Southland

Oil and Money: Atlantic Richfield Co. releases its third-quarter earnings report today, the first of several major U.S. energy companies due to report this week. Analysts expect the Los Angeles-based energy firm to report that earnings are off from the second quarter, to about $2 per share from $2.33 per share, due mainly to falling oil and gas prices. That will be in keeping with the general industry trend, with average third-quarter earnings for major oil companies off about 15% from the previous quarter, analyst Paul Ting at Salomon Bros says. But he adds that Arco will see “solid year-to-year improvements” over third-quarter 1994’s $1.45 per share. Also due to report this week are Chevron Corp., Exxon Corp., Shell Oil Co. and Phillips Petroleum Co.