Honolulu Star-Bulletin Business /2005/01/13/

[ FAST FACTS HAWAII ]

HUNTING FOR A FUTURE

CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM
Maauga lmoa of Makiki filled out an application yesterday at the Job Quest 2005 Job Fair at Blaisdell Center. Thousands of job seekers made applications to more than a hundred companies. For the lighter side of job fairs, see Charles Memminger's "Honolulu Lite Extra" in Sunday's Star-Bulletin.

State seeks omnibus plan for Kakaako lands

The state agency overseeing Kakaako's redevelopment is seeking bids for revamping the area's combined waterfront lands, abandoning a past piecemeal approach to developing individual parcels.

The Hawaii Community Development Authority yesterday issued a request for proposals to design, develop, build and operate a mixed-use project on 36.5 acres near Point Panic.

The project will also include the 29-acre Kewalo Basin Marina area.

The agency recently killed a development agreement for 11.5 acres in the area with Kajima Urban Development International LLC that would have included an aquarium and ocean science center.

Both the state and Kajima said development of the parcel should be part of a larger project.

Ownership of the land would remain with the state. However, the HCDA said it would consider fee-simple land sales for any residential component that may be proposed.

A&B sells California complex

Alexander & Baldwin Inc., Hawaii's fourth-largest private landowner, said yesterday it has sold a seven-building industrial complex in Ontario, Calif., for $17.8 million.

A&B sold the Ontario Pacific Business Centre to a unit of LBA Realty, a California-based real estate investment and management company. A&B bought the 246,600-square-foot property, which is 97 percent occupied, in 1999.

ECSTATIC OVER AWARD

DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM
Bill Green, owner of Kahala Shell, reacted yesterday as he was presented with the Small Business Hawaii 2004 Small Business Person of the Year award.

Apple profit more than quadruples

Apple Computer Inc.'s first-quarter profit more than quadrupled as sales of iPod digital music players and iMac personal computers surged in the holiday gift-buying season. The company's shares jumped in extended trading.

Net income leapt to $295 million, or 70 cents a share, in the period that ended Dec. 25, from $63 million, or 17 cents, a year earlier, Cupertino, Calif.-based Apple said in a statement yesterday. Sales rose 74 percent to $3.49 billion. Apple topped its forecast for profit of as much as 42 cents.

Shipments of iPods soared more than sevenfold last quarter to 4.58 million, for a total of more than 10 million. As customers snap up players, they're also buying the company's other products, including iMacs, said Piper Jaffray Cos. analyst Gene Munster. Chief Executive Steve Jobs forecast sales and profit this quarter that exceeded analysts' expectations.

Airbus still expects government aid

PARIS » European aircraft manufacturer Airbus SAS said yesterday it still expects to receive government launch aid for its new A350 jet, a day after the EU and United States agreed to reopen negotiations on eliminating aircraft subsidies, averting a looming trade war.

Noel Forgeard, chief executive of the European aircraft maker, made the comments during a Paris news conference at which Airbus also said it outsold archrival Boeing Co. in 2004 and expects to do so for a third straight year in 2005.

"The basis of the agreement is not that there will be no support," Forgeard said.

European Union Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson said Tuesday he had agreed with his U.S. counterpart Robert Zoellick to suspend imminent World Trade Organization litigation and instead negotiate a deal "ending subsidies to development and production of large civil aircraft."