And so it ends. This morning, All Things D’s Kara Swisher — whose stories about Yahoo’s crisis over the widely-circulated but false statement that its new CEO Scott Thompson earned a degree in computer science have made for compelling reading — reported that Thompson was stepping down. Yahoo has now confirmed it. The company has named veteran Internet executive Ross Levinsohn as interim CEO and said it’s allowing dissident stockholder Dan Loeb and two of his associates onto its board.

The whole saga began back on May 3rd when Loeb sent a letter to Yahoo disclosing the questionable status of Thompson’s computer-science degree, which was mentioned in his official Yahoo biography and had been listed in SEC filings.

(MORE: Match the Yahoo Memos with the Pollyannish Sentiments, 2007-2012)

If you’re fond of Yahoo and rooting for it to reverse its fortunes — as I am — it’s a relief to see Thompson go. The once-mighty web company has suffered from a bizarre string of humiliating episodes dating back at least to February of 2008, when it failed to agree to Microsoft’s extremely generous, never-to-be-equaled takeover bid. If it had allowed Thompson to stay in place, it couldn’t have moved past the current disaster. And even if Thompson’s claim that he didn’t insert the bogus credential into his biography is true, the notion that he never noticed it over the course of more than a decade strains credulity to the breaking point.

Among other things, the Thompson disaster is a reminder that media companies such as Yahoo are often truly incompetent when it comes to something they should theoretically know better than anybody: dealing with the media in times of crisis.

When Loeb first accused Thompson of fudging his rÃsumÃ, Yahoo blithely issued a statement which said that the false computer-science degree was an inadvertent error — like there’s any other kind? — and praised Thompson’s background and leadership. At that point, shortly after Loeb lobbed his bombshell, there’s no way that anyone at Yahoo other than Thompson could have known what was going on; the company should have declined comment other than to say it was looking into the matter and would report back later.

It then let Thompson send two inevitably-leaked memos to Yahoo employees in which he gave a classic non-apology and told them not to pay attention to the mess; both of the missives made Thompson and Yahoo look worse than they would have if he had said nothing at all. And then Thompson’s explanation — hey, it was somebody else’s fault! — was leaked, spurring Yahoo’s headhunter to release an angry rebuttal.

(MORE: Tale of Two Techs: Yahoo CEO Mess Deepens as AOL Rides Patent Sale)

The moment that I read Kara’s first story on all this, I figured out that Thompson was toast. I was wrong only in thinking that the endgame would come within a few days rather than a week and a half later:

Isn#039;t it inevitable that Yahoo#039;s Scott Thompson will be Apothekered within the next few days?
Harry McCracken (@harrymccracken) May 03, 2012

(Apothekered is a reference to HP, the other big tech company that has a knack for being embarrassed, repeatedly, by its CEO choices.)

I’m not dredging up my tweet because I think I was prescient; I’m doing so because it was immediately, painfully obvious to a poorly-informed outsider like myself that he’d be forced to depart. Being inside Yahoo didn’t help clarify the situation. It apparently made it impossible to understand what was going on. (At least if you were near the top — I’ll bet the rank-and-file Yahoos instinctively understood what the outcome would be.)

If Yahoo had quietly and quickly assessed the circumstances, communicated with the outside world sparingly but clearly, and then booted Thompson out, it would have gotten praise for making the best of a truly dismal situation. Instead, I suspect, the phrase inadvertent error will remain a stinging in-joke in Silicon Valley for a long time to come.

Kadence Creations, LLC released version 1.1 of their iPhone app, MLMipedia Pro. This update adds more network marketing companies for users to choose from and enhances existing features for a more user-friendly platform. MLMipedia Pro provides consumers and unbiased tool to help evaluate and compare the top companies in the network marketing industry.

Austin, TX (PRWEB) March 14, 2012

MLMipedia Pro, version 1.1, allows people to compare more network marketing companies, to determine which one is a good business match for them. The MLM industry consists of hundreds of direct sales companies, each with unique products, varying comp plans, and different entry level costs. MLMipedia helps users compare and contrast these companies to determine which MLM is best for their needs.

Typically people are informed about network marketing companies through friends and family. They are encouraged to attend meetings, watch videos, and view marketing materials to see if the particular company is a good fit for them. Most of the presentations are made in a pressured environment in which the person is compelled to make a decision on the spot.

MLMipedia Pro takes the pressure way from those interested in joining, or even researching, network marketing companies. Users are able to view top MLM companies, the specifics of each one, important web links for comp plans and bios, and then compare/contrast them to find a good match. This latest version adds more companies and creates an easier interface to sort, group, order and filter them to the users liking.

For the original version on PRWeb visit: www.prweb.com/releases/prweb2012/3/prweb9279589.htm

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By Ben Fox

Non-financial U.S. companies rated by Moody’s Investors Service held $1.24 trillion in cash as of December 2011, up 3% from 2010′s record of $1.2 trillion, the ratings firm said.

The improvement was attributed to modest economic growth, the strength of the companies’ overseas performance–with Asia’s strength offsetting Europe’s weakness–and tight cost controls.

Moody’s estimated that nearly $700 billion, or 57% of those cash stockpiles, is being held overseas. These amounts reflect the strength of emerging markets, the negative tax consequences of repatriating the money to the U.S., and the disproportionate use of stateside funds to pay for dividends and acquisitions, Moody’s said.

Technology, pharmaceuticals, energy and consumer products held the most cash, holding 63% of the total. Apple Inc.

/quotes/zigman/68270/quotes/nls/aapl AAPL
+1.83%

, Microsoft Corp.

