BioScrip Inc. reported today profits in the latest quarter more than tripled compared a year ago on higher revenues and lower operating expenses.

Net income rose to $1.6 million in the three months ending June 30, the company said, up from $482,000 in the year-ago quarter.

On a per-share basis, the Elmsford-based specialty pharmaceutical company reported it [...]

Mack-Cali Realty Corp. reports that five businesses have signed leases for a total of 117,719 square feet in Westchester County.

They are: AFP Imaging Corp., which renewed its lease for 10 years at its 48,000-square-foot offices at 250 Clearbrook Road in Elmsford; HQ Global Workplaces LLC, which renewed its lease on 22,000 square feet at 50 [...]

Acadia Realty Trust, a real-estate investment trust in White Plains, reported today profits soared in the second quarter to $17.91 million from $3.03 million in the year ago quarter.

Revenues more than doubled in the three months ending June 30 to $51.52 million from $25.25 million last year.

Funds from operations — a widely followed gauge of [...]

The Rockland Business Association has published its latest membership directory, the business group said yesterday.

The 2008-09 edition features listings of businesses in more than 260 different categories and also includes the latest demographic data on Rockland County. Members receive one free copy. Additional directories can be purchased for $10. Nonmembers pay $35.

Summit Business Media has named Rye-resident Andrew L. Goodenough as chief executive of the Manhattan-based provider of information to the insurance, financial and professional-services markets.

Goodenough, 52, replaces William F. Reilly, who will continue to serve as non-executive chairman.

In September, Goodenough was named Summit’s president.

Edible Arrangements LLC has opened a store in Yonkers at 471 McLean Ave.

The Wallingford, Conn-based company markets franchises in businesses that sell fruit arranged like floral bouquets sold through the Internet and at retail outlets.

Begun in 1999, Edible Arrangements has eight other stores in the Lower Hudson Valley, in Carmel, Eastchester, Mamaroneck, Mount Kisco, Mount [...]

The Linens ‘n Things store in Port Chester is among 57 underperforming stores the struggling retailer will close as part of its reorganization, Linens Holding Co. said yesterday.

The number of stores slated for closure is 30 less than the 87 the  Clifton, N.J.-based retailer previously disclosed as part of its ongoing restructuring, it said.

The company [...]

IBM Corp. has elected Taizo Nishimuro to the company’s board of directors, the Armonk-based company said today.

Nishimuro, 72, is chairman of the board of the Tokyo Stock Exchange Group Inc.

Nishimuro’s knowledge and insights into Asian markets will make a significant contribution to IBM, said Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Samuel J. Palmisano.

Fujifilm Corp. has named Hiro Sakai president of Fujifilm Holdings America Corp., the Tokyo-based company said today.

Fujifilm Holdings America, based in Valhalla, has operations in 32 U.S. states and employs more than 6,300 employees in research, development, manufacturing, sales and service of Fujifilm products.

Sakai succeeds Taizo Mori, who has been named president and chief executive [...]

Barr Pharmaceuticals Inc. confirmed today that its Pomona-based subsidiary, Barr Laboratories Inc., has challenged four patents held by Amgen Inc. for its Sensipar drug, used by dialysis patients to treat side-effects of the treatment.

Barr said it filed an Abbreviated New Drug Application with the Food and Drug Administration on March 10, the first date the [...]

IBM Corp. agreed today to pay about $215 million euros ($340 million) for Ilog SA, a French maker of business software.

The deal will enable the Armonk-based computing giant to combine its business process management, business optimization and service oriented architecture technologies with Ilog’s business rules management systems software, IBM said.

IBM’s offer represents a 37 [...]

IBM Corp. said today it plans to accelerate investments in the developing nations of China, Mexico and India by opening centers of excellence in each nation.

These emerging-market countries, so-called because of their high economic growth potential, represented 19 percent of IBM’s geographic revenue in the second quarter, and as a group grew 21 percent, IBM [...]

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. has opened a new Four Points by Sheraton hotel in Levis, Quebec, the hotelier said today.

The hotel, situated across the river from Quebec City, has 150 rooms and a 15,000-square-foot conference center.

White Plains-based Starwood operates 130 Four Points hotels in 22 countries.

Provident Bank has opened a new branch in Stony Point, the Montebello-based banker reported today.

The branch, at 153 S. Liberty Drive (Route 9W), replaces the previous Stony Point location across the street.

The 3,600-square-foot branch features 24-hour walk-up and drive-up ATMs and is open extended hours, including Saturday and Sunday.

In addition to 10 other sites in [...]

Emisphere Technologies Inc. said today new study results show an oral form of vitamin B12 that the company is developing reduced the amount of time it took for the body to absorb the nutrient, while increasing the amount of the nutrient that was absorbed.

Developing an effective oral form of the nutrient may save millions of [...]

SmartWatt Energy Services reports it has opened an office in Harrison to service the New York City metropolitan area.

SmartWatt, which provides services and products for reducing energy consumption, has offices in the Albany area and Rochester.

Shares of MBIA Inc. tumbled 13 percent today after Moody’s Investor Service stripped the struggling Armonk-based bond insurer of its prized Aaa rating, Moody’s highest.

Moody’s downgraded MBIA’s rating two notches to A2. Moody’s also downgraded the rating for MBIA rival Ambac Financial Group Inc. one step to Aa.

The move, taken late Thursday, followed similar actions [...]

Four New York firms have been awarded contracts to renovate Unit 2A at Helen Hayes Hospital in West Haverstraw, the New York State Office of General Services said.

Dalmar Contractor Corp. of Rockville Center, Long Island, was the apparent low bidder, with a bid of $827,000, for construction at the site; All Bright Electric, West Nyack, [...]

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. reports it has opened its first aloft brand hotel in the United States in Southern California.

The aloft Ontario-Rancho Cucamonga is expected to appeal to Los Angeles area business travelers as well as tourists to destinations such as Joshua Tree National Park, the White Plains-based hotelier said.

Aloft hotels are marketed [...]

MasterCard Inc. is looking to take a page out of Western Union’s play book in developing a system using mobile phones that will allow U.S. consumers to transfer funds to friends and family nationwide.

The mobile-payment system, made possible through an agreement with Obopay Inc., a California-based mobile payment service, will give customers of banks that [...]