Microsoft and Nortel to form broad alliance
Published 9:00 pm Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Microsoft Corp. and Nortel Networks Corp. have struck a four-year deal to develop and sell products that make it easier for business people to locate and communicate with one another.
The wide-ranging alliance announced Tuesday marks the latest step in Microsoft’s ambitious plan to find success in the communications technology business, as the market for its Windows operating system and Office software grows more saturated.
Seattle’s Zillow links with Yahoo
Seattle startup Zillow.com said Tuesday it will provide Yahoo Inc.’s Web site with estimates on what a home might be worth. Under the deal, a link on Yahoo’s real estate Web site will let users type in an address and see Zillow.com’s home value estimate combined with a Yahoo map of the area. The information also could be found via the company’s main search page. Yahoo, based in Sunnyvale, Calif., had previously partnered with HomeGain.com to provide information on home valuations.
Coca-Cola posts an earnings hike
A modest rise in sales and growth in most markets propelled The Coca-Cola Co. to a 7 percent jump in second-quarter profit, though it said Tuesday it’s disappointed about its performance in Japan. The overall results beat Wall Street expectations and its shares rose. The world’s largest beverage maker said it earned $1.84 billion, or 78 cents a share, for the three months ending June 30, compared to a profit of $1.72 billion, or 72 cents a share, for the same period a year ago. Excluding a net benefit of 4 cents a share primarily due to the sale of shares in an initial public offering of a Turkish bottler, Coke said it earned $1.73 billion, or 74 cents a share.
Target, Amazon extend partnership
Target Corp. and Amazon Enterprise Solutions, a unit of online retailer Amazon.com Inc., are extending their partnership two years through August 2010, the companies announced Tuesday. Financial terms were not disclosed. Seattle-based Amazon.com forged its ties with Target six years ago, providing e-commerce technology, order fulfillment and guest services operations for the discount retailer’s Web site.
Retail sales grow, but more slowly
Retail sales growth will be more subdued in July than previously expected, a trade group forecast on Tuesday. The International Council of Shopping Centers said it reduced its retail sales outlook for July after the nation’s retailers posted a weak sales performance for the week ended Saturday. The group said it now expects sales at stores open at least a year, also known as same-store sales, to be up 2.5 percent this month, compared with its original growth forecast of 3.0 percent to 3.5 percent.
From Herald staff and news services
