Briefs: Nicor philanthropy hit $1.8 million

NAPERVILLE -- Nicor Inc. Wednesday announced the results of its 2007 philanthropy endeavors, which resulted in more than $1.8 million in corporate and employee donations and thousands of volunteer hours benefiting more than 1,200 causes in communities throughout northern Illinois. The utility's signature philanthropic program, Adventures in Reading with Nicor, launched in 2006 and has since encouraged students to read more than 76,000 books, according to the company. In 2007, nearly 1,000 employees and family members participated in 28 projects in 21 communities.

Abbott's Depakote wins expanded use

LIBERTYVILLE TOWNSHIP -- Abbott Laboratories won U.S. approval to market Depakote, an epilepsy and migraine drug, for younger patients. The extended approval was granted in a letter from the Food and Drug Administration and posted Wednesday on the agency's Web site. Depakote was Abbott's second best-selling drug in the fourth quarter, behind the arthritis treatment Humira. Sales of Depakote increased 14 percent to $461 million during the quarter from a year earlier.

Northrop files motion to dismiss

WASHINGTON -- Northrop Grumman Corp. filed a motion Wednesday to dismiss the bulk of Chicago-based Boeing Co.'s protest of a $35 billion Air Force contract awarded to Northrop and European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co. Los Angeles-based Northrop, which has a facility in Rolling Meadows, asked the Government Accountability Office to dismiss significant chunks of what it called Boeing's "PR-plated" protest, which was filed March 11. The office has 100 days from that date to issue a decision.

Former Sears CEO still getting salary

HOFFMAN ESTATES -- Former Sears Holdings Corp. CEO Aylwin B. Lewis will receive his annual base salary of $1 million through March 24, 2010, according to a proxy statement filed Wednesday by the struggling retailer. Lewis left the job Feb. 2. Lewis will continue to receive health and welfare plans. He also became vested in his remaining stock and option awards, which comprise options to buy 37,500 shares of company stock at $88.62, along with 16,926 shares of restricted stock.

New home sales drop again

WASHINGTON -- Sales of new homes fell in February for the fourth straight month, pushing activity down to a 13-year low. The 1.8 percent drop sent the annual sales rate down to 590,000 units in February, the Commerce Department reported Wednesday. That was the slowest pace since February 1994 and down 57.5 percent from the sales peak of 1.389 million units in July 2005.

Kraft CEO's pay rises 26 percent

NORTHFIELD -- Kraft Foods Inc. said it increased Chief Executive Officer Irene Rosenfeld's compensation by 26 percent last year after earnings growth exceeded its targets. Rosenfeld, who served her first full year as CEO in 2007, was awarded $11.3 million, including $2.63 million in incentive pay, after Kraft's revenue excluding purchases rose 5.1 percent. That exceeded the company's sales-growth target of at most 4 percent, the company said Wednesday in a regulatory filing.