RANTOUL – Easton-Bell Sports reported better sales and profits for both the fourth quarter of 2010 and the entire fiscal year, when compared with the previous year.

The Van Nuys, Calif.-based company, which has manufacturing and distribution facilities in the Rantoul area, reported full-year net income of $8.13 million, compared with a $4.1 million net loss for full-year 2009.

Net sales for 2010 totaled $773 million, up about 8 percent from $716 million in 2009. Fourth-quarter sales were $177 million, up from $164 million in fourth-quarter 2009.

"Overall, we are pleased with both our fourth-quarter and results for the year," said Easton-Bell President and CEO Paul Harrington,

Easton-Bell develops and markets equipment for football, baseball, softball, ice hockey, lacrosse, cycling, skateboarding, snow sports and power sports. It markets products under the Bell, Giro, Easton, Riddell and Blackburn brands.

The company divides sales between team sports and action sports.

Team sports sales increased by 9.7 percent in the fourth quarter, compared with a year earlier, due to increased shares of the football helmet market, increased sales of baseball and softball bats and the introduction of a new line of hockey sticks. Sales for the full year were up 10.3 percent.

Action sports sales increased by 6.4 percent in the fourth quarter, primarily due to strong fill-in orders for snow sports helmets and goggles, "strong sell-through" of cycling helmets and increased sales of Easton cycling wheels. Sales for the full year were up 5.1 percent.

The company also reported adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA), which it considers "useful" in evaluating performance.

Adjusted EBITDA for the fourth quarter was $18.8 million, up from $16.5 million a year earlier.

For the full year, adjusted EBITDA was $95.2 million, up from $82.3 million in 2009.

Easton-Bell employs about 330 people at its main plant east of Rantoul and a distribution facility on the former Chanute Air Force Base. The company has about 30 facilities worldwide.