Tokyo -- Bridgestone Corp. announced Tuesday its consolidated business and financial results for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007. Bridgestone reported net profit of 131.6 billion yen ($1.22 billion) for 2007, compared to 85.1 billion yen in the same period last year. The company reported that net sales increased 13% over the previous year to 3.39 billion yen ($29.7 billion) due in part to the exchange gain on the weaker Japanese yen, while operating income increased 31%, to 249.9 billion yen ($2,189 million). In the tire segment, the companies' operating income in fiscal 2007 increased 40% over the previous year, to 195. billion yen ($1,708 million) as the companies worked to mitigate the impact of increasing raw material costs.
