Business news for Mon, 31 Dec 2007 & with word companies. 33 news.

The year just past was not a good one for the stocks of Long Island's publicly-traded companies, which fell 11.5 percent overall, pulled down mostly by two companies involved in the mortgage industry crisis.

Funds dedicated to growth companies had surprisingly solid gains for 2007, withstanding market turbulence that usually pummels ...

Tracinda said it will take a 35% stake in Delta Petroleum, making a $684 million investment in the energy company. The deal shows how many smaller energy companies could face difficulties financing their capital plans in coming years.

(AP) -- Cell phone maker Motorola Inc. and Metrologic Instruments Inc. said Monday they have settled all outstanding patent infringement disputes between the two companies for an undisclosed amount. Since 2002, the two companies have been engaged in a number of patent disputes over barcode ...

Cell phone maker Motorola Inc. and Metrologic Instruments Inc. said Monday they have settled all outstanding patent infringement disputes between the two companies for an undisclosed amount.

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Motorola Inc. and Metrologic Instruments Inc. have reached an agreement that settles all outstanding patent infringement disputes between the two companies and their respective subsidiaries, Motorola said Monday. As a part of the agreement, the companies have entered into a patent cross-license for a limited term in the field of barcode scanning and mobile computing. The specific terms of the settlement are confidential.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Projections for S&P 500 companies' fourth-quarter earnings swung to a 6.1 percent drop on Monday from an 11.5 percent rise on October 1, in the biggest quarterly move since Reuters Estimates started compiling analysts' forecasts in 1999.

Reuters - Projections for S&P 500 companies' fourth-quarter earnings swung to a 6.1 percent drop on Monday from an 11.5 percent rise on October 1, in the biggest quarterly move since Reuters Estimates started compiling analysts' forecasts in 1999.

Rail companies faced a backlash from passengers and politicians today as they raised fares by up to 14.5%

Six months ago, the Bush administration quietly eased some restrictions on the export of sensitive technologies to China. The new approach was intended to help American companies increase sales of high-tech equipment to China despite tight curbs on sharing technology that might have military applications.

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) - Telecommunications stocks mostly edged lower on quiet Monday action, led by a 1% drop in Sprint Nextel Corp . Other notable decliners included Tellabs Inc. , Ciena Corp. and Juniper Networks Inc. , all down around 1% in the session before the New Year's holiday. Among the few gainers were Vonage Holding Corp. and Nortel Networks Corp. The two companies settled a patent dispute, although the agreement does not require payment from either side. Shares of Vonage were up 7% and Nortel rose 1.6%.

The prospect of making the world interactive through cell phones and QR codes--printed two-dimensional bar codes made popular in Japan--has two Long Beach, Calif. ad execs cozying up to high-tech thought leaders at companies like Nokia and Samsung.

As a New Year gift to mutual fund investors, market regulator Sebi on Monday exempted them from payment of entry fee on applications filed directly to the asset management companies (AMC).

NEW YORK (MarketWatch) - Workstream Inc. said Monday it received an unsolicited offer from a U.S.-based payroll business to determine the viability of a merger between the two companies. Any deal will be subject to the standard conditions including the completion of due diligence, regulatory approval, shareholder approval, board approval and the required valuations, Workstream said. Shares last traded at about 65 cents each.

Trying to clone the success of blockbuster Web sites like Club Penguin and Webkinz, children's entertainment companies are drastically accelerating efforts to build virtual worlds for kids.

LONDON (MarketWatch) -- Kirk Kerkorian's Tracinda is going to buy 35% of Delta Petroleum for $684 million, or $19 a share, the companies said Monday. The investment is at 23% premium to Friday's close. This transaction will allow Delta Petroleum to accelerate development drilling activities in its core areas, including the Piceance and Paradox Basins. "Under (CEO) Roger (Parker's) leadership, Delta Petroleum has become a very important company in the industry, with valuable resource plays, a strong asset base and well-positioned exploration projects that we believe hold significant growth potential," Tracinda said.

LONDON (MarketWatch) -- Merrill Lynch on Monday completed a previously announced deal with Aegon , where it's selling its life insurance unit for $1.25 billion in cash. Aegon's Transamerica companies will continue to supply insurance and investment products, including offering the flagship Merrill Lynch Investor Choice Annuity product through the acquired Merrill Lynch subsidiaries. Merrill Lynch expects to record a gain on sale during the fourth quarter of 2007 and anticipates the transaction to be slightly accretive to earnings per share and to have a positive effect on return on equity in 2008 after redeployment of proceeds. Aegon expects the acquisition to add scale to its existing business and to have a marginally positive effect on earnings per share.

Royal Dutch Shell Plc may cut as many as 3,600 staff in its information-technology division and hire other companies for the work, the Sunday Telegraph reported Sunday without saying where it got the information.

Find help for problem devices that have been abandoned by the companies that make them.

Vinod Khosla seems to relish rattling cages. He has become the nation's most visible investor in green tech, that fast-growing field of companies that develop new fuels and other eco-friendly products. Environmentalists couldn't be happier to see serious...