Short Reports

Britain’s WPP Group PLC has reached an agreement in principle to buy Young & Rubicam Inc. in a $4.7 billion stock deal that would make WPP the world’s largest ad and marketing company, sources familiar with the talks said Monday. The agreement is still subject to approval by the boards of both companies and their shareholders and could still fall apart, said the sources, who spoke on condition they not be named.

Internet access company ExciteAtHome announced company chief executive George Bell has succeeded Thomas Jermoluk as chairman of the board.