MEMO

Financial statements and reports will be discussed at a two-session workshop -- "Financial Statement Preparation and Analysis for Small Business" -- to be held in Cape Girardeau this month.

The seminars, sponsored by the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce Small Business Committee and the Small Business Development Center of Southeast Missouri State University, are designed to demonstrate how to interpret financial statements and use the information to improve business decision-making.

Sessions will be held Oct. 17 and Oct. 19, from 6:30 to 9 p.m., at the Riverboat Room of the University Center.

Conducting the seminars will be Dr. David A. Kunz and Dr. Gary G. Johnson, associate professors of accounting and finance at the university.

Cost of advance registration is $45, which covers both sessions. Additional information is available by calling the Small Business Development Center, 290-5965, or Chamber of Commerce, 335-3312.

Walgreen Co., the nation's largest drugstore chain, says rapid expansion and strong pharmacy sales helped increase its profits 18.5 percent during the fourth quarter.

Walgreen has reported net income of $69.1 million, or 56 cents a share, compared with $58.3 million, or 47 cents a share, in the same period a year ago.

Sales rose 12.1 percent, to $2.28 billion from $2.04 billion in the comparable period.

The company also reported record year-end sales and income.

Net income for the fiscal year rose 14.9 percent, to $281.9 million, or $2.28 a share, from $245.3 million, or $1.98 a share, a year ago.

Sales rose 11.3 percent, to $9.23 billion from $8.29 billion a year ago.

The company plans to add 200 new drugstores within next year, Chairman Charles R. Walgreen III said. Expansion markets include the Cape Girardeau, Cleveland, Philadelphia and Buffalo, N.Y.

The Cape Girardeau store is being built near the intersection of Independence and North Kingshighway.

Metro Business College, 1732 N. Kingshighway, has reported a 39.8 percent increase in enrollment from last year at this time.

The school's director, Mary Emmenderfer, said much of the increase is in computer software training and the medical administrative assistant program offered at the school.

The $100 billion annual sales goal Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton set now looks "very achievable," company president David Glass has reported.

With projected 1994 revenue of about $84 billion, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. appears certain to reach the target the late Walton set a few years ago, Glass said.

Glass said the nation's largest retailer is pushing ahead with 10 or 11 stores in Brazil and Argentina and is working to get Sam's Clubs, its chain of warehouse stores, into Hong Kong and China.

Southwestern Bell Telephone has expanded its service center hours.

Customers in the 314 area code can reach the center from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. The center's toll free number is 1-800-203-7070.

"We recognize that long hours and Saturday hours are important for customers who work during the day," said Charles J. Roesslein, the company's vice president-general manager for Eastern Missouri.

Roesslein was in Cape Girardeau for a customer seminar recently.

A one-day workers' compensation conference will be held Wednesday at the Cape Girardeau Holiday Inn.

The program is designed to help employers understand their rights under Missouri's workers' compensation law.

Topics will include claims and obligations, managing costs and ways to cope with the complexities of the system.

Registration for the meeting will be at 7:30 a.m. Costs are $89 for chamber members and $119 for nonmembers. Lunch is included.

Additional information is available by contacting the Chamber, 335-3312.

Donald Kiernan, senior vice president and chief financial officer at Southwestern Bell, will be guest speaker next Friday during a 1 p.m. satellite broadcast at Edward D. Jones & Co. headquarters in St. Louis.

Kiernan will discuss "The World of Equities" during the special business conference.

The broadcast will be available to Jones' 3,000-plus offices across the nation.

Joe and Donna Domian, Jones investment representatives, will host the broadcast at 1749-I Independence in Cape Girardeau.

Additional information is available by calling 335-6681.

DETROIT -- The Big Three domestic automakers posted September sales nearly 10 percent ahead of a year ago.

General Motors Corp. has reported car sales 22.3 percent higher than in September 1993 and light truck sales up 4.8 percent.

Ford Motor Co. was up in both cars and trucks for a combined total 7.8 percent higher than a year ago.

Chrysler Corp. was up slightly overall, but its car sales lost ground against last year for the fifth month in a row.

PERRYVILLE -- Activities Therapy Inc. has opened at Perryville.

Donald J. Reiss, a retired mechanical engineer, is owner of the business, which offers activity and entertainment therapy.

He attended Southeast Missouri State University and did graduate work at Villanova University in Philadelphia.

Reiss offers activity therapy, consisting primarily of game therapy, in games like bridge, chess, scrabble and bingo.

Additional information is available by contacting Reiss, 547-5888.

East Perry Lumber Co. of Frohna is joining other lumber companies in observing National Hardwood Day Oct. 21.

The hardwood products industry employs 1.5 million people, with an annual payroll of about $31 billion.

"For every tree used to make a hardwood product, we grow nearly twice that amount to replace it each year," said Stan Petzoldt of East Perry Lumber Co. "The future of the hardwoods industry depends on healthy forests."

The U.S. Forest Service says 80 percent more hardwoods are being grown today than 40 years ago.

A free booklet on forest facts is available by writing the National Hardwood Lumber Association, P. O. Box 34518, Memphis, Tenn., 38184-0518.