James River Coal Reports Loss

{Richmond, Kentucky}...Richmond-based James River Coal says it lost money in the third quarter because it missed shipments of steel-making coal and ran into higher costs. Tuesday, the company reported a net loss of $3.7 million, or 11 cents per share in the quarter. That compares with a year-ago profit of $9.2 million, or 33 cents per share. It lost 9 cents per share excluding certain items. James River said revenue jumped 77% to $303.9 million, but the cost of selling coal and freight services rose even faster. Demand has been strong this year for export coal used in steel making. The company has operations in Kentucky, West Virginia and Indiana.