In Brief: Calif.'s Golden West Reports Profits Up 14%

Financial Corp. last week posted a 14% gain in third-quarter earnings, to $118 million.

The parent of World Savings said earnings per share for the quarter were up 21% from a year earlier, to $2.14. For the first nine months of 1999, they were up 15%, to $6.42. Loan originations rose 65% in the quarter, to $3.6 billion, and 49% in the nine months, to $8.5 billion.

Savings balances grew in the third quarter by $214 million, after a $484 million increase in the same quarter last year. The nine-month rise was $331 million, down from $1.9 billion in the period in 1998.

The company bought 1.4 million in the third quarter and 3.2 million in the nine months. In July, Golden West's board authorized the purchase of or 2.75 million shares -- 5% of the total outstanding then. By Sept. 30, 2.2 million shares whose repurchase had been authorized were still in other hands.

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