Wal-Mart and Target report stronger second quarter profits
Wal-Mart Stores Inc and Target Corp posted higher second quarter results despite weak summer sales. Wal-Mart rose 8.6 percent in profit and beat expectations by a penny per share while lifting its yearly forecast and predicting stronger sales this fall. Target’s profit nearly quadrupled on a one time gain from selling Marshall Field's department stores.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Wal-Mart Stores Inc
Target Corp
Wal-Mart
Wall Street
Target
Marshall Field
Wal- Mart
Fenton
Interstate Bakeries shares tumble on loan restructuring
Interstate Bakeries Corp based in Kansas City dropped 16 percent after restructuring its loan agreements to lift debt interest and pause dividends. The stock closed at 7.50 dollars, down 1.48, on Thursday on the NYSE. The changes run through the first quarter of fiscal 2006, with the aim of giving the company more flexibility amid struggles.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Interstate Bakeries Corp
Wonder Bread
Hostess Twinkies
Kansas City
Mortgage rates dip to multi month low, boosts housing market
Freddie Mac reports 30 year fixed rates at 5.85 percent this week, down from 5.99 percent last week, the lowest since early April. The 15 year fixed rate eased to 5.24 percent, from 5.40 percent, signaling continued mortgage affordability gains.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Freddie Mac
July Retail rebound lifts hopes for steady demand
Washington AP reports July retail sales rose 0.7 percent as car demand rebounds with dealer incentives. Labor Dept notes unemployment claims dropped 4,000 to 333,000, the smallest in five weeks, easing fears of a deep slowdown. Economists say stronger consumer spending supports a gradual recovery.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Washington
Commerce Department
Labor Department
Joel Naroff
Naroff Economic Advisors
Lawrence Douglas County Sales Tax Up In July
Douglas County collected 1.06 million in July, a 13.3 percent rise from a year ago, while Lawrence totals reached 955,011 dollars, up 13.2 percent. Other area changes include Ottawa 117,269 dollars, up 10.9 percent. Overland Park 3.7 million, up 17.6 percent. Topeka 1.99 million, up 11.2 percent. Olathe 1.73 million, down 7.6 percent.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Lawrence
Douglas County
Kansas Department of Revenue
Ottawa
Overland Park
Topeka
Olathe
Renters pay high price for AT T phone leases
Advocates call phone leasing deals rip offs as AT T affiliates still rent rotary and cordless phones decades after the Bell breakup. Betty Hunt learned she overpaid for a beige rotary phone kept in her kitchen and avoided further charges after disputing the bill. About 1 million consumers lease phones for 4.45 to 20.95 monthly, spending hundreds or thousands over time for a device that can cost as little as 10 dollars.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Philadelphia
Ma Bell
Betty Jane Hunt
At&t
Hunt
West Amwell Township
Bell
J. Hunt
Playboy interview could delay Google IPO concerns arise
Playboy interview with Google co founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin published seven pages before Google filed for a 3 billion IPO. Regulators may view the dialogue as outside the IPO filing, risking a cooling off period and SEC scrutiny amid ongoing registration and market timing concerns. Authorities and industry observers weigh potential delays and consequences for Google's offering.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
San Francisco
Google Inc
Larry Page
Sergey Brin
Google
Playboy
Securities and Exchange Commission
Michael Zuppone
SEC
Zuppone
New York
Salesforce.com
Mountain View
Calif
Junction City Hopes to Land Call Center Project
Empire Home Services LLC plans a Junction City call center opening this year with about 400 jobs, mainly sales reps. The city offered a $1.7 million economic development grant via bonds, contingent on payroll targets of $2.3 million by 2005 and $7.3 million in 2008 and 2009, to fund building improvements training and equipment.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Junction City
Empire Home Services LLC
Cope
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Interstate Bakeries
J-W
Vito Tle
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