Compiled by Mike Mason
Lake Forest-based Sparta Inc. said it’s buying the computer and network security research business of anti-virus software maker McAfee Inc. for undisclosed terms. Sparta is set to take on about 60 McAfee Research workers. Most are slated to move to Sparta’s facility in Columbia, Md. … Irvine-based Comarco Inc. won two patents related to its recharging devices for laptops, wireless phones and other mobile computer gear … Aliso Viejo-based QLogic Corp., a maker of storage networking gear, raised its earnings expectations for the quarter ended Dec. 26. The company expects to report sales of up to $150 million, 5% higher than the top end of its prior estimate. Net income is expected to be 18% higher at about $43 million. QLogic cited strong demand for the company’s switches and disk controller products.
Aliso Viejo-based medical device maker Genyx Medical Inc. is being bought for $60 million by C.R. Bard Inc. of Murray Hill, N.J. The sale of Genyx comes on the heels of Food and Drug Administration approval last month for its Uryx device, a polymer that is inserted into tissue surrounding a patient’s urethra to reduce or eliminate stress urinary incontinence … Edwards Lifesciences Inc. settled its patent infringement suit with St. Paul, Minn.-based St. Jude Medical Inc. Edwards is set to get a $5 million payment, while St. Jude will get license fees for some of its heart valve devices … Cypress-based PacifiCare Health Systems Inc. reaffirmed Wall Street’s outlook for the health plan provider in 2005. The company said it sees growth in its commercial membership growing this year. PacifiCare said total revenue for the year could rise 15% from 2004 to $14 billion … Irvine-based Cardiac Science Inc. said it sold automatic defibrillators to Britain’s BEA Systems PLC for use at 37 of the aerospace company’s U.S. facilities. Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed … Irvine-based Spectrum Pharmaceuticals Inc. said the FDA is set to review its application to make a generic version of Glaxo-SmithKline PLC’s migraine treatment Imitrex … Irvine-based IntraLase Corp. got approval to sell its laser device used in laser eye surgery in Canada.
Developer Michael Harrah lost a pair of appeals in his bid to nix Santa Ana’s April 5 referendum on his proposed 37-story office tower, One Broadway Plaza.
St. John Knits International Inc. named three new top executives who report directly to Chief Executive Richard Cohen: Robert Green, vice president of sales and marketing; Elfriede Campbell, vice president of human resources; and Max Weinstein, executive vice president of operations. Meanwhile, the company’s signature model and creative director, Kelly Gray, was given a three-year contract extension, while chief designer Marie Gray got a one-year extension … Aliso Viejo-based Fluor Corp. has won a $690 million engineering deal to be split with its Mexican partner, ICA Fluor. The venture will build a water treatment plant and integrate operations at the Lazaro Cardenas refining complex in Veracruz. The refinery is operated by Pemex Refinacion, a unit of Mexico’s state-owned oil company Petr & #243;leos Mexicanos … Shareholders of Foothill Ranch-based Wet Seal Inc. approved SAC Capital Associates’ plan to invest $56 million in the retailer in exchange for convertible bonds. The move helps Wet Seal avoid a bankruptcy filing … Ford Motor Co.’s Irvine-based Premier Automotive Group warned that sales would fall short of expectations. Premier, which is made up of Volvo, Jaguar, Aston Martin and Land Rover, said the sales shortfall was mainly due to its Jaguar unit … Garden Grove-based GolfGear International Inc., maker of the Tsunami driver club, raised $10 million in funding from Cornell Capital Partners LP … Costa Mesa-based Ceradyne Inc. opened its automotive armor design center outside Detroit. The operation is expected to have about 30 workers … Costa Mesa-based Resources Connection Inc. changed its name to Resources Global Professionals … Huntington Beach-based Quiksilver Inc. said it will be a sponsor of the ESPN Winter X Games later this month. The surfwear maker plans to launch its first TV ad during the games. Quiksilver’s DC Shoes unit also is a sponsor … Foothill Ranch-based Oakley Inc. and Motorola Inc. said they’re working on eyeyglasses that use Motorola’s wireless Bluetooth technology.
ECONOMIC INDICATORS
Mixed: The hotel picture in November, with Orange County hotels reporting 66% occupancy, slightly lower than a year earlier, but higher average daily rates of $113.65, according to PKF Consulting.
Down: Housing affordability in December, with 13% of OC households able to afford a median-priced home, down from 18% a year earlier, according to the California Association of Realtors.
