A study by an independent Twin Cities health care analyst released Friday says Minnesota's health management organizations posted strong profits in 2011. Allan Baumgarten's report says the state's HMOs reported a net income of $230.4 million last year on nearly $7 billion in revenue, despite a one-time earnings cap.

The airline announced its expecting big profits this year despite spending $3 billion more on fuel.

A record year at Delta Airlines is coming back to Minnesota workers in the form of profit sharing. Not all of the state's 12,000 are eligible, but those who are will get a bonus of nearly five percent of their salary.

The Star Tribune reports the jury's reward could be the largest verdict ever in a defamation lawsuit. KSTP had reported that a holistic healer from Hudson had "de-prescribed" an anti-anxiety medication to a patient, who later told KSTP she tried to commit suicide as a result. The lawsuit says the patient's own doctor had taken her off the medication and that there was no record of a suicide attempt. An attorney says the TV station will likely appeal the verdict.

The Eau Claire-based company has agreed to pay $1 million to settle a discrimination case. Black employees claim they were passed over for promotions because of their race.

Gov. Mark Dayton and legislative leaders have agreed that a special session will be confined to providing disaster aid to flood-damaged areas of Minnesota. They also agreed on a late August timeframe. But the session won't happen until after the federal government reveals how much aid it will provide.

The medical-device maker reports second-quarter profits up significantly from a year ago, when the company was tangled up in legal troubles.

CEO Bill Cooper says new rules that cap how much banks can charge retailers for debit card transactions are partly to blame for the poor numbers. He also cited start-up costs associated with a new specialty finance division.