COMPANIES

Mobile phone giant Vodafone Group Plc, reported a narrower loss for its 2007 fiscal year on Tuesday, giving an optimistic outlook driven by emerging markets.

Real Estate investment trust Archstone-Smith said on Tuesday that it agreed to be acquired by a partnership between Tishman Speyer Properties LP and Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. for about $22.2 billion, including debt and transaction costs.

Shares of Advanced Medical Optics (NYSE: EYE)fell more than 12 percent on Tuesday after the company said it would recall one of its contact-lens solutions following a report linking the product to a rare but serious cornea infection.

Struggling apparel retailer Gap Inc. will now align its Gap brand efforts to target consumers in their late 20s and early 30s, distinguishing itself from teen and college age focused stores, such as Abercrombie and Fitch, the company’s chief executive said in a conference call with analysts Thursday.

Sports trading cards company Topps Co., Inc. (NASDAQ: TOPP) has received an unsolicited offer from rival Upper Deck Co. on Thursday that exceeds the $385 million deal struck with a private equity firm led by former Walt Disney CEO Michael Eisner.

Advanced Medical Optics Inc. (NYSE: EYE) said it is considering an offer for Bausch & Lomb Inc. (NYSE: BOL), setting up what could become bidding war with the private equity firm Warburg Pincus LLC.

Toro Co. (NYSE: TTC)shares rose 6.5 percent on Thursday after the lawnmower and sprinkler maker reported stronger than expected second-quarter profit on international sales and higher margins.

La Jolla Pharmaceutical Co. (NASDAQ: LJPC)shares jumped on Thursday after the company said its lupus drug was well tolerated in data across three different reports.

Mizuho Financial Group Inc., one of Japan’s three mega-banking groups, announced on Tuesday that its net yearly profit fell 4.4 percent to 621 billion yen ($5.2B), citing losses caused by an affiliate consumer lender.

Game Stop Corp. (NYSE: GME), the world's largest video-game retailer, said on Wednesday that its first quarter profit more than doubled in part on strong Nintendo product sales, but just missed analyst expectations.

Off-price retailer Ross Stores Inc. (NASDAQ: ROST) said that its profit rose 13 percent in its first quarter on strong sales, but gave a weak second-quarter outlook.

The second-largest U.S. retailer, Target Corp. (NYSE: TGT), said that its first-quarter profit jumped by 18 percent on Wednesday, beating analysts expectations and sending shares higher.

Canadian aluminum producer Alcan Inc. (NYSE:AL) is in early talks with the world's largest minining company, BHP Billiton Ltd.(NYSE:BHP), as it attempts to fend off an unsolicited $27 billion bid from U.S. rival Alcoa Inc.(NYSE:AA), according to a published report.

Canadian aluminum producer Alcan Inc. (NYSE: AL) said late Tuesday that its board has unanimously rejected an advance from rival U.S company Alcoa Inc. (NYSE: AA), calling the $27 bid 'inadequate in multiple respects.'

Autozone Inc., the largest U.S. auto parts retailer, (NYSE:AZO )said Tuesday third-quarter net income rose 5 percent due to better sales and greater efficiency.

Shares of Cytyc Corp.(NASDAQ: CYTC) rose more than 20 percent on Monday, a day after an announcement that Hologic, Inc. (NASDAQ: HOLX) agreed to buy the company for $6.2 billion.

General Electric Co. ( NYSE: GE) said on Monday that it will sell its GE Plastics business to Saudi Basic Industries Corp. for $11.6 billion cash.

Upscale retailer Saks Inc. (NYSE: SKS) posted a lower quarterly profit on Monday, dragged down by restructuring costs and other charges, but sales were up.

Investment bank and brokerage Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc (NYSE: MER), announced Monday that that it will purchase a minority stake in investment management firm GSO Capital partners LP.

Home improvement store chain Lowe's Companies Inc. (NYSE: LOW) said on Monday that its first quarter profit dropped by 12 percent, slightly below expectations, due to a slowing U.S housing market.

Siemens (NYSE: SI) announced on Sunday that it has named a new chief executive, as the industrial conglomerate attempts to reshape its image in the midst of various corruption investigations.

Japanese camera and optics company Pentax, has said that it may accept high-tech glass maker Hoya Corp.’s takeover bid, according to a report on Thursday.

In a bid to keep pace with Internet search leader Google, Inc (Nasdaq: GOOG), British advertising conglomerate WPP Group Plc (Nasdaq: WPPGY) said Thursday it has agreed to buy online ad network and technology firm 24/7 Real Media, Inc. (Nasdaq: TFSM) for $649 million in cash.

The Blacksone Group LP said on Thursday that it agreed to buy transaction and credit card services company Alliance Data Systems Corp. (NYSE: ADS) to take it private for $6.76 billion.

Isuzu Motors Ltd. announced Monday that its group net yearly profit surged 56.7 percent in 2006, to a record 92.39 billion yen ($776M), citing high demand for its trucks overseas.

Retailer TJX Companies Inc., (NYSE: TJX) said on Tuesday that its profit was slightly lower for its fiscal first quarter, hindered by charges related to corporate security breaches.

Hurt by a softer housing market in the United Stats, The Home Depot Inc. (NYSE: HD) posted a decline in its first quarter profit on Tuesday, falling short of analyst expectations.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE WMT), reported an 8 percent profit gain for its fiscal first-quarter which was in line with analysts expectations, but may come short of analyst estimates for its second-quarter.

Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A)reported a rise in quarterly profit late Monday, saying profit rose 7 percent in its fiscal second quarter on strong orders for bio-analytical measurement tools.