 Ocean-freight shipping company Matson Inc. MATX, 0.13 on Wednesday reported a preliminary fourth-quarter profit that was below expectations, as a drop-off in demand for goods leads to a drop-off in demand for the companies that ship them on the water. The Honolulu-based company, whose container ships and other vessels sail between the West Coast and Asia, said it expected to earn between 1.88 and 2.01 a share for the fourth quarter. 