/quotes/zigman/20493/quotes/nls/msft MSFT
+1.81%

, Cisco Systems Inc.

/quotes/zigman/20039/quotes/nls/csco CSCO
+1.51%

, Google Inc.

/quotes/zigman/93888/quotes/nls/goog GOOG
+1.05%

and Pfizer Inc.

/quotes/zigman/238207/quotes/nls/pfe PFE
+1.56%

were the top five cash kings, together holding $276 billion–or 22% of the total–up 17% from a year earlier.

Apple is forecast to have about $150 billion in cash by the end of 2012, up from about $97 billion at the end of 2011.

Liquidity for these companies remains strong, as their cash stockpiles have risen 52% since 2006. Following 7.8% growth in revenue and 7.5% rise in cash flow from operations in the 12 months ended around September 2011, Moody’s forecast modest global economic growth, with slightly higher aggregate revenue and cash flow generation in 2012.

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Volume: 21.28M
March 26, 2012 4:00p

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Microsoft Corp.

$
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Volume: 36.76M
March 26, 2012 4:00p

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Cisco Systems Inc.

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Volume: 33.34M
March 26, 2012 4:00p

By Doug Borden

According to the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA), Data Privacy Day is set for today. Is a Data Privacy Day necessary? How concerned should we be about identity theft? Data security? Privacy invasion? Credit card fraud?

In 2010, Congress passed an amendment to the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA). In brief, the legislation charges most businesses with the task of securing the personal information of clients and employees. The penalty to a business for failing to secure private information is expensive. It is estimated that losing data on 1,000 people will cost a business $150,000 over a two-year period (the length of time the legislation requires the perpetrator to provide credit monitoring). By the way, the regulation is triggered if information is lost regardless of whether it fell into unintended hands.

Through experience, I have found that most businesses do not have a data breach prevention plan and they are ignoring the risk.

The harsh reality is that this is a threat to most businesses, and coverage for it will not be found in the typical insurance portfolio. It is a ticking time bomb not unlike the liabilities associated with pollution in the 1980s: By the time companies understood why they needed to extend their insurance plan, it was often too late.

Data Privacy Day is important because it is an opportunity to raise awareness that data stored on electronic equipment is difficult to protect. For example, while it is clear that a laptop needs to be examined for confidential data prior to disposing of it, some find it not so obvious that a copier should be examined, as well. Many newer model copiers are multi-functional devices that have hard drives. The units often function as network printers as well as copiers. Leasing copiers is commonplace, creating a substantial exposure to data loss at the end of a lease or at replacement due to breakdown.

Besides the obvious PCs/laptops and servers/mainframes, other electronic items that could cause a data breach are notebooks/tablets, iPads/iPhones, smartphones/mobile phones, digital cameras/video recorders, flash cards/thumb drives, security systems and any other device with a memory that can store and transfer data.

A 2009 investigation of 300 hard drives found on eBay and other sales sites revealed that 34 percent of them contained sensitive information, including bank account details, medical records, confidential business plans and personal ID numbers. Since the amendment to FACTA, not only do companies need protection from those attempting to steal private information, they also need financial protection from regulatory actions, as federal and state governments levy fines and increase data-protection requirements.

Attorney Joseph Lazzarotti, a national expert on HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996), says we should be watching the precedents being set in Massachusetts.

When area business leaders gathered at the Trenton Marriott last year for a data privacy seminar, Lazzarotti was the featured speaker. He told the audience that the risk of losing electronic data in a hacking incident or other security breach is becoming serious enough to justify buying extra insurance for that hazard (Alarm sounded on cost of data breaches, March 10, 2011).

Recently, SOPA and PIPA have been in the news. The Stop Online Piracy Act and Protect IP Act, respectively, work to fight the illegal online trade of copyrighted intellectual property and counterfeited goods. By criminalizing the streaming of such content, it would ban advertisers and search engines from linking to sites with such intentions, as well as forbid internet service providers to access these sites. It is highly controversial, as the freedom of the internet would be threatened. (Sites such as YouTube would be greatly affected.) On Jan. 18, many sites, such as Wikipedia and Reddit, went black to strike against it. Whatever your stance, the bills rise to the spotlight points to internet privacy as a growing issue, one that garners governmental attention and certainly requires personal attention.

Online piracy and privacy are matters of law, and being informed is step one toward navigating it.

Data Privacy Day is intended to encourage people to take the first steps. At a minimum, that would be: 1) have a plan in place to detect a breach, 2) be able to legally notify those who may have been affected, and 3) have a risk manager you can call upon to help navigate the process.

Doug Borden is a principal of Borden Perlman.

Follow the Times of Trenton on Twitter.

Cybercrime is an everyday problem that threatens business operations and causes large out-of-pocket expenses for individual and corporate victims alike.  Although statistics regarding the actual cost of cybercrime vary, the incidence of cybercrime has climbed steadily over the past decade. The 2011 Norton Cybercrime Report claims that more than one million people become victims of cybercrime every day, and it estimates the financial cost of cybercrime is larger than the combined global black market for cocaine, heroin, and marijuana.

It is easy to become a cybercriminal because it requires few computer skills, and hacking tools, spyware, and other forms of malware are openly available online.  One even can hire a botnet over the Internet to engage in cyber espionage, knock a competitor offline, or send spam.  Another reason cybercrime is so attractive is because the perpetrators rarely get caught.  It has become the perfect crime.  Why?  Because it is so difficult to track and trace cybercriminal activities.

