Hertz's 2004 Pre-tax Profit Totals $493 Million

DETROIT -- The Hertz Corp. reported a full-year 2004 pre-tax profit of $493 million, a year-over-year improvement of $265 million, according to Ford Motor Co.'s quarterly report released last week.

Hertz's improvement was attributed to higher car and equipment rental volumes, better fleet utilization, and higher profits from the sale of used vehicles and equipment.

Hertz reported a fourth-quarter pre-tax profit of $107 million, up $63 million from the same period in 2003.