VIRGINIA FIRMS GET BAD, GOOD NEWS TAKEOVER FIGHT FAILS TO PREVENT GAIN BY WLR

James L. Keeler, WLR's president and chief executive officer, said increased prices more than offset increased feed costs and the takeover battle expenses incurred by the company in the fourth quarter. Tyson, based in Springdale, Ark., withdrew its bid for WLR this month after six months of haggling in the courtroom as well as on the chicken farms.

WLR is buying the Cuddy Farms USA Foods division in North Carolina, which will make the company's Wampler-Longacre division the second-largest turkey processor in the nation. That deal is expected to be completed within days.