The bad guys are winning, and there is no clear plan of action for turning things around.  Congress is busy introducing cybersecurity legislation that is supposed to make our systems more secure, except they miss the point. Cybersecurity will never get measurably better until we lower the rate of cybercrime by catching the criminals and giving them serious jail time.

There are several reasons why tracking and tracing cybercriminal activity is difficult, and most of them have to do with the lack of harmonized legal frameworks globally for cybercrime and antiquated legal processes for requesting and obtaining international legal cooperation on investigations.  Another reason that cyber criminals seldom are caught is because the social media companies, whose sites are so often used in cybercrime, are blatantly reluctant to cooperate in cyber investigations.

Most businesses today actively use Facebook, You Tube, and Twitter to manage their marketing and customer interaction.  When they suspect or know of wrongdoing, however, they enter a frustrating process trying to report it to these companies, obtain logs of activity associated with their accounts, and seek assistance in restoring service.

First of all, contact with these companies is automated.  Facebook, Twitter, and You Tube (owned by Google)  do not provide users with a telephone number to contact them about serious security breaches or criminal activity.  Even law enforcement has to communicate via an email address or web form (unless they are among the few who have forged a relationship with internal personnel working these issues and have a number to call).  It is near impossible for the average person to contact a human being by phone at Google, observed Scott Cleland, president of Precursor LLC, in Washington, DC.  Companies that claim to be organized around user interests provide scant support for their protection, he added.

In cyber investigations, seconds matter.  Communications with these companies regarding a breach or serious security matter can be a back and forth process that can take days, weeks, or even months.    First of all, one cannot simply inform the company of the problem.  One has to guess at which option on an online form best fits the problem (often not well) and fill in bits of information for fields on the form.  The companies often reply to security reports with a standard form message that requires additional emails back and forth.

For example, if one reports to Facebook that their account has been compromised and clearly identifies it, Facebook sends back an email stating; Unfortunately, because you were unable to identify the account in question, we will not be able to support your inquiry.  Your report will be used to help us identify any bugs in our system, but we will not be able to reply to your email directly.  The email then proceeds to tell the person to try various options, such as:

• Try entering every email address that you have ever owned.
• Try entering your current mobile number and all of your past mobile numbers.
• Try entering your username.
• Try a variety of names.

Oh, brother.

Moreover, Facebook will not provide a user with logs of their own account activity unless it is served with a California or federal subpoena (and out-of-state subpoenas must be taken to a California court to obtain an order from that court directing that the subpoena be enforced).  This means a Facebook user will have to hire an attorney to file a civil matter and issue a subpoena to get records  just so they can investigate what might have been handled internally.  They also have to hire a process server since personal service of the subpoena is required.  Most small businesses and individuals cannot afford this expense.  Others will just give up, exhausted from the process.  Thus, the cybercriminal gets away undetected.

Never mind that Facebooks own posted policy declares that it may share information if they have a good faith belief it is necessary to prevent fraud or other illegal activity, including sharing it with other companies, lawyers, courts, or governmental entities.  Just dont ask for your own data.

You Tube is no different.  All requests for You Tube records are processed through Googles legal department.  A customers request to the Google legal department for logs of its own activity associated with You Tube is often met with an email response that declines to provide the information, claiming that it is subject to federal and state laws and must be requested via a third party subpoena or other legal process.   Personal service is also required.  Google  specifically refuses service by mail or any form of electronic service. 

Google and Facebooks processes seem designed to minimize contact with users and discourage pursuit of record requests.  The requirement for a subpoena is hard to understand because:

• logs are not interceptions subject to two-party consent in some states;
• the Terms of Service of either company do not require subpoenas or legal process to obtain logs; and
• a company is entitled to its own activity because its request is equal to consent.

Art Ehuan, co-founder and director of Forward Discovery, a forensic investigation firm that trains law enforcement and corporations on digital investigations, confirms that the lack of responsiveness by social media companies and other providers hinders cybercrime investigations globally. We train law enforcement around the world, and we often hear complaints that criminals are using Facebook, Twitter, Gmail or other social media sites to communicate amongst each other, threaten or extort victims, and hide their illegal activities.  Time and time again we hear from these law enforcement officers that getting timely assistance from these companies is very difficult, he notes.  It is a real problem, and it certainly helps the bad guys get away, he adds.

January 27, 2012

By David Downs, San Francisco

Public Enemy founder and Bomb Squad producer Hank Shocklee evangelized for Apples disruptive effects on the music industry, then performed on some Apple products of his own during a headlining gig at the 27th annual MacWorld | iWorld expo Friday afternoon in San Francisco.

Music today is the biggest its ever been, Shocklee told Billboard.biz. But you have to understand, were not in Kansas anymore.

The Grammy-nominated producer talked up the democratizing power of digital technology for artists and consumers, complementing a three-day schedule stacked with music-related programming.

Macworld GM Paul Kent said artists have always loved the end-to-end elegance of Apple products, from recording in GarageBand to distributing on iTunes. But were definitely ramping up with more performances and more panels to help artists and individuals who want to become artists, he said.

Billed as the ultimate fan event, Apple had divorced Macworld in 2009, but the expo is still expected to draw upwards of 25,000 acolytes to its showroom floor, concerts and classes.

Of the more than 270 vendors in the exhibit hall, more than half are geared towards the mobile market, where Apple has developed a pervasive mobile lifestyle, Kent said. Macworld hopes to embody that lifestyle by becoming iWorld, and iWorld is blasting tunes powered by Apples music software and hardware, and a fleet of third-party companies.

