Motor home sales plummeted 51.1 percent in June compared with the same month last year, according to an Avondale Partners survey of 70 RV dealers, the Associated Press reported. Forest City-based Winnebago Industries Inc. maintained its top position with an 18.5 percent market share. Fleetwood Enterprises Inc. followed with a 16.1 percent share. About 30 percent of RV dealers said retail traffic has improved since the end of July, helped by a recent decline in gas prices.

Iowa ranked 42nd for foreclosures in July, with 498 foreclosure filings, down 19.81 percent from July 2007, according to a RealtyTrac report. Nationally, foreclosures were up 55 percent from July 2007, totaling 272,171. Bank repossessions were the fastest-growing segment of foreclosure activity, with a 184 percent year-over-year increase, compared with 53 percent increase in default notices and an 11 percent increase in auction notices. Nevada, California and Florida had the highest foreclosure rates in July. Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Fla., had the highest foreclosure rate among the 230 metro areas tracked, with one in every 64 households in the area receiving a foreclosure filing during the month, more than seven times the national average.

The Iowa Asian Alliance has hired Stacy Lovan as program director. Since the group’s inception, Lovan has been an active volunteer, serving as chair for several of the Asian Heritage Festival planning committees. As a full-time staff member, she will oversee and manage the celebrAsian festival and the AdmirAsian awards program as well as develop new programs and strengthen membership in the organization.



Sen. Charles Grassley announced that the U.S. Department of Education is giving $2,777,202 to the Iowa Association of School Boards in Des Moines for two programs. Most of the funds will go toward expanding the Iowa School Boards Foundation Skills Iowa program to 225 school buildings. The program provides online assessment and tutorial tools. It also will use funding to continue its Lighthouse project and research and expand it from its initial study of school boards. The funds were awarded in the fiscal 2008 omnibus appropriations bill.

Wells Fargo & Co. has announced plans to acquire Dallas-based Century Bancshares Inc. in a stock-for-stock exchange, the Dallas Business Journal reported. Century Bancshares is the holding company for Century Bank NA, which has $1.4 billion in assets and 32 offices. Texas oilman and investor Truman Arnold, who bought the former First National Bank, owns the company. The acquisition would give Wells Fargo its first banks in Arkansas, where Century has four offices.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc.’s profits rose 17 percent in its second fiscal quarter, which ended July 31, to $3.45 billion, or 87 cents per share, compared with $2.95 billion, or 72 cents per share, a year ago, the Associated Press reported. Cost cuts and a renewed focus on low prices that drew financially stressed shoppers helped boost earnings. Net sales rose 10 percent to $101.6 billion, aided by a 19.3 percent rise in international sales. Based on these results, Wal-Mart said today that it is taking market share away from its competitors, with the expectation that it will keep its new customers even when the economy improves. The company also raised its full-year earnings outlook to a range of $3.43 to $3.50 per share, citing strict inventory controls and other cost-cutting measures. However, it predicted slower sales growth of 1 to 2 percent at its established stores as consumers tighten their belts.

Lee Enterprises Inc.‘s board of directors has declared a quarterly dividend of 19 cents per share on the company’s common stock and class B common stock, payable on Oct. 1 to shareholders of record on Sept. 2.

Meredith Corp.‘s board of directors has declared a dividend of 21.5 cents per share, payable on Sept. 15 to shareholders of record on Aug. 29.