COOPER TIRE & RUBBER CO
10-Q, 1998-08-12
TIRES & INNER TUBES
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                UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                           WASHINGTON, D. C.  20549
                                  FORM 10-Q


              (X) QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)
                      OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

                 For the quarterly period ended June 30, 1998

                                     OR

              ( ) TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)
                   OF THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


                          Commission File No. 1-4329




                         COOPER TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)




           DELAWARE                                          34-4297750
(State or other jurisdiction of                          (I.R.S. employer
incorporation or organization)                           identification no.)

                                                                                


                  Lima and Western Avenues, Findlay, Ohio  45840
                     (Address of principal executive offices)
                                  (Zip code)



                                (419) 423-1321
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)




Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports 
required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 
1934 during the preceding 12 months, and (2) has been subject to such filing 
requirements for the past 90 days.


                        Yes (X)              No (   )





              Number of shares of common stock of registrant outstanding
                        at July 31, 1998:  77,442,158





                                        1
<PAGE>
Part I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Item 1. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
<TABLE>
                       COOPER TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY
                   CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
         (Dollar amounts in thousands; per-share amounts in dollars)
<CAPTION>
                                                    June 30,
                                                      1998      December 31,
                                                   (Unaudited)     1997
                                                  ------------  ------------
<S>                                               <C>           <C>
ASSETS
Current assets:
  Cash and cash equivalents                      $   37,434     $   52,910
  Accounts receivable, less allowances
    of $5,503 ($4,791 in 1997)                      318,042        292,416
  Inventories at lower of cost (last-in,
    first-out) or market:
      Finished goods                                159,529        130,339
      Work in process                                20,666         22,650
      Raw materials and supplies                     29,059         38,695
                                                  ---------      ---------
                                                    209,254        191,684
  Prepaid expenses and deferred income taxes         20,426         17,602
                                                  ---------      ---------
        Total current assets                        585,156        554,612
Property, plant and equipment - net                 868,961        860,448
Intangibles and other assets                         82,428         80,896
                                                  ---------      ---------
                                                 $1,536,545     $1,495,956
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY              =========      =========
Current liabilities:
  Notes payable                                  $   11,080     $   10,820
  Accounts payable                                   84,762        100,135
  Accrued liabilities                                95,008         82,446
  Income taxes                                          367          6,477
  Current portion of debt                               272            453
                                                  ---------      ---------
        Total current liabilities                   191,489        200,331
Long-term debt                                      205,282        205,525
Postretirement benefits other than pensions         148,726        144,566
Other long-term liabilities                          38,418         38,351
Deferred income taxes                                75,643         73,608
Stockholders' equity:
  Preferred stock, $1 par value; 5,000,000 shares
    authorized; none issued                               -              -
  Common stock, $1 par value; 300,000,000 shares
    authorized; 83,777,808 shares issued
    (83,760,308 in 1997)                             83,778         83,760
  Capital in excess of par value                      3,272          3,101
  Retained earnings                                 893,166        849,270
  Cumulative currency translation adjustment          1,775          2,448
  Minimum pension liability                          (4,753)        (4,753)
                                                  ---------      ---------
                                                    977,238        933,826
  Less:  5,000,000 common shares in 
          treasury at cost                         (100,251)      (100,251)
                                                  ---------      ---------
         Total stockholders' equity                 876,987        833,575
                                                  ---------      ---------
                                                 $1,536,545     $1,495,956
<FN>                                              =========      =========
See accompanying notes.
</TABLE>

                                   2
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
                      COOPER TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY
                   CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
               THREE MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 1998 AND 1997
                             (UNAUDITED)
       (Dollar amounts in thousands; per-share amounts in dollars)

<CAPTION>
                                                 1998              1997
                                               --------          --------
<S>                                            <C>               <C>
Revenues:
  Net sales                                    $461,740          $463,993
  Other income                                      671               204
                                                -------           -------
                                                462,411           464,197
Costs and expenses:
  Cost of products sold                         378,467           379,608
  Selling, general and administrative            28,452            29,272
  Interest                                        3,764             4,961
                                                -------           -------
                                                410,683           413,841
                                                -------           -------
Income before income taxes                       51,728            50,356

Provision for income taxes                       19,392            18,850
                                                -------           -------
Net income                                       32,336            31,506

Other comprehensive income:
  Currency translation adjustment                  (889)            1,580
                                                -------           -------
Comprehensive income                           $ 31,447          $ 33,086
                                                =======           =======

