GNC settles patent dispute
Pittsburgh vitamin retailer GNC Corp. has reached a settlement with Nutrition 21 Inc., of Purchase, N.Y., in a patent litigation dispute. GNC was accused of infringing patents for chromium picolinate, a product cited in treatment of hyperglycemia and in reducing body fat. Terms of the settlement were not disclosed beyond an acknowledgement by GNC that three patents in the litigation were valid, according to a statement from the companies.

Shoppers taking their time
Four out of five households are shopping later this year than last. A holiday tracking survey showed just 21 percent of consumers had completed their purchases as of Sunday, vs. 26 percent last year, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers and UBS Securities. The top reason cited for the procrastination: Gift cards are always an option.

Le-Nature's plan OK'd
U.S. Bankruptcy Court Chief Judge M. Bruce McCullough yesterday approved a creditor plan to put a trustee in charge of Le-Nature's, the Latrobe water bottler whose operations have been halted by allegations of fraud. Kroll Zolfo Cooper, the New York firm overseeing the company, will continue in that role until a trustee is appointed. Kroll was installed by a Delaware judge after the company's minority shareholders disclosed evidence implicating Le-Nature's founder Gregory Podlucky and others in accounting fraud and the destruction of documents. Lawyers said the search for assets to pay off creditors owed nearly $750 million continues.

Movies in the machine
Giant Eagle Inc. plans to test automated kiosks that allow users to rent DVDs for $1 per night plus tax. The kiosks come from Redbox Automated Retail, a company whose investors include McDonald's and Coinstar. The machines can be found in groceries elsewhere as well as in some McDonald's restaurants. Giant Eagle will try the kiosks in GetGo convenience stores in Shadyside, Lawrenceville, Sarver, Brentwood and Wilkinsburg. They will not require using the grocery's Advantage cards and won't earn gas discounts.

Alcoma Golf Club acquired
Waterproofing contractor Art Hawk has purchased Alcoma Golf Club and has opened the Penn Hills country club to public play. Members voted to put the 83-year-old course up for sale in the summer, citing declining membership. Mr. Hawk, a longtime Alcoma member, won out over three other bidders. Terms of the Dec. 13 sale were not disclosed.

More red at golf retailer
Golf Galaxy Inc.'s expected third-quarter loss grew because of costs related to the Eden Prairie, Minn., company's planned $225 million acquisition by Dick's Sporting Goods, of Findlay. The specialty golf retailer reported a loss of $3.4 million in the three months ended Nov. 25, vs. a loss of $1.6 million in the year-ago period. The third quarter is typically the company's slowest. Net sales were up 45 percent and sales in established stores rose 3.8 percent. The acquisition is expected to be completed next year.

American Apparel gets capital
American Apparel Inc. has reached a $244 million deal with an investment firm whose goals include taking the T-shirt seller public and trying to expand its store count in domestic and international markets, the companies said yesterday. Endeavor Acquisition Corp. also will assume $110 million in American Apparel debt, create a one-time merger bonus pool of $2.5 million and reserve up to about 2.7 million shares of additional Endeavor stock under a plan to be made available for American Apparel employees, the companies said. American Apparel has stores in Oakland and Shadyside.

Apparently, a banking heir
National City Corp. yesterday named Peter Raskind president and added him to the board of directors, making him the leading candidate to succeed Chief Executive Officer David Daberko. Mr. Raskind, 50, currently heads the consumer and small business financial services unit for the Cleveland-based bank. He also oversees National City's mortgage and home equity businesses. Mr. Raskind was named a vice chairman at the bank two years ago along with Chief Financial Officer Jeffrey Kelly.

Glaxo completes CNS deal
GlaxoSmithKline said it completed its $566-million acquisition of CNS Inc., a Minneapolis company that makes Breathe Right nasal strips and FiberChoice products. CNS shareholders yesterday approved the deal in which they will receive $37.50 per share. GSK's Consumer Healthcare division is located in Moon.

Also in business ...
Mylan Laboratories said it has received final approval from the Food and Drug Administration to market finasteride tablets, a generic version of Merck & Co.'s Proscar tablets, to treat enlarged prostate ... Gasoline prices at local self-serve pumps held steady this week at $2.359 per gallon of regular unleaded, AAA East Central reported ... Verizon Communications Inc. named Verizon Wireless executive Denny Strigl as president and chief operating officer of the parent company.