higher sales.

Pirelli Tyre reported $208.2 million in pre-tax operating income, after restructuring charges, on $1.89 billion in sales. Revenue growth was a mix of higher volume (6.1 percent) and an improved price/mix (15.9 percent), Pirelli said.

Pirelli's consumer tire business reported 25.9-percent growth to $1.34 billion—including 7- and 16-percent rises in North American replacement and OE sales —with the industrial business growing 21.9 percent to $548 million.

Cooper suffered a slight drop in operating income for the quarter ended March 31 due to the negative effects of higher raw materials costs, but reported 3-percent higher net income on 20.1-percent higher sales.

Operating profit fell 2.3 percent to $32.1 million, or 3.5 percent of sales, on $164 million in added raw materials outlays, the company said. These higher costs were offset by $128 million in improving price and mix benefits, as well as other gains.

Net income rose to $18.5 million, or 2 percent of sales.

Cooper's North America Tire Operations' operating income improved 58.3 percent to $21.5 million on 21.9-percent higher sales of $647.9 million.

Hankook's operating income dropped 10 percent despite 16.3-percent higher sales. Seoul-based Hankook attributed the drop in earnings, to $160.3 million, to the effects of higher raw materials prices. Revenue rose to $1.29 billion on balanced sales growth in the company's key markets—Europe, the Americas and Asia/Pacific—and on above-average growth of the firm's higher-margin ultra-high-performance (UHP) tires.

Sales jumped 29.1 percent in North America.

Nokian Tyres P.L.C.'s operating profit tripled to $98.8 million on 57.3-percent higher sales of $395.2 million. Net earnings also tripled to $85.2 million.

Sales in Russia and the former East Bloc countries more than doubled in the period and now make up more than 35 percent of Nokian's global sales. Sales in Central and Eastern Europe were up 58 and in the Nordic countries by a third. Sales in North America fell nearly 10 percent.

Carlisle Companies Inc., parent of industrial tire and wheel maker Carlisle Tire & Wheel, reported a 37.4-percent gain in net income for the quarter ended March 31 on 26.7-percent higher sales.

Carlisle's Transportation Products segment, which includes Car-lisle Tire, reported a 30.4-percent improvement in pre-tax operating income to $15 million on 10.3-percent higher sales of $189.6 million. The company attributed the gains to higher demand in all its major product lines and higher prices.

Overall, Carlisle reported net income of $33.4 million on sales of $693.6 million. Pre-tax operating income jumped 42.3 percent to $55.2 million, or 8 percent of sales.

Toyo Tire suffered an 82.6-percent drop in net earnings for the fiscal year ended March 31 as sales grew 2.2 percent to $3.44 billion.

Toyo's operating income grew 40.6 percent to $142.3 million, or 4.1 percent of sales, overcoming to a degree higher costs for raw materials throughout the year.

The tire business unit reported a 27.8-percent gain in operating income to $103.5 million on 1.1-percent higher sales, to $2.53 billion. Toyo reported higher revenue in Europe and North America, while domestic revenue was on par with the previous year.

North American revenue was up despite lower tire unit sales, Toyo said, on the effects of higher selling prices and sales of more higher-value tires.

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