Finance & Capital Management

(Reuters) - Ralston Purina Co., the largest U.S. pet food maker, said on Monday that fiscal third-quarter net earnings rose nearly 27 percent, driven by firm sales volumes in all segments of its business and lower interest expenses.

(PRNewswire) - PepsiCo Inc. said today it completed its previously announced plan to acquire Tasali Snack Foods, the leader of the Saudi Arabian salty snack market, from Savola Snack Foods.

(Reuters) - Consumer products maker Colgate-Palmolive Co. said today that its second-quarter net income rose 9.6 percent as higher margins offset the effects of weak foreign currencies that led to flat sales.

(PRNewswire) - The Coca-Cola Company today announced the appointment of Brian G. Dyson as vice chairman and chief operating officer. In this capacity, Dyson will be responsible for the implementation and execution of Coca-Cola's strategic vision worldwide. Accordingly, the geographic operating unit presidents will report directly to Dyson. His appointment is for two years.

(PRNewswire) - Nash Finch Company, a Fortune 500 Minneapolis-based food retailer and distributor, today announced the addition of two new directors to develop and roll-out the company's specialty store concepts, a Hispanic-oriented retail supermarket and Buy N Save, an extreme value retail store.

(Financial Times) - Europe's leading food retailers must look at foreign acquisitions if they are to survive, according to a new report.