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* Zions Bancorp, a Utah bank that announced plans in June to buy local rival First Security Corp. for $5.9 billion in stock, said its investment banker advised it the deal is no longer fair to its shareholders, raising the specter of the merger falling apart. Zions’ investment banker, Goldman Sachs, told the bank it can no longer rely on its Feb. 17 fairness opinion of the deal, because First Security’s business appears to have taken a turn for the worse, Zions said. In a separate statement, First Security disputed Goldman’s opinion and urged Zions to complete the merger under its original terms. Zions rose 72 cents to close at $37.97 on the NYSE, and First Security fell 56 cents to close at $11.50 on Nasdaq.
* Investor Carl Icahn launched a fresh attack on Nabisco Group Holdings, unveiling plans to oust the giant food company’s board of directors in a proxy contest. It is the fourth time the well-known financier has tried to take control of the company. In an SEC filing, Icahn said he plans to nominate nine people, including himself, to the Nabisco board at the company’s annual meeting. Parsippany, N.J.-based Nabisco said it had received the notice of Icahn’s intentions.
* ETrade Group Inc. said it will buy automated teller machine operator Card Capture Services Inc. for an undisclosed amount, as the second-largest online broker seeks to create a physical presence for its brokerage and banking services. ETrade plans to convert some of the 8,500 ATMs of the closely held Card Capture to financial kiosks, where customers can access their banking and brokerage accounts.
* J.C. Penney Co. said Frank Newman, head of the retailer’s Eckerd drugstore chain, is resigning to become chief executive of More.com Inc., an Internet health store planning an IPO.
* Mirage Resorts Inc. Chairman Stephen Wynn is eligible for an $11.3-million severance package, triple his annual pay, when casino company MGM Grand Inc. completes its planned $6.4-billion acquisition of Mirage.
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