IN BRIEF (Page 16)

Hotelier falls

Marriott International Inc, the world's largest lodging company, said first-quarter profit fell after travelers booked fewer hotel rooms as the US economy slowed.

Net income declined to $121 million, or 33 cents a share, from $182 million, or 44 cents, a year earlier, the Bethesda, Maryland-based company said yesterday.

Southwest dips

Southwest Airlines Co, the largest low-fare carrier, said first-quarter net income fell 63 percent because of a surge in jet-fuel prices.

Profit declined to $34 million, or 5 cents a share, from $93 million, or 12 cents, a year earlier, the Dallas-based airline said in a statement yesterday.

Talks confirmed

Co-operative Group Ltd. Chief Executive Officer Peter Marks said the supermarket operator is in talks to buy Somerfield Plc, potentially boosting its store count by almost 50 percent.

Somerfield, which has more than 1,000 food stores, would be "a great strategic fit", Marks said yesterday. "We would be delighted to get to the finish line," he said, adding there is no certainty a deal will go ahead.

Remy rises

Remy Cointreau SA, France's second- largest liquor maker, said full-year sales rose 4 percent after Russian and Chinese drinkers bought more Remy Martin cognac and Piper-Heidsieck champagne.

Sales climbed to 817.8 million euros in the year through March from 785.9 million euros in the prior period, the Paris-based company said yesterday.

Roche revenue

Roche Holding AG, the world's biggest maker of cancer drugs, said first-quarter revenue dipped because of lower sales of its Tamiflu influenza pill and a weaker US dollar.

Revenue declined 4 percent to 10.9 billion Swiss francs ($10.9 billion) from 11.34 billion francs a year earlier, the Basel, Switzerland-based company said yesterday.

Mulling acquisitions

France Telecom SA is mulling a takeover of TeliaSonera AB to raise its presence in emerging markets and the mobile Internet, the Financial Times reported, citing Gervais Pellissier, France Telecom's finance director.

The company is looking at the possibility of a tie-up with TeliaSonera and is considering other options, including a link with Norway-based Telenor ASA, the FT cited Pellissier as saying.

Sodexo climbs

Sodexo, the world's second-largest catering company, said first-half profit rose 10 percent after rugby fans bought travel packages for the sport's World Cup.

Net income climbed to 219 million euros in the six months ended Feb 29 from 198 million euros a year earlier, Sodexo said yesterday.

Lackluster result

JJB Sports Plc, the United Kingdom's second-largest sporting-goods retailer, reported a 63 percent drop in annual profit after discounting goods and said almost a fifth of its stores will close because they're missing financial goals.

Net income fell to 9.6 million pounds, or 4.07 pence a share, in the year ended Jan 27 from 25.8 million pounds, or 11.07 pence, in the prior period, Wigan, England-based JJB said yesterday.

Airport revamp

St. Petersburg, Russia's second-largest city, will open a competition on April 21 to select private partners for the planned 30 billion-ruble ($1.28 billion) overhaul of Pulkovo airport.

The city aims to choose a group of companies to modernize and expand facilities and run the airport for 30 years, the local government said yesterday. Pulkovo is Russia's biggest airport outside Moscow.

Agencies

(China Daily 04/18/2008 page16)