Arch Coal eyes sharp rise in 2008 earnings - CEO

NEW ORLEANS, April 7 (Reuters) - Arch Coal (ACI.N), a key coal producer, expects big growth in per share earnings this year, the company's chief executive Steve Leer said on Monday.

Earnings per share were seen coming in at $2.00 to $2.50 in 2008, up sharply from $1.21 last year, Leer said in a presentation at the April 6-10 Howard Weil Energy Conference in New Orleans.

In other financial highlights, he said 2008 EBITDA was seen between $680 million to $790 million, a jump from $472 million in 2007. He said capital spending was also seen sharply higher, at between $310 million to $340 million, compared with $258 million last year.