Atlantic Richfield Co. reported Monday that its profits in the fourth quarter fell 32% from the year-earlier period, and the company disclosed that it has set aside $65.7 million to cover a tentative settlement of government charges that it violated price-control regulations.
Meanwhile, Unocal Corp., parent of Union Oil Co. of California, said its earnings in the fourth quarter were off 14%, largely because the year-ago period had included proceeds from the sale of foreign properties.
Los Angeles-based Arco said it earned $285 million in the fourth period, down from $419 million in the same period of 1983.
For the full year, the company earned $567 million, off sharply from 1983 earnings of $1.55 billion.
The main reason for the dramatic decline was a $785-million charge taken against third-quarter earnings to write down the value of the company's metals assets, which it has since sold, and certain minerals assets.
