Kohl’s to sport Tony Hawk brand

Discount department store operator Kohl’s Corp. said Wednesday that it signed a licensing agreement with sportswear maker Quiksilver Inc. to get exclusive rights to the Tony Hawk brand of boys and young men’s fashions.

Financial details of the agreement were not disclosed.

Kohl’s expects to begin carrying the professional skateboarder’s line of clothing in spring 2006.

Under the agreement, Quiksilver, which acquired the clothing line in 2000, will be responsible for product design and Kohl’s will handle sourcing, distribution, marketing and all other functions.

Data

Cardinal Brands inks Mi-Co alliance

Cardinal Brands, a Lawrence-based supplier of business forms, is teaming up with a North Carolina company to improve the use of digital ink on its paper products.

The alliance announced Wednesday with Mi-Co, a mobile data capture firm based at the Research Triangle Park in North Carolina, will improve flexibility for developers and organizations using digital ink and related technology, the companies said.

Terms were not disclosed.

The alliance could lead to cost reductions in digital writing, said Mike Miller, vice president and general manager for Cardinal’s custom services division.

Photography

Kodak names CEO

Eastman Kodak Co. has two years to find its place in the world of digital photography to avoid fading into history, warned incoming Chief Executive Antonio Perez, a former Hewlett-Packard Co. stalwart who is taking the reins from Kodak veteran Daniel Carp.

The world’s biggest film manufacturer said Wednesday that Perez, its No. 2 executive, would replace Carp at the helm June 1 — a hand-over that both men said had been in the cards ever since Perez’s arrival two years ago.

Internet

Yahoo tunes into online music

Yahoo Inc.’s steeply discounted foray into online music subscriptions struck a sour note Wednesday with the shareholders of Napster Inc. and RealNetworks Inc., the owners of the rival services that stand to lose the most from the new competitive threat.

Shares of Napster plunged 26.8 percent, while RealNetworks stock lost 21.1 percent Wednesday.

Yahoo shares gained 82 cents, or 2.4 percent, to $34.88 on Nasdaq.