Awarded a three-year appliance-recycling contract by the Department of Water and Power of the City of Los Angeles. Terms weren't disclosed. … The company said it will open a third Appliance-Smart factory outlet superstore in the Atlanta market, its 14th nationally.

Declared a quarterly dividend of 13 cents per share, up 73 percent from the previous dividend of 7.5 cents per share. The dividend is payable Jan. 3 to shareholders of record Dec. 9.

Agreed to settle a lawsuit over the death of a young Grand Rapids, Minn., man who died after a Guidant implantable defibrillator failed to revive his heart, said a lawyer representing the man's family. The death of Joshua Oukrop, 21, and the subsequent disclosure that Guidant did not alert doctors about the potential defect in the device that failed him led to a storm of warnings, recalls, investigations and lawsuits involving the company. Guidant's cardiac rhythm division, which develops and makes the devices, is based in Arden Hills. "The only thing I'm at liberty to say is the case is resolved," said Matt Curtis, the Oukrop family's lawyer, who is based in Michigan. Curtis told Bloomberg News the settlement was reached "within the past two weeks," but he declined to disclose settlement terms, citing confidentiality provisions. Guidant spokesman Steve Tragash said the Indianapolis-based company does not comment on litigation. … Accellent Inc., a contract manufacturer for heart-device makers including Guidant, said it received a U.S. Justice Department subpoena for information related to a probe of Guidant defibrillators. The subpoena is connected to an investigation by the U.S. Attorney's office in Minneapolis that last month prompted a separate subpoena to Guidant, Wilmington, Mass.-based Accellent subsidiary Accellent Corp. said in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Said fiscal fourth-quarter profit climbed 17 percent on a strong turkey meat market, lower feed costs and improved production. Hormel posted net income of $81.7 million, or 59 cents per share, versus $69.8 million, or 50 cents per share, in the year-ago period. Revenue increased 10 percent to $1.48 billion from $1.35 billion in the year ago quarter, lifted largely by acquisitions. Looking ahead, the company forecast first-quarter earnings in a range of 44 cents to 50 cents per share, including a charge of 4 cents per share related to stock compensation. For fiscal 2006, Hormel projects earnings per share between $1.86 and $1.96, including the same charge. Analysts, who typically exclude one-time items in estimates, forecast earnings of 50 cents per share for the quarter and $1.96 per share for the year. … Hormel raised its annual dividend 8 percent to 56 cents per share, its 39th consecutive annual increase. A quarterly dividend of 14 cents per share will be paid Feb. 15 to stockholders of record as of Jan. 21. … Hormel made its largest profit-sharing distribution ever to its employees. More than $15 million was distributed to eligible hourly and salaried employees companywide on Thanksgiving Eve Day, a tradition that started in 1938.

Reported a first-quarter net loss of $294,000 and revenue of $1.7 million, compared with a net loss of $377,000 and revenue of $894,000 a year ago.

The owner of the St. Paul Pioneer Press bought the Employment News, a free recruitment weekly, from S&J Multimedia LLC for an undisclosed price. The Employment News is distributed at more than 3,800 Twin Cities locations. Minnesota Health & Medical Careers, a publication specializing in health-care jobs, also was part of the sale.

Said it believes it has resolved all of the Securities and Exchange Commission staff's comments on its financial statements and how it accounted for development costs and advances related to Indian casinos. Lakes now expects it will file its annual report for fiscal 2004 this week, and its quarterly reports for the first three quarters of 2005 in the first half of December.... Lakes said it might sell some or all of its shares of WPTEnterprises Inc., operator of the World Poker Tour, to fund operations. Lakes said it will need about $10 million in financing by Dec. 31 and an additional $10 million by March 1. Lakes, which owns about 62 percent of WPT, also is seeking alternative financing.

Lawson CEO Harry Debes told analysts his company's merger with Swedish software company Intentia International AB could close in January instead of at year-end as originally planned. Translating the Swedish firm's accounting to meet U.S. standards was harder than anticipated, Debes said in a conference call. Lawson filed a prospectus for the new combined company with the Securities and Exchange Commission Monday. If the SEC quickly approves the prospectus, Lawson and Intentia will call shareholder meetings, and the deal could still be completed by Dec. 31.

Shares of the maker of test systems and industrial position sensors fell 23 percent Tuesday after its 2006 earnings outlook fell short of Wall Street estimates. For fiscal 2006, MTS said it expects to earn between $1.66 and $1.76 a share on revenue of $395 million to $405 million. Analysts had forecast earnings of $1.83 on revenue of $435 million, according to Thomson Financial. MTS also said fiscal fourth-quarter revenue of $90.5 million was "weaker than expected" because of supplier shipment delays. As a result, about $5 million of revenue was delayed until fiscal 2006. MTS reported net income of $10.5 million, or 51 cents a share, in the period ended Oct. 1, compared with $8.24 million, or 40 cents, a year earlier. Revenue was $96 million a year earlier.

The cosmetic-surgery product maker said it would be open to beefing up its rejected $2.2 billion takeover bid for Medicis Pharmaceutical Corp., a maker of acne medicine. Mentor was based in Minneapolis until 1985, when the company moved its headquarters to Santa Barbara, where the breast implant company it had just bought was based. Mentor still makes dozens of medical products at its Minneapolis site, which employs about 350 workers.

