UPS to the Securities and Exchange Commissions for launching an inquiry into conflicts of interest by Wall Street analysts. We’re just wondering one thing: Why did it take so long to figure this out?
UPS to UPMC’s consideration to renovating ailing St. Francis Medical Center as a new home for Children’s Hospital rather than build a new facility. More bricks and mortar aren’t much of an answer to rising health care costs but …
DOWNS to botched up communications between St. Francis and UPMC. Oakland’s health care big guy talked publicly about the deal, but St. Francis said it wasn’t ready for a takeover by UPMC. Meanwhile, Children’s bigwigs cautioned that a merger between UPMC and St. Francis and a move by UPMC to move Children’s instead of building a new facility could endanger its own merger plans with UPMC. We bet they all took two aspirin and called their lawyers in the morning.
UPS to PNC Financial Services Group’s pronouncements that it expects its performance to improve this year. In times that are demanding careful and candid statements about corporate performance, we think we can take their predictions to the bank.
DOWNS to reports of the return of runaway health care inflation. Costs increased last year by 9.4 percent, says the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council, and are predicted to jump by 12.2 percent this year. Some business leaders are beginning to beat the drum for a national health care plan to save smaller companies and the self-employed. Can anyone fix this mess?
UPS to the Pittsburgh Film Office’s Oscar night gala, which gave the cash-strapped agency some much-needed dough to keep afloat. Allegheny County Chief Executive Jim Roddey and Mayor Tom Murphy have committed to finding additional funding for the film office. We say the show must go on.
DOWNS to Sony Corp.’s decision to pull eight employees out of the Pittsburgh Digital Greenhouse’s microchip design center. Not to worry, though. When the chips are really down, Pittsburgh is at its best. Remember the demise of the steel industry?
UPS to a survey that found US Airways in second place in an industry survey of airline quality. A better on-time record and less lost baggage allowed the airline to jump two places from its fourth-place finish in last year’s survey.
UPS to Atlantic Baking Co.’s acquisitions of five manufacturing facilities and the new employment of perhaps another 200, doubling its current work force. The company took over the former Nabisco plant in East Liberty three years ago with the help of community groups. Looks like the plan wasn’t half-baked.