Basic and diluted earnings per share               $.41              $.40
                                                    ===               ===

Weighted average number of
 shares outstanding (000's)                      78,850            78,792
                                                 ======            ======

Dividends per share                               $.095             $.085
                                                   ====              ====
<FN>

See accompanying notes.
</TABLE>


















                                   3
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
                      COOPER TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY
                   CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
                SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 1998 AND 1997
                             (UNAUDITED)
       (Dollar amounts in thousands; per-share amounts in dollars)

<CAPTION>
                                                 1998              1997
                                               --------          --------
<S>                                            <C>               <C>
Revenues:
  Net sales                                    $899,298          $843,525
  Other income                                    1,249               458
                                                -------           -------
                                                900,547           843,983
Costs and expenses:
  Cost of products sold                         741,937           695,521
  Selling, general and administrative            56,964            51,084
  Interest                                        7,613             6,652
                                                -------           -------
                                                806,514           753,257
                                                -------           -------
Income before income taxes                       94,033            90,726

Provision for income taxes                       35,172            34,070
                                                -------           -------
Net income                                       58,861            56,656

Other comprehensive income:
  Currency translation adjustment                  (673)            1,580
                                                -------           -------
Comprehensive income                           $ 58,188          $ 58,236
                                                =======           =======

Basic and diluted earnings per share               $.75              $.71
                                                    ===               ===

Weighted average number of
 shares outstanding (000's)                      78,849            79,587
                                                 ======            ======

Dividends per share                                $.19              $.17
                                                   ====              ====
<FN>

See accompanying notes.
</TABLE>


















                                   4
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
                       COOPER TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY
                   CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
                  SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 1998 AND 1997
                              (UNAUDITED)
                     (Dollar amounts in thousands)
<CAPTION>
                                                1998            1997
                                              --------        --------
<S>                                           <C>             <C>
Operating activities:
  Net income                                  $ 58,861        $ 56,656
  Adjustments to reconcile net income
   to net cash provided by
   operating activities:
     Depreciation                               49,466          44,532
     Deferred income taxes                         973           4,823
Changes in operating assets
   and liabilities:
     Accounts receivable                       (26,301)        (44,515)
     Inventories and prepaid expenses          (20,490)        (33,612)
     Accounts payable and
      accrued liabilities                       (2,659)          6,190
     Postretirement benefits
      other than pensions                        3,735           3,583
     Other                                      (6,263)        (11,835)
                                               -------         -------
       Net cash provided by 
        operating activities                    57,322          25,822
Investing activities:
  Property, plant and equipment                (58,207)        (49,927)
  Acquisition of business, net
   of cash acquired                                 -          (94,593)
  Other                                             27              10
                                               -------         -------
       Net cash used in investing
        activities                             (58,180)       (144,510)
Financing activities:
  Issuance of debt                               2,783         360,000
  Payment on debt                               (2,327)       (174,124)
  Purchase of treasury shares                        -         (54,117)
  Payment of dividends                         (14,965)        (13,457)
  Issuance of common shares                        189             573
                                               -------         -------
       Net cash provided by (used in)
        financing activities                   (14,320)        118,875

Effects of exchange rate changes on cash
  and cash equivalents                            (298)            384
                                               -------         -------

Changes in cash and cash equivalents           (15,476)            571

Cash and cash equivalents at
  beginning of year                             52,910          19,459
                                               -------         -------
Cash and cash equivalents at
  end of period                               $ 37,434        $ 20,030
                                               =======         =======
Cash payments for interest                    $  8,540        $  3,328
                                               =======         =======
Cash payments for income taxes                $ 40,552        $ 32,251
                                               =======         =======
<FN>
See accompanying notes.
</TABLE>
                                     5
<PAGE>
                     COOPER TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY

                NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

1.  The consolidated financial statements at June 30, 1998 and for the 
    three-month and six-month periods ended June 30, 1998 and 1997 are 
    unaudited and include all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring
    accruals, which the Company considers necessary for a fair presentation of 
    financial position and operating results.  The unaudited consolidated 
    financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Article 10 of 
    Regulation S-X and, therefore, do not contain all information and 
    footnotes normally contained in annual financial statements; accordingly, 
    they should be read in conjunction with the Financial Statements and notes 
    thereto appearing in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of the Company for the 
    year ended December 31, 1997.

