MEDIA

Times Mirror Expects 50% Growth in Per-Share Earnings: Times Mirror Co. Chief Executive Mark H. Willes told a news conference that he expects per-share earnings to grow by 50% next year and by 40% in 1997 and 30% in 1998, thanks to more efficient operations of its newspapers, a halt in revenue and earnings declines at legal publisher Matthew Bender, and conservative growth at the company’s magazines. He said the company also hopes to achieve those objectives in part by tying compensation of its executives to stock prices and by giving a stock option of unspecified size to all Times Mirror employees of a year or more. The Los Angeles-based media company, which publishes The Times, earned $173.1 million, or 98 cents a share, last year, and is expected to earn 80 cents a share this year. Times Mirror stock gained $1 a share to finish at $33.50 on the New York Stock Exchange.