Aviation: Boeing to cooperate with rival on project

In an unusual partnership of aerospace rivals, Boeing Co. and the parent of its European competitor Airbus said Tuesday that they’ve agreed to cooperate in the joint development of anti-missile defense systems.

Boeing and the European Aeronautic Defence & Space Co., known as EADS, have signed a memorandum of understanding to share in efforts to design defenses against ballistic missiles for the United States and its allies.

Neither Boeing nor EADS said how much it would spend on the project, nor how they would divide the work.

With a major production center in Wichita, Boeing is the state’s largest private employer.

Agriculture: Firm sells state feedlots

National Farms, one of the nation’s largest cattle feeders, has sold its last four cattle feedlots in Kansas to the principals of an Oklahoma energy company, the firm’s president said.

The sale to principals of Chesapeake Energy, an Oklahoma City-based natural gas company that ranks among the nation’s top 10 natural gas producers, is expected to close in August, said Bill Haw, president of National Farms. He did not disclose the price.

The feedlots sold are: The S-Bar, Sublette; the Cattlemen’s Feedlot, Turon; Pawnee Beef Builders, Larned, and National Farms Feedlot, Parsons. The sale will not affect the cow-calf grazing operations National Farms operates in the Flint Hills.

Wall street: Earnings of local interest

SBC Communications, parent company of Southwestern Bell Telephone, announced Tuesday earnings of 55 cents per share, down from 61 cents per share a year ago.

Goodyear, which operates a production plant in Topeka, announced earnings of 18 cents per share, up from 5 cents during the same period a year ago.

Manufacturing: Berry completes sale

Berry Plastics announced Tuesday it has completed the sale of its operations, including its PackerWare facility in Lawrence, to GS Capital Partners 2000, a company managed by Goldman, Sachs & Co.

The sale, which was previously announced, is not expected to have any negative affect on employment levels at the Lawrence facility, which produces everything from plastic drink cups to garden equipment.

As part of the $837.5 million sale, Berry’s management team will remain in place and the company will maintain its headquarters in Evansville, Ind.