According to Apple, more than 315 million iOS devices have sold as of Jan. 24. Apples cloud-based music service iCloud with iTunes Match launched in November, and has garnered 85 million users. There are now 225 million active iTunes users and 20 million songs on iTunes. Users have downloaded 16 billion songs from iTunes, and Christmas Day 2011 alone saw more than 140 million downloads from iTunes.

Shocklee said he foresees artists using the cloud as a simple virtual studio, checking in and out audio files and collaborating with others around the world. Companies that help artists and consumers organize their vast content collections stand to profit, he said.

One company mining the space: 30-person San Francisco music file-cleaning service TuneUp.

TuneUp CEO Gabe Adiv said TuneUp — which has eight million users — saw a sales bump when Apple announced iCloud. Consumers started cleaning up their music libraries in preparation for the big upload, and Adiv said users report easier uploading and match to iCloud with a cleaner music library.

Apple has flipped the music industry on its head, Adiv said. We think that brought its own set of high-class issues that were trying to solve.

Another company exploiting the shift is Germany-based Soundcloud, with offices in San Francisco. The audio platform received a reported $50 million investment from Kleiner Perkins on the success of its slick recording apps for iOS and Android. The company just passed 10 million users and has moved to HTML 5, spokesperson Kristina Weise said.

Henrik Lenberg, VP of platform at Soundcloud wrote to Billboard, every iPhone user has a great recording device in his/her pocket which opens up a range of exciting possibilities — people can tell their stories, capture moments, send messages and more. We believe sound is becoming essential in a similar way people use text and photos to share their experiences.

The iPad has generated a lot of innovation in the music app space. More music is being made on mobile devices and more people are making music — people who never made music on a PC. Music making apps are among the most popular in the AppStore and by integrating Soundcloud sharing into the apps, we add that sweet social experience.

Shocklee preached a future like the ancient past — where everyone makes music and everyone shares it — and an industry whose hierarchy has been flattened.

Its been a historic time, not just for artists but for creative people, where Apple is blurring the lines between professional and consumer and were seeing the emergence of the prosumer. Theres easier access to entry into the creative field.

The producer is also now an artist, the producer is now a DJ, the producer is now a video director, the producer is now an engineer. Producers have to be more business-minded and handle their own agreements. We never had to worry about that before, he said.

Look at super-producer Skrillex, five-time Grammy nominee who did his record on a laptop in his bedroom. He tours, DJs, lead singer — hes everything. And hes just one of many others. Everybody has changed. Dre is doing better selling headphones and speakers than he does selling records.

Shocklee said the major labels agreeing to Apples iCloud deal, wherein they get paid when Apple hosts a users music, no matter its provenance, represents a raised level of consciousness at the major labels.

But those labels are obsessed with short terms gains, because a 10 percent shift in sales can mean life or death for a label.

Shocklee said, theyre just trying to find a way and theyll get through it, because there is a need for international record companies — if they benefit the artist, not just take advantage of them — for publicity, touring, accounting for all these web revenue streams. Were just now starting to figure out how to work together, and were having growing pains.

Lamentations that digital revenue has not replaced record sales are premature, he said. Digital revenue has grown by leaps and bounds, and we havent even scratched the surface. Were looking for something very young to bear fruit right away.

A longtime remixer, Shocklee said the outdated copyright system — which made Congressional news in January — is hurting creativity, not helping it. Technology is a tool for liberation, but its just a tool, it can also be used as a tool for repression. Remix culture is not a fad, its part of all of our vocabulary.

And Shocklee expressed disappointment by the music labels thin presence at Macworld. The music industry doesnt get it. Everybodys holding onto an old concept.

People ask me, Why are you at Macworld? I turn it around on them, Why arent you at Macworld? I went to NAMM. Thats like listening to old Led Zeppelin records. Great music. Great scenario. But that was a different time. This is the future.

This place should be packed with artists and musicians. This is a revolution. Its fucking amazing. Im here to tell everybody that youre all free. Thats it.

NEW YORK, Mar 14, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) –
Forest Laboratories, Inc.

/quotes/zigman/226825/quotes/nls/frx FRX
+1.58%

and Forest Laboratories Holdings,
Ltd. (collectively, “Forest”) announced that Forest and Janssen
Pharmaceutica NV have jointly filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court
for the District of Delaware against several companies for infringement
of U.S. Patent No. 6,545,040 (“the ’040 patent”), relating to Forest’s
BYSTOLIC(R) product. Forest licenses the ’040 patent from
Janssen. The ’040 patent expires in December 2021, including patent term
extension.

The defendants named in the lawsuit include Amerigen Pharmaceuticals,
Inc., Glenmark Generics, Inc., Hetero USA Inc., Torrent Pharmaceuticals
Ltd., Watson Laboratories, Inc., and related companies and subsidiaries
thereof. Janssen and Forest also filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District
Court for the Northern District of Illinois against Alkem Laboratories
Limited and Indchemie Health Specialties Pvt. Ltd for infringement of
the ’040 patent.

Janssen and Forest received notification from these companies that they
had filed Abbreviated New Drug Applications with Paragraph IV
certifications seeking approval to market generic versions of BYSTOLIC
before the expiration of the ’040 patent. The aforementioned lawsuits
were commenced before the expiration of forty-five days from the date of
receipt of each notification letter.

