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Business news briefs
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Rue21 reports gain in fiscal year profits

Discount teen clothing chain rue21 Inc. on Tuesday reported profits of $22 million in the fiscal year ended Jan. 30, up from $12.6 million a year earlier. The Cranberry retailer, which went public last year, beat analysts' expectations with earnings per share of 96 cents for the year, up from 55 cents a year earlier. Analysts were expecting 90 cents per share. Sales in rue21 stores that have been open at least a year rose 7.8 percent for the year, according to the company. Total sales grew 34.3 percent to $525.6 million from $391.4 million in fiscal 2008. The holiday quarter produced net income of $7.7 million, compared with $4.6 million during the comparable period last year. The company is projecting earnings per share in the range of $1.08 to $1.13 for the next fiscal year.

Honda recalls 410,000 cars over brake problems

Honda Motor Co. will recall more than 410,000 Odyssey minivans and Element small trucks because of braking system problems that could make it tougher to stop the vehicle if not repaired. The recall includes 344,000 Odysseys and 68,000 Elements from the 2007 and 2008 model years. Honda said in a statement that over time, brake pedals can feel "soft" and must be pressed closer to the floor to stop the vehicles.

Pine GetGo gas station earns LEED certification

A GetGo convenience store and gas station in Pine has earned certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. To win the LEED silver certification, the station installed air quality censors checking for carbon dioxide in the store and drought-tolerant vegetation in the parking lot, and it used a design meant to reduce energy consumption by 21 percent over comparable stores. O'Hara grocer Giant Eagle, which owns the GetGo chain, said the store was its first LEED-certified gas station and among the first in the country.

Report: State spending too focused on new firms

The Keystone Research Center released a report Tuesday taking a look at the state money spent on economic development that found, in part, that while Pennsylvania has been a leader in growing its own companies, it is not spending enough on that aspect of community development and is instead spending money to bring in new businesses. The report also criticized the state's lack of transparency for economic development spending and said money should be spent with an eye on jobs that pay wages that can sustain a family instead of low-paying jobs.

Kraft, CEO under fire from British lawmakers

A Kraft Inc. executive apologized on Tuesday for raising -- and then dashing -- hopes that it would keep open a British factory after its takeover of Cadbury. Also Tuesday, the U.S. company's CEO Irene Rosenfeld came under fire from lawmakers and union leaders for failing to appear before the inquiry at Britain's Parliament on Tuesday, while the Unite union criticized her for failing to meet directly with workers at Cadbury sites across the country to reassure them about the company's plans.

Also in business ...

Mylan Inc. said it reached agreements with Japan's Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., giving it rights to market generic versions of the diabetes drugs Actos in August 2012 and Actoplus Met in December 2012, or earlier under certain circumstances. The deal is subject to regulatory approvals. ... U.S. Steel announced terms of a $600 million offering of senior notes that will pay 7.4 percent interest semiannually and mature in April 2020. Proceeds will be used for general purposes. ... British regulators on Tuesday banned a former Merrill Lynch trader from working on financial markets after he manipulated accounts by about $100 million last year to hide losses. ... First Niagara Financial Group said Tuesday it priced an underwritten offering of $300 million of 6.75 percent senior unsecured notes due March 19, 2020. The company plans to use a portion of the proceeds to redeem its $150 million in 12 percent senior notes maturing Sept. 10, 2014.

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First published on March 17, 2010 at 12:00 am