Western Union Financial Services Inc

* Western Union Financial Services Inc. said it signed a multiyear agreement to wire money through 550 Safeway Inc. drug and grocery stores in the U.S. Before the agreement, whose terms were not disclosed, Englewood, Colo.-based Western Union's wire transfer services were available only through two divisions of Pleasanton-based Safeway.

The Justice Department has opened a civil antitrust investigation of Western Union Financial Services, the money-transfer subsidiary of First Data Corp. The government has demanded information about contracts between Western Union, which runs the world's largest consumer money transfer network, and its independent agents, First Data said. Denver-based First Data said Western Union's contract practices "reflect common industry norms." First Data rose 38 cents to $38.88 on the NYSE.

Western Union Financial Services Inc. said it completed its purchase of Orlandi Valuta, which provides money transfers from the U.S. to Mexico, for an undisclosed price. The unit of Paramus, N.J.-based First Data Corp. said Orlandi Valuta will operate as an independent company and continue to use the Orlandi Valuta name. Orlandi Valuta agents will sell Western Union products and services, including money transfer, money orders and in-person bill payment services.

* Kenneth Cole Productions Inc. reported a 32% rise in fourth-quarter earnings to $11.3 million, or 52 cents a share, but the apparel retailer said it expects profit to fall well short of analysts' forecasts for the current year. Revenue increased 17% to $110 million. The company said it expects to earn $1.85 a share in 2001, rather than the $2.17-a-share average estimate of analysts polled by First Call, blaming a difficult retailing environment amid a slowing U.S. economy. * Campbell Soup Co.

A bidding war for Western Union Financial Services Inc. heated up Friday as rival suitors for the world's largest money-transfer business raised the stakes to nearly $1 billion. Buyout specialist Forstmann Little & Co. sweetened its offer to $970 million for Western Union, a financially ailing unit of New Valley Corp. New Valley has been in Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection since March, 1993. First Financial Management Corp.

* Kenneth Cole Productions Inc. reported a 32% rise in fourth-quarter earnings to $11.3 million, or 52 cents a share, but the apparel retailer said it expects profit to fall well short of analysts' forecasts for the current year. Revenue increased 17% to $110 million. The company said it expects to earn $1.85 a share in 2001, rather than the $2.17-a-share average estimate of analysts polled by First Call, blaming a difficult retailing environment amid a slowing U.S. economy. * Campbell Soup Co.

The Justice Department has opened a civil antitrust investigation of Western Union Financial Services, the money-transfer subsidiary of First Data Corp. The government has demanded information about contracts between Western Union, which runs the world's largest consumer money transfer network, and its independent agents, First Data said. Denver-based First Data said Western Union's contract practices "reflect common industry norms." First Data rose 38 cents to $38.88 on the NYSE.

New Valley Accepts Higher Bid for Western Union: Less than a week after announcing plans to sell its Western Union subsidiary to First Data Corp., New Valley Corp. reneged and agreed to sell the unit to Forstmann Little & Co. for more money. Forstmann Little, a leading New York-based leveraged buyout firm, is buying the world's largest money-wiring service for $650 million in cash and the assumption of its pension liabilities, the companies said. Last Thursday, Paramus, N.J.

El Rescate, a nonprofit group that provides social and legal assistance to Central Americans, is launching a monthlong campaign this week to re-register Salvadorans who previously signed up for temporary protected status with the Immigration and Naturalization Service.

* Western Union Financial Services Inc. said it signed a multiyear agreement to wire money through 550 Safeway Inc. drug and grocery stores in the U.S. Before the agreement, whose terms were not disclosed, Englewood, Colo.-based Western Union's wire transfer services were available only through two divisions of Pleasanton-based Safeway.

Western Union Financial Services Inc. said it completed its purchase of Orlandi Valuta, which provides money transfers from the U.S. to Mexico, for an undisclosed price. The unit of Paramus, N.J.-based First Data Corp. said Orlandi Valuta will operate as an independent company and continue to use the Orlandi Valuta name. Orlandi Valuta agents will sell Western Union products and services, including money transfer, money orders and in-person bill payment services.

A bidding war for Western Union Financial Services Inc. heated up Friday as rival suitors for the world's largest money-transfer business raised the stakes to nearly $1 billion. Buyout specialist Forstmann Little & Co. sweetened its offer to $970 million for Western Union, a financially ailing unit of New Valley Corp. New Valley has been in Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection since March, 1993. First Financial Management Corp.

Many Mexican immigrants are eligible for modest refunds as a result of settlements in a pair of class-action suits against three money-transfer companies. Here's a look at the process for making claims in those cases: Over the next month, claim forms will be mailed to people who wired money from the United States to Mexico between about 1987 and 1999 using Viad Corp.'s MoneyGram Payment Systems Inc. or First Data Corp. subsidiaries Western Union Financial Services Inc. or Orlandi Valuta.

First Data Corp. agreed to buy most of Western Union Financial Services Inc. for about $900 million in cash and assumed liabilities, giving it virtual control of the worldwide money transfer business. First Data will pay $595 million in cash and assume an estimated $261 million in pension liabilities and $40 million in other debt of Western Union's parent company, New Valley Corp.