BLOOMINGTON, Minn. ?EUR??,,????'??+ (Aug. 26) The Toro Company today reported net earnings of $27 million, or $1.03 per diluted share, on net sales of $394.5 million for the fiscal 2003 third quarter ending August 1, 2003. Results for the quarter included an after-tax restructuring charge of $1 million, or $0.04 per diluted share, related to the closing of the company?EUR??,,????'???s two-cycle engine plant in Oxford, Miss. Adjusted to exclude this charge, net earnings for the fiscal 2003 third quarter would have been $28.1 million, or $1.07 per diluted share. In the fiscal 2002 third quarter the company reported net earnings of $21.9 million, or $0.84 per diluted share, on net sales of $375.6 million. Kendrick B. Melrose, Toro Company chairman and chief executive officer, said the company?EUR??,,????'???s financial performance continues to benefit from the profit improvement initiatives implemented under the company?EUR??,,????'???s ?EUR??,,????'??5 by Five?EUR??,,????'?? program. ?EUR??,,????'??We began our ?EUR??,,????'??5 by Five?EUR??,,????'??? campaign in fiscal 2000 with the goal of significantly improving our after tax profitability by fiscal 2003,?EUR??,,????'?? Melrose said. ?EUR??,,????'??Our strong third quarter results, building on a solid first half performance, are keeping us on track to meet that goal. In addition, successful new products launched during the season drove revenue growth in both professional and residential segments, despite a lagging economy and above-average rainfall in many of our Eastern markets.?EUR??,,????'?? For the nine months ending August 1, 2003, Toro reported net earnings of $76 million, or $2.92 per diluted share, on net sales of $1,186.3 million. This compared to a reported net income of $30.3 million or $1.17 per diluted share, on net sales of $1,123.9 million for the same nine-month period in fiscal 2002.