Wabash National’s 3Q Loss Narrows

Trailer manufacturer Wabash National Corp. late Tuesday reported a third-quarter loss of $1.9 million, or 3 cents per share, compared with a loss of $66.4 million, or $2.23, a year ago.

Sales rose to $171 million, from $88 million a year ago, Wabash said in a statement. Its operating loss was $4.2 million, compared with a $10.2 million operating loss a year ago.

The narrowed loss “resulted from higher production volumes, as well as cost and manufacturing optimization enhancements implemented by the company throughout 2008 and 2009,” Wabash said.

The company sold 6,800 new trailer units in the quarter, compared with 3,600 a year ago and up from 5,400 in the second quarter.

While the production number was “slightly below our guidance of 7,000 to 8,000 units, customer orders and production during the quarter supported sales near the high-end of our estimate,” CEO Dick Giromini said in a statement.