About Forest Laboratories

Forest Laboratories’

/quotes/zigman/226825/quotes/nls/frx FRX
+1.58%

longstanding global partnerships and
track record developing and marketing pharmaceutical products in the
United States have yielded its well-established central nervous system
and cardiovascular franchises and innovations in anti-infective and
respiratory medicine. The Company’s pipeline, the most robust in its
history, includes product candidates in all stages of development across
a wide range of therapeutic areas. The Company is headquartered in New
York, NY. To learn more, visit
www.FRX.com .

Except for the historical information contained herein, this release
contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements involve a
number of risks and uncertainties, including the difficulty of
predicting FDA approvals, the acceptance and demand for new
pharmaceutical products, the impact of competitive products and pricing,
the timely development and launch of new products, and the risk factors
listed from time to time in Forest Laboratories’ Annual Reports on Form
10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and any subsequent SEC filings.

SOURCE: Forest Laboratories, Inc.

Forest Laboratories, Inc.
Frank J. Murdolo
Vice President – Investor Relations
1-212-224-6714
Frank.Murdolo@frx.com

Copyright Business Wire 2012

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FRX

Forest Laboratories Inc.

$
33.87

+0.53
+1.58%

Volume: 1.32M
March 22, 2012 12:27p

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FRX

Forest Laboratories Inc.

$
33.87

+0.53
+1.58%

Volume: 1.32M
March 22, 2012 12:27p

The following table lists the 141 US companies
that reported quarterly earnings today (end date of the quarter is noted in
the last column). Companies are sorted alphabetically by ticker symbol.

Earnings estimates provided by Bloomberg.

