Nearly half of small business owners think the economy is worse off today than it was a year ago, according to a survey conducted this summer by the National Small Business Association.

Nearly 60% of the 400 small business owners surveyed expect the economy to be flat in the coming year, while 29% expect another recession.

More than 70% cited economic uncertainty as the most significant challenge to the future growth and survival of their business. Only 22% plan to add employees over the next 12 months.

The number of Colorado businesses that laid off 50 or more employees at a time rose in June to 14, four more companies than in May, the U.S. Department of Labor reported Friday.

The number of Colorado companies that announced “mass layoffs” was 10 in May, 20 in April, seven in March, 10 in February and 13 in January, the Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics said in its monthly report on large-scale job cuts.

Earnings for Lockheed Martin Corp. rose 12 percent to $825 million in the second quarter.

Space Systems sales edged higher by 1 percent to $2.1 billion, the company said.

Diluted earnings per share in the quarter were $2.22 compared with $1.88 in the year-ago period when Lockheed earned $734 million.

Revenue in the quarter rose 3 percent to $11.4 billion from $11.1 billion a year ago.

Read more atDenver Business Journal

A unit of Wells Fargo & Co. will buy back $34.6 million worth of auction rate securities from Colorado investors as a result of a settlement with the Colorado Division of Securities, state Securities Commissioner Fred Joseph said on Thursday.

At issue are securities that investors found themselves unable to sell after the auction-rate securities market froze in 2008. Investors complained that sales representatives failed to disclose the risk involved in buying the securities.

When an employee age 65 or older retires, he/she is faced with a number of choices. One of them is whether to elect COBRA for their health care coverage for the next 18 months, or elect Medicare Part B and choose an supplement or go into Medicare Part C (Medicare Advantage). For those who choose COBRA and do NOT elect Medicare Part B, pay close attention to this below.

Owners of National Football League teams are expected to vote Aug. 25 on a bid by Denver and St. Louis sports magnate Stan Kroenke to buy the St. Louis Rams, and approval is likely, according to a news report.

Kroenke - who owns the Denver Nuggets and Colorado Avalanche, as well as the Pepsi Center - already owns 40% of the Rams. He wants to acquire the remaining 60%.
 
Read more: Denver Business Journal

Colorado has been named one of 19 state finalists in its latest bid for a share of $4.35 billion in stimulus-funded educational-reform grants.

Colorado has applied for $175 million to be paid over four years in the second round of the national “Race to the Top” competition. The U.S. Department of Education program is distributing funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to selected states that develop reform plans.

Read more: Denver Business Journal

State regulators have issued an air permit to Black Hills Energy, clearing the way for the utility to start building a $450 million power plant complex northeast of Pueblo.

Black Hills is building two natural gas-fired turbines near Pueblo Memorial Airport. The project is scheduled for completion by the end of next year.

Read more on cbs4denver.com.

General Motors is getting into the subprime lending business. And that means taxpayers are, too.

But these car loans aren't as risky as you might think.

GM, majority owned by taxpayers, is buying a company that makes car loans to shoppers with poor credit. Unlike home loans, though, the risk in subprime auto lending is relatively low and may reward GM. The company hopes to boost sales by making loans and leases to buyers that it must now turn away for lack of financing.

King Soopers and City Market customers in Colorado can load discount offers onto their customer-loyalty card using a "digital coupon center" announced Thursday by the grocery chains' parent, the Kroger Co.

The discounts are available through the King Soopers or City Market websites.

The program offers discounts on Kroger store brands as well as manufacturer discounts and web-only coupons that apply to a variety of brands.

Read more at Denver Business Journal