Business Briefs – April 6, 2017

Dog Attacks on Mail Carriers Rise Again as Online Sales Boom

WASHINGTON (AP) – Booming online retail sales are good news for the U.S. Postal Service, but its carriers are incurring a cost: more dog bites. Dog attacks on postal workers rose last year to 6,755, the highest in three decades. The dog confrontations come amid double-digit increases in the post office’s package business. Consumers increasingly demand seven-day-a-week package delivery and groceries dropped at their doorstep — but their suspicious pets aren’t always so welcoming.

After Takeover Bid, Unilever Announces Major Overhaul

THE HAGUE (AP) – Consumer products giant Unilever is overhauling its operations and returning billions of dollars to shareholders, in an effort to maximize value after rebuffing a $143 billion takeover bid by rival Kraft Heinz.

The owner of brands including Hellmann’s and Lipton said Thursday that it plans to sell its spreads division and combine its foods and refreshments units.

The Anglo-Dutch company will carry out a 5 billion euro ($5.3 billion) share buyback and raised its dividend by 12 percent, a move the company said reflected “increased confidence in the outlook for profit growth and cash generation.”

The company said it still expects underlying sales growth of 3-5 percent this year in challenging market conditions.