Business briefs 4/8/04

Energy giant announces $2.5 billion stock buyout

DENVER -- Energy giant Kerr-McGee Corp. announced plans Wednesday to buy Westport Resources Corp. in a $2.5 billion stock deal expected to boost its oil and natural gas holdings in Texas and the developing hotbed of the Rockies. The deal would create one of the nation's biggest independent oil and gas producers and raise Kerr-McGee's daily production volume by more than a third.

Yahoo! profits double during first quarter

SAN FRANCISCO -- Yahoo! Inc.'s first-quarter profit more than doubled, propelled by advertisers eager to have their products promoted on the Internet's most popular destination. The Sunnyvale, Calif.-based company said Wednesday it earned $101 million, 14 cents per share, compared with $46.7 million, 8 cents per share, at the same time last year.

DaimlerChrysler holders voice concerns

BERLIN -- DaimlerChrysler shareholders strode one by one to the microphone on Wednesday and told company leader Juergen Schrempp how, in their view, he is doing things all wrong -- citing everything from exhaust filters to his global business strategy. The criticism at the shareholder meeting took on a hard edge this year as investor worries focused on the company's stock price, which has lagged the competition, and on concerns about financial trouble at its Japanese partner Mitsubishi Motors.

-- From wire reports