Reduced to 300 from 500 the number of flight-attendant furloughs planned for January. Northwest announced plans to lay off 1,400 attendants in September. Nine hundred were furloughed Oct. 31. The carrier decided the rest of the cuts didn't need to be so severe after finalizing its January flight schedule, said spokesman Kurt Ebenhoch. … Striking Northwest mechanics can resume picketing along Northwest Drive at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. Union attorney Brendan Cummins said Wednesday that the Hennepin County District Court has granted the strikers an interim permit to picket there. On Monday, the union filed a lawsuit against the Metropolitan Airports Commission claiming the MAC had refused to grant the union's request to picket along Northwest Drive.

Reported second-quarter net income of $44.7 million, or 32 cents per share, and revenue of $641.7 million, compared with net income of $42.5 million, or 31 cents per share, and revenue of $578.2 million a year ago. The company forecast third-quarter earnings per share of 38 cents to 40 cents and reiterated its guidance of $1.44 to $1.46 per share for the year.

Reported first-quarter net income of $266,000 and revenue of $15.5 million, compared with net income of $2.2 million and revenue of $17.5 million a year ago.

Agreed to sell in private placements a total of 444,444 shares of its common stock to Lyle Berman, chairman and CEO of , and Gary Dachis, president of Upon completion of the transactions, Berman and Dachis each will own about 10.4 percent of Sten's outstanding shares.

Extended the period of its tender offer for all outstanding shares of common stock of Advanced Neuromodulation Systems. The offer now expires at 4 p.m. Monday.

Agreed to settle more than a dozen class-action lawsuits filed by shareholders alleging the company made "false or misleading statements" about the value of loss reserves related to the April 2004 merger between The St. Paul Cos. and Travelers Property Casualty Corp. The agreement also would settle three other shareholder suits alleging breach of fiduciary duty in regard to the merger. The company did not disclose the settlement amount, which is not expected to affect profits, according to documents filed Tuesday with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The settlement is subject to court approval.

Said its shareholders will vote Dec. 23 on a proposed acquistion by an affiliate of Sun Capital Partners for $29 a share, plus an annual 6 percent over the share price prorated for each day starting Dec. 15 until the deal is closed. Immediately before signing the deal last month, ShopKo said it had called off a merger agreement to be bought by an affiliate of Minneapolis-based , and agreed to pay it a $13.5 million breakup fee. Goldner Hawn said it recently increased its bid to $29 a share.

Said it expects November sales at stores open at least a year to rise 2 percent to 3 percent, half its earlier forecast. The discount chain had warned Nov. 14 that its same-store sales gain this month would fall short of its previously announced 4 percent to 6 percent forecast. The next day, shares fell 7.1 percent, the most in three years.

A wire report out of Chengdu, China, on Monday indicated 3M plans to build a new manufacturing plant there, spending $30 million to $50 million. The report quoted Yu Junxiong, 3M's managing director in China. A 3M spokeswoman in Maplewood said the information came out of a press conference on another topic and that 3M doesn't have any plans in the near future for additional investment there.

The paint and coatings manufacturer said fiscal fourth-quarter earnings grew 26 percent as revenue climbed. Earnings increased to $51 million, or 50 cents per share, from $40.4 million, or 38 cents per share last year. Revenue rose 12 percent to $725.4 million in the quarter ended Oct. 28. Valspar said its latest results benefited from a lower tax rate, which increased earnings by 2 cents per share over the 2004 quarter. Looking ahead, Valspar said it plans to take charges next year that will cut earnings by 5 cents to 6 cents per share for its previously announced plans to cut manufacturing capacity. It sees annual savings of 10 cents to 12 cents per share starting in 2007.

Said it will buy the one-office for an undisclosed sum, Wells Fargo's first Minnesota bank acquisition in three years. The State Bank of Rogers has more than $70 million in deposits and 35 employees. Wells Fargo also has a branch in Rogers, but both locations will remain open. Pending regulatory approval, the acquisition is expected to close next year.

Reported a fourth-quarter net loss of $2.8 million and revenue of $5.6 million, compared with a net loss of $482,000 and revenue of $5.9 million a year ago.

are being purchased for $45 million by a New York firm with hotels and resorts from London to the Red Rock Country of Sedona, Ariz. The St. Paul Port Authority said Tuesday a purchase agreement by New York's Trinity Hotel Investors to buy both the Radisson Riverfront Hotel and the Radisson City Center Hotel was approved.

, the St. Paul-based provider of document and technology services, said it agreed to acquire Boston-based WordWave Inc., a provider of legal support services, from two Massachusetts private equity firms. Terms weren't disclosed. The deal is expected to close by the end of the year.

, Minnetonka-based 's egg preparation business, won the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the nation's top corporate honor for sustained quality. Sunny Fresh, which has headquarters in Monticello and facilities in Monticello, Big Lake and three out-of-state sites, processes eggs for the restaurant and food industry.

packing plant in Buffalo Lake have overwhelmingly ratified their first-ever collective bargaining agreement, the United Food and Commercial Workers union said Wednesday. The agreement covers 150 workers and establishes work rates for every job as well as a wage increase during the first two years of the contract, the union said.

elected corn and soybean grower Kevin Paap, 45, president of the state's largest farm organization. Paap, who farms in Blue Earth County, takes over from Al Christopherson, who led the organization for 17 years.

and San Diego-based MicroIslet have entered into a long-term supply agreement under which Mayo will supply designated pathogen-free pigs to MicroIslet for use in the development of a suspension to be used in the treatment of patients with insulin-dependent diabetes. Terms weren't disclosed.

Paap promised to focus on promoting biofuels, livestock operations and selling agriculture to consumers unfamiliar with "how food gets from the field to their fork." Paul Torkelson of St. James was elected vice president.

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