Banking & Finance

Menomonee Falls-based Actuant Corp. today reported fiscal fourth quarter net earnings of $58.3 million, or 78 cents per share, up from a net loss of $16.5 million, or 22 cents per share, in the same period a year ago.

Racine-based Modine Manufacturing Co. a diversified global leader in thermal management technology and solutions, announced it has entered into exclusive negotiations to acquire privately held Barkell Limited, a manufacturer of custom built air handling units located in Consett (County Durham), United Kingdom.

Pereles Bros. Inc., a Milwaukee-based plastic injection molding company, has been purchased through an equity buyout by business partners Steve Iram and Jim Gannon.

The overall financial health of 289 publicly traded banks in the United States improved in the past year, according to a new national study.

BMO Harris Bank will serve as a multi-year title sponsor for the Broadway at the Marcus Center series.

ZBB Energy Corp., a Menomonee Falls-based developer of renewable energy power platforms and hybrid vehicle control systems, reported a net loss of $11.9 million, or 15 cents per share, for its full fiscal year, which was an improvement over a net loss of $13.7 million, or 37 cents per share, in the previous fiscal year.

Madison-based Anchor BanCorp Wisconsin Inc. has completed its previously announced $175 million recapitalization.

Glendale-based Johnson Controls has completed the $700 million sale of its HomeLink business to Zeeland, Mich.-based Gentex Corporation. The deal was announced in July.

Payments-related fraud is startlingly common. In 2012, two-thirds of businesses reported actual or attempted fraud related to payments, according to the Association for Financial Professionals Payments Fraud and Control Survey. The average loss from payment fraud in 2012 was $20,300.