Newton-based appliance maker Maytag reported a nine-million dollar net loss for 2004. Maytag C-E-O Ralph Hake reported the loss to stockholders Friday, saying floor care and vending equipment sales were down.He says the Maytag services and Maytag international businesses grew nicely and sales in major appliances were up one percent. He says the downturn came in a 25-percent drop in floor care revenues, and Dixie-Narco revenues were down 13-percent. Hake says the corporation expects to save 150-million dollars annually after the recently completed restructuring that eliminated 20-percent of the salaried workforce. He says last year was a difficult year in many respects and he says it does not reflect the efforts of the employees. Maytag is revising its earning estimate downward for this year to one dollar and ten cents to one dollar and 30 cents a share. The fourth quarter results for 2004 showed a 14-point-one million dollar loss.

Radio Iowa