West Bancorporation Inc., parent company of West Bank and WB Capital Management Inc., announced today that it expects first quarter net income to be about $2.9 million, which includes death benefits from bank-owned life insurance of $840,000, gains from the sale of investment securities of $1.5 million, impairment losses on securities of $1.4 million and provision for loan losses of $3.5 million. The company will release its official earnings before U.S. markets open on April 30. West Bancorporation’s board of directors also declared a quarterly cash dividend of 1 cent per share, payable on May 13 to shareholders of record on April 27. The company expects to increase its dividend as the economy improves.

Casey’s General Stores Inc.’s same-store gasoline sales rose 1.2 percent last month from March 2008, with margins above the company’s 10.8 cents per gallon goal, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing. The average retail price of gasoline sold last month was $1.87 per gallon. Prepared food and fountain same-store sales rose 6.4 percent, and grocery and other merchandise sales increased 10.5 percent. Casey’s noted that about half of the increase in the grocery and other merchandise category was related to retail price adjustments because suppliers significantly increased the cost for cigarettes.

Wells Fargo & Co. was among the first six companies to receive up to $9.9 billion as part of the federal government’s $75 billion incentive program designed to encourage mortgage companies to help millions of homeowners struggling to avoid foreclosure. Chase Home Finance, a subsidiary of JPMorgan Chase & Co., will receive up to $3.6 billion, the largest amount. The program is limited to borrowers who owe up to 5 percent more than their home’s current value.

Titan Machinery Inc., owner of agricultural and equipment stores throughout the Midwest including Des Moines, reported today that its revenues for the fiscal fourth quarter ended Jan. 31 were up 40 percent to $189 million from the year-ago period. Equipment, parts and service categories all increased. Gross profits rose 38.2 percent to $32.5 million, with a gross profit margin of 17.2 percent. Net income was $3.2 million, or 18 cents per share, compared with $300,000, or 2 cents per share, a year ago. For the entire fiscal year, revenues increased 59 percent to $690.4 million and net income was $18.1 million, compared with $5.2 million a year ago. During the year, Titan made seven acquisitions – two of which were in the fourth quarter – increasing its total dealerships by 22. Net income for the current year is expected to be in the range of $16.6 million to $18.7 million.

North Liberty-based Heartland Express Inc. reported that operating revenues for the first quarter decreased 22.8 percent to $115 million from a year earlier. The company attributed this to a reduction in fuel prices, which led to lower fuel surcharge revenues, and fewer miles driven and lower load counts related to the economic downturn. However, operating expenses as a percentage of operating revenues improved. Net income was $14.1 million, or 15 cents per share, compared with $14.7 million, or 15 cents per share, a year earlier. Heartland said the company does not expect demand for freight services to improve in the near future, but the company remains optimistic, and it opened its 10th regional operation near Dallas, Texas, in the first quarter.

U.S. housing starts fell 10.8 percent in March to an annual rate of 510,000 and building permits, a sign of future construction, declined by 9 percent to a record low of 513,000, Bloomberg reported. The report suggests that an excess of unsold properties is causing builders to scale back projects. RealtyTrac Inc. reported today that foreclosure fillings rose 24 percent in the first quarter. However, the Midwest and Northeast both saw housing starts rise.

JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s profits were down 10 percent to $2.14 billion, or 40 cents per share, for the first quarter, but the company beat analysts’ expectations of profits of 32 cents per share, Reuters reported. The company’s net income was boosted by an increase in mortgage refinancing and deposits. Meanwhile, credit costs reached $10 billion. JPMorgan is one of four major U.S. banks – along with Bank of America Corp., Wells Fargo & Co., and Citigroup Inc. – to not have a quarterly loss since the financial crisis began.

Des Moines-based Hydro-Klean Inc. plans to open a satellite location in Duluth, Minn., this summer. It will hire nine people for the new center, with expectations for growth. The company provides industrial cleaning, municipal and environmental services in the Midwest and is owned by Andrew and Becky Merical and David Jass.

Meredith Corp. has named Andrew Wagner editor-in-chief of ReadyMade, which is in the process of moving its operations from California to Des Moines. Wagner, who has served as editor-in-chief of American Craft magazine since 2006, will oversee the editorial content and direction of the ReadyMade brand, including the magazine and Web site. He will begin his new job May 4 and will be based in Des Moines.