CHS Merger with Larsen Cooperative APPROVED and 4 Stocks Hitting 52-Week Highs

Aol Inc. (NYSE:AOL): Republicans in the United States Senate have blocked cybersecurity legislation from passing, so a White House spokesperson reports that President Obama is mulling options for implementing similar measures through an executive order, says The Hill. Shares closed up 3.86 percent on the day at $33.83, and have traded in a 52-week range of $10.06 to $32.65.

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American States Water Co. (NYSE:AWR) posts second quarter earnings per share of 79 cents, against a consensus of 64 cents. Shares closed up 0.82 percent on the day at $41.78, having been traded in a 52-week range of $30.53 to $41.72.

CHS, Inc (NASDAQ:CHSCP) will be merged with Larsen Cooperative Co., which is headquartered in New London, Wisconsin, as the voting members have approved the move. The former is the United States’ leading farmer-owned cooperative, and the proposed merger represents the first Wisconsin-based co-op to join the CHS Country Operations business. General Manager LeRoy Peterson, of Larsen Cooperative commented that, “Our vision lines up well with CHS. This is the right thing for us to do both for our patrons as well as our employees. It positions us to serve their needs well into the future.” The merger will become effective in September. Shares closed down 0.63 percent on the day at $31.55, and have been traded in a 52-week range of $27.60 to $31.90.

Dick’s Sporting Goods, Inc. (NYSE:DKS) owns a 3.1 percent investment in the United Kingdom retailer JJB Sports, which might be taken over by Invesco Ltd. (NYSE:IVZ), which has a 47.3 percent stake in the same company, according to a Dow Jones report, that cites the Sunday Times. Invesco has set aside a proposal to purchase JJB’s outstanding debt from Lloyds Banking Group plc (NYSE:LYG) and would then cooperate with Dick’s on a restructuring scheme. Shares closed down 0.59 percent on the day at $50.96, and have traded in a 52-week range of $29.10 to $51.76.

General Electric Company’s (NYSE:GE) GE Energy Financial Services division has committed approximately $156 million in common equity for one of Minnesota’s largest wind farms, which employs GE turbines. The move is part of the company’s expansion of its partnership with the global renewable energy firm Enel Green Power. The GE division now owns 51 percent of the 200-megawatt Prairie Rose wind project which is under construction in southern Minnesota near Hardwick, northwest of Luverne, and is expected to cost about $305 million. Construction is being managed by Minneapolis-based Mortenson Construction, and should be finished later in 2012. Under a 20-year contract, the wind farm will provide all of its power to Northern States Power Company, which is a subsidiary of Xcel Energy. Shares closed up 0.05 percent on the day at $20.97, having been traded in a 52-week range of $14.02 to $21.00.

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