Energizer hopes users beam about flashlight

Anyone who has cursed when their flashlight goes dead may have something new to beam about — a flashlight that accepts batteries of different sizes.

Energizer argues that its Quick Switch flashlight is a shining example of utility, with users able to raid batteries from such things as remote controls, toys or wall clocks and plunk them into the flashlight.

Launched nationally last week, two truckloads of the flashlights already have been hustled to Florida, where consumers bracing for the third recent hurricane to rake the state have been stocking up batteries, in some cases depleting supplies.

The Quick Switch takes two C, D or AA batteries and works by merely adjusting a switch to the proper cell size and automatically locking the batteries into place.

Earnings

Coca-Cola braces investors for decline

Coca-Cola’s top executive said Wednesday the world’s largest beverage maker needed to work harder, better execute its business strategy and improve its culture as he warned that third-quarter per-share income will drop at least 24 percent from a year ago.

Chief executive Neville Isdell said in a speech to employees that a lack of personal accountability and internal politics, among other issues, have hurt the Atlanta-based company.

The comments came hours after Coke temporarily shelved its policy of not giving quarterly earnings guidance and announced its unfavorable outlook, which would fall short of expectations.

Technology

J.P. Morgan to scrap IBM outsourcing deal

J. P. Morgan Chase & Co. says it will rehire 4,000 workers whose jobs it had outsourced to IBM, bucking a trend in information technology.

The move, announced Wednesday, brings to an early end an outsourcing agreement hailed as “the largest of its kind” less than two years ago. J.P. Morgan Chase called the deal “groundbreaking” at the time, saying the $5 billion deal would last seven years. Instead, the arrangement will last less than two years. J. P. Morgan said it would return the outsourced workers to its payroll in January.