In brief: Jury adds $290M in damages to Samsung, Apple case

SAN JOSE, Calif. – A Silicon Valley jury on Thursday added $290 million more to the damages Samsung Electronics owes Apple for copying vital iPhone and iPad features, bringing the total amount the South Korean technology titan is on the hook for to $930 million.

The verdict covers 13 older Samsung devices that a previous jury found were among 26 Samsung products that infringed Apple patents.

The previous jury awarded Apple $1.05 billion. But U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh ordered the new trial and tossed out $450 million of the damages after concluding that jury miscalculated the amount Samsung owed.

Samsung said it would appeal both verdicts.

Weak sales at Sears, Kmart widen 3Q loss

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. – Sears’ third-quarter loss widened as the ailing department store operator’s results were hurt by weaker sales at its Kmart and Sears stores.

The Hoffman Estates, Ill., company lost $534 million, or $5.03 per share, in the three-month period ended Nov. 2. That compares with a loss of $498 million, or $4.70 per share, a year earlier.

Sears Holdings Corp. said Thursday that revenue fell 7 percent to $8.27 billion from $8.86 billion mostly because it had fewer Sears and Kmart stores operating.

Revenue at stores open at least a year dropped 3.1 percent – 4 percent at Sears locations and 2.1 percent at Kmart stores.

UPS to increase rates next year

ATLANTA – UPS says it is increasing its rates by an average of 4.9 percent next year.

The shipping company said the number is an average of its UPS Ground, Air and International, and Air Freight rate increases for the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico.

Atlanta-based United Parcel Service Inc. serves more than 220 countries and territories worldwide.

Privately held competitor DHL Express on Thursday said it is raising its rates by 3.9 percent for U.S. customers next year.