Banking & Finance

Minneapolis-based U.S. Bancorp plans to add about 300 employees to its downtown Milwaukee workforce in the next couple of years, according to U.S. Bank vice president Joe Ullrich.

Racine-based Johnson Insurance Services has created a private health insurance exchange for businesses.

In a late 2013 Milwaukee Biz Blog, economist Kay Plantes questioned whether consolidation in the professional services sector has been a good thing.

Milwaukee-based Rexnord Corp. today announced its public offering of 3 million shares of common stock will be priced at $25.75 per share. The 12 million stockholder shares being sold by funds affiliated with Apollo Global Management LLC and George M. Sherman, chairman of Rexnord, will also be priced at $25.75.

Racine-based Johnson Outdoors today reported a fiscal first quarter net loss of $2.1 million, or 22 cents per share, down from a net income of $247,000, or 2 cents per share, in the first fiscal quarter of 2013.

Racine-based Modine Manufacturing Co. today announced a fiscal third quarter net loss of $3.4 million, or 8 cents per share, compared to a loss of $8.4 million, or 19 cents per share, in the third quarter of 2013.

Milwaukee-based ManpowerGroup today reported fourth quarter net earnings of $101.2 million, or $1.25 per share, up from $53.3 million, or 68 cents, in the fourth quarter of 2012.

Milwaukee-based Harley-Davidson Inc. reported fourth quarter net earnings of $75.4 million, or 34 cents per share, up from $70.6 million, or 31 cents per share, in the fourth quarter of 2012.

The U.S. economy picked up the pace in the fourth quarter as consumers opened their wallets and businesses increased investments, marking one of the best six-month periods of growth in a decade.

Artisan Partners Asset Management Inc. announced it will close its Global Value strategy and the Artisan Global Value Fund on Feb. 14.