Protecting against identity theft is the focus of a program from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at SnoCope Federal Credit Union, 3130 Rockefeller Ave., Everett. Everett police, Enterprise Car Sales and the credit union are joining forces to provide information on identity protection. Representatives will be on hand to distribute free child identification kits and free shredding of personal documents.
Sears strategy boosts earnings
Executives at Sears Holdings Corp. rolled the dice a year ago on an aggressive profitability strategy, and the gamble seems to be paying off. But analysts say the company needs to collect its winnings and move on to another table where it can address sliding same-store sales and lost market share. Sears turned a $9 million loss during first-quarter 2005 into an $180 million profit for the same period this year, easily beating Wall Street estimates. Investors celebrated by opening their wallets as Sears shares climbed $19, or 13.8 percent, to $156.97 in Thursday trading on the Nasdaq Stock Market.
More consumers in credit trouble
A wave of innovation in consumer credit markets has driven a surge in credit availability for the average consumer, but that rapid growth also has seen an increase in “bad outcomes,” according to Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond President Jeffrey Lacker. Lacker said the rising incidence of credit problems is a natural byproduct of “the wave of innovation in financial products and services.”
Burger King IPO proves successful
Shares of Burger King’s parent company rose 4.4 percent above the initial public offering price Thursday in the first day of trading. Burger King Holdings Inc. sold 25 million shares of common stock at $17 each in its IPO, completed late Wednesday. Its shares rose 75 cents to $17.75 in midday trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol BKC.
Retiring boomers won’t be lying low
A majority of baby boomers say they want to work in retirement, but companies are only just beginning to try to figure out how to accommodate them, according to a study released Thursday. The survey, conducted for financial services firm Merrill Lynch &Co., found that 71 percent of adults hope to work in their later years, with many looking for part-time jobs or an opportunity to drop in and out of the work force.
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