NEW YORK (Standard&Poor's) Feb. 18, 2010--Standard&Poor's Ratings Services said today that fourth-quarter 2009 results for The Goodyear Tire&Rubber Co. (BB-/Negative/--) were consistent with the current rating. For instance, free operating cash flow totaled about $551 million in 2009, helped by a $1.3 billion benefit from a reduction in inventories. We had expected the company to use cash for all of 2009. Our preliminary estimates of credit ratios remain consistent with the rating. Net sales in the fourth quarter rose 7% year over year because of better consumer tire demand and favorable currency translation. For all of 2009, net sales were $16.3 billion, down 16.4% from 2008. A decline in other tire-related businesses, lower tire