TICKER EST
SYM COMPANY Q11 Q10 % CHG Q11 % CHG Q/E
========================================================================
ABAX# ABAXIS INC 0.13 0.17 -23.5 0.17 -23.5 Dec
ABC* AMERISOURCEBERGE 0.62 0.57 8.8 0.63 -1.6 Dec
ABFS# ARKANSAS BEST 0.08 -0.11 NM 0.24 -66.7 Dec
ACAT ARCTIC CAT INC 0.92 0.50 84.0 0.59 55.9 Dec
ACO# AMCOL INTL CORP 0.43 0.21 104.8 0.45 -4.4 Dec
AEP*# AMERICAN ELECTRI 0.40 0.38 5.3 0.41 -2.4 Dec
AHGP# ALLIANCE HOLDING 0.87 0.80 8.7 0.83 4.8 Dec
ALK# ALASKA AIR GROUP 1.02 1.28 -20.3 1.14 -10.5 Dec
ALNC# ALLIANCE FINL CP 0.60 0.59 1.7 0.67 -10.4 Dec
TICKER EST
SYM COMPANY Q11 Q10 % CHG Q11 % CHG Q/E
========================================================================
AME AMETEK INC 0.63 0.50 26.0 0.61 3.3 Dec
AMGN*# AMGEN INC 1.21 1.17 3.4 1.23 -1.6 Dec
AN* AUTONATION INC 0.51 0.45 13.3 0.49 4.1 Dec
AOS# SMITH (AO)CORP 0.68 0.46 47.8 0.64 6.3 Dec
ARLP# ALLIANCE RESOURC 1.93 1.82 6.0 1.78 8.4 Dec
ART ARTIO GLOBAL INV 0.17 0.46 -63.0 0.18 -5.6 Dec
BAX* BAXTER INTL INC 1.17 1.11 5.4 1.17 0.0 Dec
BGG BRIGGS amp; STRATTN 0.05 0.06 -16.7 0.05 0.0 Dec
BH# BIGLARI HOLDINGS 6.58 5.80 13.4 6.07 8.4 Dec
BLL* BALL CORP 0.48 0.46 4.3 0.53 -9.4 Dec
BPFH# BOSTON PRIV FINL 0.13 -0.16 NM 0.11 18.2 Dec
CB*# CHUBB CORP 1.63 1.69 -3.6 1.60 1.9 Dec
CCBG# CAP CITY BANK -0.03 0.12 NM 0.08 NM Dec
CFFI# C amp; F FINANCIAL 1.02 0.67 52.2 1.02 0.0 Dec
CL* COLGATE-PALMOLIV 1.30 1.24 4.8 1.29 0.8 Dec
CLP COLONIAL PROPS 0.28 0.28 0.0 0.30 -6.7 Dec
CMCO# COLUMBUS MCKI/NY 0.33 0.03 1000.0 0.24 37.5 Dec
CNBC CENTER BANCORP 0.20 0.15 33.3 0.20 0.0 Dec
TICKER EST
SYM COMPANY Q11 Q10 % CHG Q11 % CHG Q/E
========================================================================
CNX* CONSOL ENERGY 0.70 0.54 29.6 0.64 9.4 Dec
COBZ# COBIZ FINANCIAL 0.15 0.06 150.0 0.12 25.0 Dec
CODE# SPANSION INC-A -0.21 0.73 NM -0.13 -61.5 Dec
CPHD# CEPHEID INC -0.03 0.02 NM 0.04 NM Dec
CPSI# COMPUTER PROGRAM 0.59 0.58 1.7 0.59 0.0 Dec
CPX# COMPLETE PRODUCT 0.98 0.49 100.0 0.88 11.4 Dec
CRUS# CIRRUS LOGIC INC 0.43 0.34 26.5 0.43 0.0 Dec
CSH CASH AMER INTL 1.18 1.17 0.9 1.23 -4.1 Dec
CVX*# CHEVRON CORP 2.58 2.51 2.8 2.85 -9.5 Dec
D*# DOMINION RES/VA 0.58 0.63 -7.9 0.64 -9.4 Dec
DCOM# DIME COMM BNCSHS 0.38 0.31 22.6 0.33 15.2 Dec
DHI*# DR HORTON INC 0.09 -0.06 NM 0.04 125.0 Dec
DLA# DELTA APPAREL -1.61 0.09 NM -1.59 -1.3 Dec
DLLR# DFC GLOBAL CORP 0.51 0.35 45.7 0.50 2.0 Dec
DV*# DEVRY INC 0.92 1.25 -26.4 1.01 -8.9 Dec
EBTX# ENCORE BANCSHARE 0.17 -0.16 NM 0.15 13.3 Dec
ELX# EMULEX CORP 0.26 0.15 73.3 0.21 23.8 Dec
EMN*# EASTMAN CHEMICAL 0.71 0.71 0.0 0.79 -10.1 Dec
TICKER EST
SYM COMPANY Q11 Q10 % CHG Q11 % CHG Q/E
========================================================================
EQT* EQT CORP 0.60 0.49 22.4 0.53 13.2 Dec
ESIO# ELECTRO SCI INDS 0.02 0.21 -90.5 0.00 na Nov
ETN* EATON CORP 1.08 0.85 27.1 1.11 -2.7 Dec
F*# FORD MOTOR CO 0.20 0.30 -33.3 0.25 -20.0 Dec
FCCY# 1ST CONSTIT BANC 0.21 0.16 31.2 0.19 10.5 Dec
FICO# FAIR ISAAC CORP 0.81 0.48 68.8 0.60 35.0 Dec
FII*# FEDERATED INV-B 0.36 0.45 -20.0 0.39 -7.7 Dec
FLWS 1-800-FLOWERS-A 0.22 0.21 4.8 0.23 -4.3 Dec
GHM# GRAHAM CORP 0.16 0.13 23.1 0.20 -20.0 Dec
HBHC# HANCOCK HLDG CO 0.53 0.46 15.2 0.54 -1.9 Dec
HEOP# HERITAGE OAKS BC 0.16 0.00 na 0.08 100.0 Dec
HOME# HOME FEDERAL BAN 0.09 -0.16 NM 0.01 800.0 Dec
HON*# HONEYWELL INTL 1.05 0.87 20.7 1.04 1.0 Dec
HTBK# HERITAGE COMMERC 0.07 0.03 133.3 0.06 16.7 Dec
HUB/B HUBBELL INC -B 1.17 0.96 21.9 1.10 6.4 Dec
HUBG# HUB GROUP-A 0.48 0.34 41.2 0.46 4.3 Dec
IDXX# IDEXX LABS 0.70 0.62 12.9 0.63 11.1 Dec
IMGN# IMMUNOGEN INC -0.17 -0.21 19.0 -0.23 26.1 Dec
TICKER EST
SYM COMPANY Q11 Q10 % CHG Q11 % CHG Q/E
========================================================================
INFA# INFORMATICA CORP 0.47 0.39 20.5 0.44 6.8 Dec
INVN# INVENSENSE INC 0.10 na na 0.12 -16.7 Dec
ISBC# INVESTORS BANCOR 0.20 0.15 33.3 0.20 0.0 Dec
ISCA INTL SPEEDWAY-A 0.62 0.59 5.1 0.60 3.3 Nov
JBHT# HUNT (JB) TRANS 0.63 0.46 37.0 0.58 8.6 Dec
JBLU JETBLUE AIRWAYS 0.08 0.03 166.7 0.04 100.0 Dec
