Restoration Hardware Store

A former Restoration Hardware Inc. vice president agreed to settle U.S. regulatory allegations that he leaked inside information on a takeover bid to two friends while urging them to limit trades to avoid detection. Ciriaco "Eric" Rivor's tips were passed to one friend's father, who ignored the advice and amassed 248,600 shares in the home-furnishing chain before the deal was unveiled in November, the Securities and Exchange Commission said in a lawsuit filed in federal court in San Francisco.

Restoration Hardware Inc., the home furnishings retailer, is drawing unwanted scrutiny after one of its senior executives was blamed for poor accounting controls while he had top jobs at Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc.

Restoration Hardware Inc. said its fiscal third-quarter loss widened by more than 35% even as revenue grew nearly 9%. The upscale home furnishings retailer, based in Corte Madera, Calif.

Bear Stearns Cos., the No. 6 securities firm, said net income rose 20% in its fiscal first quarter, as rising investment banking fees offset a slump in bond trading.

Quirky home store chain Restoration Hardware, which during the last two years has gone from market darling to Wall Street dud, is looking to remodel its business by putting former Williams-Sonoma Inc.

Consumers are shopping like mad but apparently not at Restoration Hardware Inc., which on Wednesday reported a first-quarter loss and said same-store sales fell 14.