31.   The U.S. book-to-bill ratio was dragged down by falling memory chip prices and bloated inventories in the fourth quarter, analyst said.

32.   They are also intended to help reduce bloated inventories of underwear and other apparel that the company makes and to streamline distribution.

33.   Those companies and others slashed prices last month in an effort to clean up bloated inventories left over from weak holiday sales.

34.   While many chains posted strong sales, the gains reflected price-cutting made to clean up bloated inventories left over from weak holiday sales.

35.   With consumer spending at home not showing signs of revival, manufacturers are battling falling orders and bloated inventories.

36.   Wolverine said bloated inventory of equipment for large commercial air-conditioning units caused some big customers to cancel orders in the first two months of the year.

37.   Chrysler, General Motors Corp. and Ford Motor Co. over the past several weeks have trimmed production to winnow bloated inventories.

38.   Companies like Intel first must unload bloated inventories, incurring more losses as they are forced to discount merchandise.

39.   Companies must unload bloated inventories, incurring more losses as they are forced to discount merchandise.

40.   Domestic sales by major U.S. automakers have slid for six consecutive months, prompting them to slow production to trim bloated inventories.