JNPR*# JUNIPER NETWORKS 0.28 0.42 -33.3 0.27 3.7 Dec
LANC LANCASTER COLONY 1.11 1.23 -9.8 1.16 -4.3 Dec
LM*# LEGG MASON INC 0.20 0.41 -51.2 0.25 -20.0 Dec
LMT* LOCKHEED MARTIN 2.14 2.30 -7.0 1.95 9.7 Dec
LSCC# LATTICE SEMICOND 0.06 0.11 -45.5 0.06 0.0 Dec
LYTS LSI INDUSTRIES 0.03 0.12 -75.0 0.05 -40.0 Dec
MBFI# MB FINANCIAL 0.31 0.01 3000.0 0.33 -6.1 Dec
MCRL# MICREL INC 0.08 0.22 -63.6 0.09 -11.1 Dec
MCRS# MICROS SYSTEMS 0.51 0.45 13.3 0.51 0.0 Dec
METR# METRO BANCORP IN 0.18 0.10 80.0 0.14 28.6 Dec
MKC* MCCORMICK-N/V 1.03 0.99 4.0 0.97 6.2 Nov
MO*# ALTRIA GROUP INC 0.50 0.44 13.6 0.49 2.0 Dec
TICKER EST
SYM COMPANY Q11 Q10 % CHG Q11 % CHG Q/E
========================================================================
MOFG# MIDWESTONE FINAN 0.39 0.33 18.2 0.41 -4.9 Dec
MOG/A# MOOG INC-CLASS A 0.80 0.73 9.6 0.74 8.1 Dec
MSCC# MICROSEMI CORP 0.39 0.37 5.4 0.39 0.0 Dec
MSFG# MAINSOURCE FINAN 0.26 0.20 30.0 0.24 8.3 Dec
MXIM# MAXIM INTEGRATED 0.34 0.44 -22.7 0.32 6.3 Dec
NBBC# NEWBRIDGE BANCOR 0.04 0.03 33.3 0.03 33.3 Dec
NEE*# NEXTERA ENERGY 0.93 0.80 16.2 0.91 2.2 Dec
NEI NETWORK ENGINES 0.04 0.03 33.3 0.04 0.0 Dec
NFSB# NEWPORT BANCORP 0.13 0.24 -45.8 0.14 -7.1 Dec
NPBC NATL PENN BCSHS 0.16 0.09 77.8 0.15 6.7 Dec
NS# NUSTAR ENERGY LP 0.30 0.65 -53.8 0.31 -3.2 Dec
NSH# NUSTAR GP HOLDIN 0.45 na na 0.31 45.2 Dec
NST# NSTAR 0.53 0.49 8.2 0.52 1.9 Dec
NWL*# NEWELL RUBBERMAI 0.40 0.34 17.6 0.38 5.3 Dec
OCLR# OCLARO INC -0.35 0.12 NM -0.38 7.9 Dec
OMCL# OMNICELL INC 0.19 0.11 72.7 0.16 18.8 Dec
OMN# OMNOVA SOLUTIONS 0.14 0.18 -22.2 0.07 100.0 Nov
PCP* PRECISION CASTPT 2.12 1.80 17.8 2.21 -4.1 Dec
TICKER EST
SYM COMPANY Q11 Q10 % CHG Q11 % CHG Q/E
========================================================================
PFBC# PREFERRED BANK 0.29 -0.80 NM 0.24 20.8 Dec
PFS# PROVIDENT FINANC 0.26 0.23 13.0 0.27 -3.7 Dec
PG*# PROCTER amp; GAMBLE 1.10 1.13 -2.7 1.08 1.9 Dec
PSSI PSS WORLD MEDICA 0.38 0.35 8.6 0.39 -2.6 Dec
RGS REGIS CORP 0.32 0.25 28.0 0.23 39.1 Dec
RHI*# ROBERT HALF INTL 0.30 0.17 76.5 0.31 -3.2 Dec
RMBS# RAMBUS INC 0.08 0.28 -71.4 na na Dec
RMD# RESMED INC 0.44 0.37 18.9 0.37 18.9 Dec
RTN* RAYTHEON CO 1.58 1.37 15.3 1.34 17.9 Dec
RVBD# RIVERBED TECHNOL 0.25 0.19 31.6 0.24 4.2 Dec
RYL# RYLAND GROUP INC 0.06 -0.13 NM 0.08 -25.0 Dec
SBCF# SEACOAST BANK/FL 0.02 -0.12 NM 0.01 100.0 Dec
SBSI# SOUTHSIDE BAN IN 0.65 0.47 38.3 0.50 30.0 Dec
SBUX*# STARBUCKS CORP 0.50 0.45 11.1 0.49 2.0 Dec
SCBT# SCBT FINANCIAL C 0.37 0.12 208.3 0.40 -7.5 Dec
SCSC# SCANSOURCE INC 0.75 0.73 2.7 0.69 8.7 Dec
SIVB# SVB FINANCIAL GR 0.81 0.41 97.6 0.77 5.2 Dec
SOA# SOLUTIA INC 0.49 0.36 36.1 0.47 4.3 Dec
TICKER EST
SYM COMPANY Q11 Q10 % CHG Q11 % CHG Q/E
========================================================================
SOFO# SONIC FOUNDRY -0.10 0.03 NM -0.04 -150.0 Dec
SOMH SOMERSET HILLS 0.16 0.15 6.7 0.15 6.7 Dec
SSBI# SUMMIT STATE BAN 0.08 0.06 33.3 0.12 -33.3 Dec
STEL STELLARONE CORP 0.17 0.10 70.0 0.16 6.3 Dec
STRT# STRATTEC SEC 0.47 0.37 27.0 0.46 2.2 Dec
SXL# SUNOCO LOGISTICS 0.99 0.49 102.0 0.65 52.3 Dec
TKR# TIMKEN CO 1.11 0.74 50.0 1.06 4.7 Dec
TROW*# T ROWE PRICE GRP 0.73 0.72 1.4 0.69 5.8 Dec
TSH# TECHE HOLDING CO 0.85 0.87 -2.3 0.99 -14.1 Dec
TSRA# TESSERA TECHNOL 0.18 0.44 -59.1 0.15 20.0 Dec
UA UNDER ARMOUR-A 0.62 0.40 55.0 0.60 3.3 Dec
UPI# UROPLASTY INC -0.05 -0.07 28.6 -0.07 28.6 Dec
USAP# UNIVERSAL STAINL 0.72 0.52 38.5 0.66 9.1 Dec
VLY VALLEY NATL BANC 0.16 0.23 -30.4 0.19 -15.8 Dec
VRSN*# VERISIGN INC 0.40 0.31 29.0 0.42 -4.8 Dec
WAIR# WESCO AIRCRAFT H 0.26 na na 0.23 13.0 Dec
WCBO# WEST COAST BA/OR -0.05 0.10 NM 1.07 NM Dec
WCC WESCO INTL 1.12 0.75 49.3 0.97 15.5 Dec
TICKER EST
SYM COMPANY Q11 Q10 % CHG Q11 % CHG Q/E
========================================================================
WERN# WERNER ENT 0.40 0.33 21.2 0.39 2.6 Dec
WMS# WMS INDS INC 0.27 0.44 -38.6 0.30 -10.0 Dec
WSFS# WSFS FINANCIAL 0.63 0.26 142.3 0.61 3.3 Dec
WTBA# WEST BANCORP 0.21 0.17 23.5 0.23 -8.7 Dec
YAVY YADKIN VALLEY FI 0.11 0.00 na 0.06 83.3 Dec
ZMH* ZIMMER HLDGS 1.36 1.27 7.1 1.34 1.5 Dec