2.  The results of operations for the three-month and six-month periods ended 
    June 30, 1998 are not necessarily indicative of those to be expected for 
    the year ending December 31, 1998.

3.  During the first quarter of 1998 the Company adopted Statement of 
    Financial Standards (SFAS) No. 130, "Reporting Comprehensive Income."
    The Standard requires disclosure of total comprehensive income in the 
    financial statements.  The Company's components of comprehensive income 
    have historically been for the impact of pension accounting and foreign 
    currency.

4.  In June, 1997 the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued SFAS 
    No. 131, "Disclosures about Segments of an Enterprise and Related 
    Information," which changed the method for determining and reporting 
    business segment information.  The FASB's approach to determine business 
    segments will cause the Company to report certain financial information at 
    segment levels.  This Standard is required to be adopted for year-end 
    reporting in 1998, with interim reporting commencing in 1999.

    The FASB issued SFAS No. 132, "Employers' Disclosures about Pensions and 
    Other Postretirement Benefits," in February, 1998.  This Standard is 
    effective in 1998 and requires disclosure of additional information 
    currently available to the Company.



























                                     6
<PAGE>
Item 2. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and
        Results of Operations


Net sales were down slightly for the second quarter of 1998 when compared to 
the second quarter of 1997, but were 6.6% higher for the first six months of 
1998 when compared to the corresponding 1997 period.  The Company's 
acquisition of Avon Tyres Limited of Melksham, England, now known as Cooper-
Avon Tyres Limited (Cooper-Avon), was completed late in the first quarter of 
1997 and contributed to the six-month increase.  Other income was higher in 
both the second quarter and six months of 1998 as compared to the 
corresponding 1997 periods due to higher amounts of interest income.

Cost of products sold, as a percent of net sales, was higher for the quarter 
and unchanged for the six-month period as compared with the corresponding 
periods in 1997.  Decreases in raw material costs and improvements in product 
mix continued to be offset by price concessions in the domestic and European 
tire replacement markets.

Selling, general and administrative expenses were lower for the three-month 
period and were higher for the six-month period compared to one year ago.  As 
a percent of net sales, selling, general and administrative expenses were 6.2% 
and 6.3% for the 1998 and 1997 quarters and 6.3% and 6.1% for the six months 
of 1998 and 1997, respectively.  The year-to-date increase reflects higher 
advertising costs and the inclusion of Cooper-Avon expenses.

Interest expense for the quarter and the six-month periods reflect differences 
in borrowing levels from the 1997 comparable periods.

Income before income taxes for the quarter increased 2.7% from one year ago 
and 3.7% for the year-to-date.  The 1998 quarter was adversely impacted by the 
sales reduction.  Both the quarter and six-month periods benefited from 
reductions in raw material costs and richer product mix which were partially 
offset by the continuation of intense price competition.  Cooper-Avon 
operations during the quarter and year-to-date periods showed improvement due 
to cost-savings initiatives.

Working capital of $394 million is up $39 million since year-end and up $68 
million from June 30, 1997.  The current ratio of 3.1 is up from 2.2 at June 
30, 1997 and is up from the 2.8 at December 31, 1997.  Long-term debt, as a 
percent of total capitalization, decreased to 19% at the end of the quarter 
compared to 22.3% one year ago.  The financial position of the Company at June 
30, 1998 continues to be excellent.

The cash flows generated by operating activities of $57 million during the 
first six months of 1998 are higher than the $26 million for the six-month 
period one year ago due primarily to changes in accounts receivable and 
inventories.  Investments in property, plant and equipment of $58 million are 
up $8 million from last year's levels.  In 1997, investing activities reflect 
the acquisition of Cooper-Avon and financing activities reflect the issuance 
of $200 million of long-term public debt and the repurchase of the Company's 
common stock.  The Company expects that available cash and existing lines of 
credit will be sufficient to meet normal operating requirements over the near 
term.

The Company has developed and initiated its plans to address the possible 
exposures related to the impact of the Year 2000 on its systems and computer 
equipment, including those involved in its manufacturing operations.  Key 
financial information and operational systems have been assessed and detailed 
plans have been implemented to address modifications required by December 31, 
1999.  The Company is on schedule with its plans and expects these 
modifications to be completed and tested by that time.  The financial impact 
of making the required changes will be comprised of internal costs, excluding 
the costs incurred to upgrade and replace systems and equipment in the normal 


                                   7
<PAGE>
course of business, and is not expected to be material to the Company's 
consolidated financial position or results of operations.  The Company has 
also initiated communications with its significant suppliers to ensure they 
have appropriate plans to resolve Year 2000 issues where failure of their 
systems could adversely affect the Company's operations.

