Below please find daily updates pertaining to the latest in financial, business, and tax news:

Western Union Q4 profit up 86%; CEO sees ?challenges? in 2012

Posted: Tue Feb 07 16:17:21 PST 2012

The Western Union Co. posted sharply higher fourth-quarter profit Tuesday, with earnings in line with analysts? expectations, but its CEO sounded a note of caution for 2012. The Douglas County-based global money-transfer company (NYSE: WU) reported results for the quarter ending Dec. 31, 2011, and full-year 2011, after the markets closed Tuesday. Western Union posted net income for the quarte...

Twitter tidbit: Bay Citizen and CIR sign letter of intent to merge

Posted: Tue Feb 07 16:11:39 PST 2012

"It's official," The Bay Citizen announced via Twitter a short time ago. "#baycitizen and #cir center for investigative reporting sign letter of intent to merge. Details to come." For context -- some say it's too long to count as a blog post -- see my earlier post today about the Bay Citizen's saga and recent struggles and its hope that a merger with the smaller Center for Investigative Report...

Victory Park condos sell for $32M at foreclosure auction; retail site sells for $3.5M

Posted: Tue Feb 07 16:10:17 PST 2012

The majority of a Victory Park condo project was sold back to its lender for $32 million on Tuesday, along with a nearby retail site for $3.5 million at Tuesday's foreclosure auction in Dallas County. German-based lender HSH Nordbank AG purchased the project's 112 remaining condos at Continental Avenue and Houston Street and a 24,000-square-foot retail site on Houston Street. HSH Nordbank was...

Rise in home prices could shift Oahu from a buyer?s market

Posted: Tue Feb 07 16:04:38 PST 2012

The newly released January 2012 Honolulu Board of Realtors statistics showing both a rise in median sales prices for single-family homes and condos could signal a shift to a seller?s market. This is especially true when looking at the steady rise of the median cost of single-family homes and condos, which has steadily increased during the past five months. The report noted that the median sal...

Toro CEO Hoffman gets raise to nearly $5 million

Posted: Tue Feb 07 16:03:41 PST 2012

Tracking the pay of Minnesota?s business leaders Mike Hoffman CEO The Toro Co. (NYSE: TTC)Headquarters: BloomingtonBusiness: Makes lawn mowers and snow blowers. The Toro Co. (NYSE: TTC) Headquarters: BloomingtonBusiness: Makes lawn mowers and snow blowers. Total pay 2011: $4.87 million, up 9 percent2010: $4.46 million 2009: $2.46 million Base salary 2011: $848,0002010: $818,000 Bonus...

Robertson Properties submits draft EIS for Aiea project

Posted: Tue Feb 07 15:58:59 PST 2012

Robertson Properties Group said Tuesday that it has submitted a draft environmental impact statement for its $767 million mixed-use development on the site of the former Kamehameha Drive-in property in Aiea. Roberston Properties proposes to rezone the 14-acre property across from Pearlridge Center for a complex that will include as many as 1,500 multifamily homes, about 143,000 square feet of ...

3M increases quarterly dividend

Posted: Tue Feb 07 15:50:50 PST 2012

3M Co. on Tuesday said its board has increased the company's quarterly dividend by 7 percent to 59 cents per share. "This increase reflects the company?s solid financial performance and our confidence in our future,? 3M (NYSE: MMM) CEO George Buckley said in a news release. "Our strong cash generation and the strength of our business model allow us to continue investing in future growth opport...

Hoku Corp.?s stock gains nearly 10% in Tuesday trading

Posted: Tue Feb 07 15:50:48 PST 2012

Hoku Corp.?s stock gained nearly 10 percent Tuesday, but the majority of Hawaii stocks finished lower on an otherwise good day for the broader markets. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 33.07 points, or 0.26 percent, to close at 12,878.2, while the Nasdaq gained 2.09 points, or 0.07 percent, to close at 2,904.08. Gainers: Bank of Hawaii Corp. (NYSE: BOH) closed at $47.15, up 59 cents, o...

Southern Family Markets selling stores to Belle Foods

Posted: Tue Feb 07 15:43:55 PST 2012

Southern Family Markets plans to sell 57 stores to a newly formed company in Birmingham. According to the Birmingham News, Southern Family Markets will sell its stores in Alabama, Florida, Mississippi and Georgia to Birmingham-based Belle Foods LLC, which was formed to purchase the stores. Southern Family Markets purchased 31 former Bruno?s Supermarket and Food World locations in 2009, follow...

Valley View Center gets stay at foreclosure auction

Posted: Tue Feb 07 15:39:01 PST 2012

Dallas? Valley View Center wasn't sold at Tuesday's Dallas County foreclosure auction and will likely be reposted at the March 6 auction. The 1.1-million-square-foot property could be reposted for foreclosure several times, which is not unusual for larger properties, said George Roddy Sr., president of Addison-based Foreclosure Listing Service Inc. "The lender makes the decision, and in some ...

Consolidated Consumes SureWest

Posted: Tue Feb 07 16:47:45 PST 2012

Telecom consolidation season continues into the new year. ...

3 Dow Stocks That Missed Today's Rally

Posted: Tue Feb 07 16:34:17 PST 2012

Some stocks lost ground, even in an up market. ...

Roundtable: Should Investors Love the Facebook IPO?

Posted: Tue Feb 07 16:27:01 PST 2012

Four of the Fool's top tech contributors give their two cents on whether the individual investor should love the social-networking giant's debut later this year. ...

What the OLED Players Are Doing Now

Posted: Tue Feb 07 16:21:48 PST 2012

The OLED industry hustles and bustles, paving the way for great market growth. ...

The Truth Behind American Capital's Share Buyback

Posted: Tue Feb 07 16:08:22 PST 2012

American Capital's recent move may make you think twice about its prudence. ...

These 3 Dow Stocks Surged Today

Posted: Tue Feb 07 16:05:23 PST 2012

Some rise on earnings, others on no news at all. ...

1 Important Key to Fixing Netflix

Posted: Tue Feb 07 16:08:33 PST 2012

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The Dow Quietly Gains Strength

Posted: Tue Feb 07 15:47:23 PST 2012

Anticipation of a Greece deal and increased job openings moved the markets slightly higher. ...

Research in Motion's Surprising Announcement

Posted: Tue Feb 07 15:44:22 PST 2012

The beleaguered Blackberry maker decides to turn and face the enemy. ...

Some Investors Have a Real Gambling Problem

Posted: Tue Feb 07 15:29:04 PST 2012

Buying on the buyout rumor? Don't do it. ...

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