Total number of companies reporting earnings today: 141

* – Company in Standard amp; Poor’s 500 Index.
# – Company reported in the late afternoon.

To contact the reporter on this story:
Wendy Soong in New York at at csoong@Bloomberg.net.

To contact the editor responsible for this story:
Alex Tanzi at at
atanzi@Bloomberg.net

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ST. PAUL, Minn., Mar 14, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) –
Patterson Companies, Inc.

/quotes/zigman/93613/quotes/nls/pdco PDCO
-0.06%

announced that its board of
directors approved an increase in the quarterly cash dividend from $0.12
per diluted share to $0.14 per share, bringing the annual dividend rate
to $0.56 per share. The dividend is payable on April 27, 2012 to
shareholders of record at the close of business on April 11, 2012.

Scott P. Anderson, president and chief executive officer, commented:
“While our first priority remains investing in our businesses, we also
are committed to generating additional value for Patterson’s
shareholders. Our increased dividend is a clear expression of that
commitment.”

About Patterson Companies, Inc. Patterson Companies, Inc. is
a value-added distributor serving the dental, companion-pet veterinarian
and rehabilitation supply markets. Dental
Market As Patterson’s largest business, Patterson Dental
provides a virtually complete range of consumable dental products,
equipment and software, turnkey digital solutions and value-added
services to dentists and dental laboratories throughout North America. Veterinary
Market Webster Veterinary is the nation’s second largest
distributor of consumable veterinary supplies, equipment and software,
diagnostic products, vaccines and pharmaceuticals to companion-pet
veterinary clinics. Rehabilitation Market Patterson
Medical is the world’s leading distributor of rehabilitation supplies
and non-wheelchair assistive patient products to the physical and
occupational therapy markets. The unit’s global customer base includes
hospitals, long-term care facilities, clinics and dealers.

This release contains forward-looking statements as defined in the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking
statements are information of a non-historical nature and are subject to
risks and uncertainties that are beyond the Company’s ability to
control. The Company cautions shareholders and prospective investors
that the following factors, among others, may cause actual results to
differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking
statements: competition within the dental, veterinary, and
rehabilitative and assistive living supply industries; changes in the
economics of dentistry, including reduced growth in expenditures by
private dental insurance plans, the effects of economic conditions and
the effects of healthcare reform, which may affect future per capita
expenditures for dental services and the ability and willingness of
dentists to invest in high-technology products; the effects of
healthcare related legislation and regulation which may affect
expenditures or reimbursements for rehabilitative and assistive
products; changes in the economics of the veterinary supply market,
including reduced growth in per capita expenditures for veterinary
services and reduced growth in the number of households owning pets; the
ability of the Company to maintain satisfactory relationships with its
sales force; unexpected loss of key senior management personnel;
unforeseen operating risks; risks associated with the dependence on
manufacturers of the Company’s products; and the ability of the Company
to successfully integrate the recent acquisitions into its existing
business. Forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by
the cautionary language set forth in the Company’s filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission.

SOURCE: Patterson Companies, Inc.

Patterson Companies, Inc.
R. Stephen Armstrong, 651-686-1600
Executive Vice President & CFO
or
Equity Market Partners
Richard G. Cinquina, 904-415-1415

Copyright Business Wire 2012

/quotes/zigman/93613/quotes/nls/pdco

Add to portfolio

PDCO

Patterson Cos. Inc.

$
32.34

-0.02
-0.06%

Volume: 518,927
March 19, 2012 4:00p

NEW YORK, Mar 14, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) –
The Board of Directors of Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc.

/quotes/zigman/233092/quotes/nls/mmc MMC
-0.70%

,
a global professional services firm providing advice in risk, strategy
and human capital, today declared a quarterly dividend of $.22 per share
on outstanding common stock, payable on May 15, 2012 to shareholders of
record on April 10, 2012.

About Marsh & McLennan Companies

MARSH & McLENNAN COMPANIES

/quotes/zigman/233092/quotes/nls/mmc MMC
-0.70%

is a global team of professional
services companies offering clients advice and solutions in the areas of
risk, strategy and human capital. MARSH
is a global leader in insurance broking and risk management; GUY
CARPENTER is a global leader in providing risk and reinsurance
intermediary services; MERCER
is a global leader in human resource consulting and related services;
and OLIVER
WYMAN is a global leader in management consulting. Marsh & McLennan
Companies’ 52,000 colleagues worldwide provide analysis, advice and
transactional capabilities to clients in more than 100 countries. The
Company prides itself on being a responsible corporate citizen and
making a positive impact in the communities in which it operates. Visit
www.mmc.com
for more corporate information, or
www.PartneringImpact.com
to learn more about the Company’s world-class capabilities and its
solutions to the complex problems enterprises face today.

SOURCE: Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc.

Media:
Marsh & McLennan Companies
Jeremy Lehrman, +1-212-345-9755
jeremy.lehrman@mmc.com
or
Investor:
Marsh & McLennan Companies
Scott Douglas, +1-212-345-5488
scott.d.douglas@mmc.com

Copyright Business Wire 2012

/quotes/zigman/233092/quotes/nls/mmc

Add to portfolio

MMC

Marsh & McLennan Cos.

$
32.73

-0.23
-0.70%

Volume: 2.04M
March 19, 2012 4:00p

/quotes/zigman/233092/quotes/nls/mmc

Add to portfolio

MMC

Marsh & McLennan Cos.

$
32.73

-0.23
-0.70%

Volume: 2.04M
March 19, 2012 4:00p