IN BRIEF
Key workers' compensation claim forms now online
The Workers' Compensation Section of the state Division of Industrial Relations on Monday said the Employee's Claim for Compensation/Report of Initial Treatment Form C-4 is available online.
In a statement, the section said claimants can fill out the forms online and print them. Visit http://dirweb.state.nv.us/WCS/wcs.htm to see the form. Choose "Workers Compensation Forms" from the menu on the left, and then select "Series C Forms."
In workers' compensation cases, injured employees and medical providers fill out Form C-4, and then medical providers submit them to insurers and employers.
The division said forms C-1 and C-3, which are also involved in workers' compensation claims, will be available online in the coming months.
Zions Bancorporation posts wider loss for second quarter
Zions Bancorporation, the Salt Lake City-based holding company for Nevada State Bank, said Monday that its second-quarter loss shot up 56 percent over the loss in the first quarter.
The company lost $135 million, or 84 cents per share, compared with $87 million, or 57 cents per share, in the first quarter.
Nonperforming lending-related assets declined 9 percent to $2.6 billion from $2.8 million at the end of March.
Zions shares fell 27 cents, or 1.2 percent, and closed at $21.42 on Nasdaq.
FDIC closes sale on interest in company holding home loans
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. on Monday said it closed on the sale of a 40 percent equity interest in a limited liability company created to hold $898 million of nonperforming residential loans from Cleveland-based AmTrust Bank, which failed in December. About 5 percent of the assets were in Nevada, 5 percent in Arizona and 11 percent in California.
The winning bidder was a three-party consortium composed of Residential Credit Solutions, CarVal Investors and RBS Financial Products.
The group paid 37 percent of the unpaid principal balance. The FDIC will retain a 60 percent stake in the limited liability company, Amtrust 2010 NP-SFR, and share in returns on the assets.
NEW YORK
Land-based drilling business helps Halliburton's profits rise
Halliburton Co. said energy companies have become so aggressive about exploring for natural gas in the U.S. that its land-based drilling business will make up for a suspension of deepwater drilling in the Gulf of Mexico.
The Houston petroleum services company on Monday reported an 83 percent surge in second-quarter profits. The results beat Wall Street expectations, and shares rose more than 5 percent.
Halliburton reported net income of $480 million, or 53 cents per share, for the April-June period, up from $262 million, or 29 cents per share, a year ago.
Revenue rose 25.8 percent to $4.39 billion from $3.49 billion.
Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters had expected earnings of 37 cents per share on revenue of $4.09 billion.
SAN FRANCISCO
IBM profit tops Wall Street forecasts, but revenue misses
IBM's second-quarter profit topped Wall Street's forecasts, but revenue fell short.
IBM reported after the market closed that its net income jumped 9 percent to $3.39 billion, or $2.65 per share, in the period that ended June 30, topping analyst projections for $2.58 per share. A year ago, IBM earned $3.1 billion, or $2.34 per share.
Revenue rose 1.7 percent to $23.7 billion, from $23.3 billion. That was below the $24.2 billion that analysts expected. IBM said currency changes hurt revenue by $500 million in the quarter.
IBM raised its 2010 net income guidance to at least $11.25 per share, an increase of a nickel per share. Yet even the boost might not be enough to please investors, as IBM consistently raises its guidance.
NEW YORK
Liberty Tax founder considers offering bid for H&R Block
A former H&R Block Inc. employee who once tried to convince the nation's largest tax company that the future was in computerized preparation now has his sights on taking over at his old firm.
John Hewitt, founder and CEO of Liberty Tax Service, said Monday he is trying to contact departing board member Thomas Bloch to discuss the potential for combining his privately held company with Kansas City, Mo.-based H&R Block.
"With my leadership and the name and backing of the Bloch family, we could put a great company going back in the right direction," said Hewitt.
Thomas Bloch, a former CEO and the son of H&R Block's founder, on Friday resigned from his board of directors post.
He cited various differences with the board and recently reappointed CEO Richard Breeden for his departure.
H&R Block wouldn't comment on the matter.
NEW YORK
Cutting costs help send profits up 11 percent for Hasbro
Toy maker Hasbro Inc.'s second-quarter profit rose 11 percent as falling costs outpaced the drop in sales of Transformers and G.I. Joe toys, which had new movie tie-ins last year.
Net income rose to $43.6 million, or 29 cents per share, in the quarter that ended June 27. That's up from $39.3 million, or 26 cents per share, a year earlier. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters, on average, predicted net income of 24 cents per share.
Revenue fell 6.9 percent to $737.8 million from $792.2 million.
Costs for sales, advertising, amortization, selling, distribution and administration all fell during the quarter, as did Hasbro's royalty payments, offsetting the decline in revenue.
SAN FRANCISCO
Blogger agrees to work with investigators in iPhone case
A brewing free-speech debate touched off by a lost prototype of Apple's iPhone has ended quietly with a blogger's agreement to cooperate with investigators.
A judge on Friday ordered a search warrant withdrawn and seized items returned to Jason Chen of Gizmodo.com. The technology website posted images in April of a prototype iPhone left in a Redwood City bar by an Apple employee.
Gizmodo said it paid money for the phone.
NEW YORK
No calories, classic fervor: Pepsi MAX takes on Coke Zero
The cola wars are back, and this time they have zero calories but plenty of nostalgia. PepsiCo Inc. will premiere a revamped version of its "Diner" Super Bowl commercial on Monday night, pitting its Pepsi MAX against Coca-Cola's popular Coke Zero, a brand five times its size.
Analysts say people love the funny, spirited rivalry of the decades-old cola wars and the move will benefit both soda makers.
The premise of the new Pepsi MAX ad is the same from the 1995 original, one of the better loved commercials from Super Bowl XXIX: Delivery drivers from the rival soft drink makers form a short-lived friendship in a diner over music.
The first ad's song was The Youngblood's "Get Together." This time around it's "Why Can't We Be Friends" by War. They sample each other's drinks and the Coca-Cola driver prefers the Pepsi product. And then the friendship comes to an abrupt -- and funny -- end.
The first version compared the longtime No. 2 Pepsi and Coca-Cola brands. This time around, the ads take on a very 21st century product -- zero-calorie versions of their full-calorie counterparts.