Certain information set forth herein may constitute forward-looking statements 
regarding events and trends which may affect the Company's future operating 
results and financial position.  Actual results may differ materially as a 
result of factors over which the Company has no control.  These risk factors 
and additional information are included in the Company's reports on file with 
the Securities and Exchange Commission.






















































                                   8
<PAGE>
Part II.  OTHER INFORMATION

Item 4.  Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders

  (a)  The Company's Annual Meeting of Stockholders was held on May 5, 1998.

  (b)  All of the nominees for directors, as listed below under (c) and on
       page 2 of the Company's Proxy Statement dated March 24, 1998, were
       elected.  The following directors have terms of office which continued 
       after the meeting.

                     Edsel D. Dunford         John F. Meier
                     John Fahl                Patrick W. Rooney
                     Deborah M. Fretz         John H. Shuey
                     Dennis J. Gormley

  (c)  A description of each matter voted upon at that meeting is contained on
       pages 1 and 2 and pages 11 through 19 of the Company's Proxy Statement 
       dated March 24, 1998, which pages are incorporated herein by reference.

       The number of votes cast by common stock holders with respect to each 
       matter is as follows:

       Election of directors

                            Term    Affirmative Withheld              Broker
                         Expiration    Votes     Votes   Abstentions Non-votes
                         ---------- ----------- -------- ----------- ---------

       Arthur H. Aronson    2001    70,297,042 1,046,015      0          0
       Byron O. Pond        2001    70,410,378   932,679      0          0
       J. Alec Reinhardt    2001    70,435,957   907,100      0          0

                           Affirmative     Negative                   Broker
                              Votes         Votes     Abstentions    Non-Votes
                           -----------   ----------   -----------   ----------

   Proposal to approve
   and adopt the 1998 
   Incentive Compensation 
   Plan                     60,597,566    4,643,153      356,840     5,745,498

   Proposal to approve 
   and adopt the 1998 
   Employee Stock Option 
   Plan                     63,541,984    1,684,461      371,114     5,745,498

   Proposal to approve and
   adopt the 1998 Non-Employee 
   Directors Compensation 
   Deferral Plan            62,610,593    2,437,463      549,504     5,745,497

   Stockholder proposal     29,417,663   34,755,894    1,050,943     6,118,557

Item 6(a).  Exhibits.

     (27)  Financial Data Schedule

Item 6(b).  Reports on Form 8-K.

No Form 8-K has been filed.





                                   9
<PAGE>

                               INDEX TO EXHIBITS
                                  DESCRIPTION

Part II. Item 6(a).


  (27) Financial Data Schedule


























































                                    10
<PAGE>
                                SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the 
Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the 
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.


                                             COOPER TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY




                                             /S/ J. Alec Reinhardt
                                             ---------------------
                                             J. Alec Reinhardt
                                             Executive Vice President
                                             and Chief Financial Officer
                                             (Principal Financial Officer)





                                             /S/ E. B. White
                                             -----------------
                                             E. B. White
                                             Corporate Controller
                                             (Principal Accounting Officer)



August 12, 1998
- ---------------
    (Date)































                                   11
<PAGE>


<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 5
<LEGEND>
THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM THE
COMPANY'S BALANCE SHEET AND STATEMENT OF INCOME FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED
JUNE 30, 1998 AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1998
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1998
<PERIOD-END>                               JUN-30-1998
<CASH>                                          14,797
<SECURITIES>                                    22,637
<RECEIVABLES>                                  323,545
<ALLOWANCES>                                     5,503
<INVENTORY>                                    209,254
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                               585,156
<PP&E>                                       1,456,870
<DEPRECIATION>                                 587,909
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               1,536,545
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                          191,489
<BONDS>                                        205,282
                                0
                                          0
<COMMON>                                        78,778
<OTHER-SE>                                     798,209
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                 1,536,545
<SALES>                                        899,298
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               900,547
<CGS>                                          741,937
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  741,937
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                55,995
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                   969
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                               7,613
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                 94,033
<INCOME-TAX>                                    35,172
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                             58,861
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                    58,861
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                      .75
<EPS-DILUTED>                                      .75
        

</TABLE>


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