A recent press release from Walmart Stores, the company ranked first on the Fortune 500 List, announced a large scale solar energy project planned in Puerto Rico. The company is teaming up with SunEdison, North America's largest solar energy services provider, to deploy rooftop solar systems on five Walmart Puerto Rico stores which should provide at least a quarter of the power required for each store or club. With the potential to expand to cover 23 stores over the next five years, this is the largest renewable energy project ever developed in Puerto Rico. This project should provide Walmart with long-term, predictably priced, clean energy.

Construction will begin at Walmart Supercenter Caguas before the year is out. SunEdison is to finance, own, build, and operate the photovoltaic solar energy systems. The systems installed may vary from store to store, but the first five sites can expect to receive 25 to 35 percent of their power from the solar power-generating systems. The contract for the project is 15 years long, and in this time it is estimated that these zero-emission systems will produce 90million kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity.

Renzo Casillo, president and CEO of Walmart Puerto Rico stated, “We are transforming every aspect of our operation, and that includes energy consumption. Today, our new Walmart stores are 21 percent more energy-efficient than our original 2005 stores. Through the implementation of energy-saving strategies and the installation of energy-efficient equipments, last year we achieved an 8.7 percent reduction in energy consumption compared to the previous year. With this solar energy project we’ll continue to broaden our efforts towards our main objective and commitment of being supplied 100 percent by renewable energy”.

Carlos Domenech, SunEdison COO, reported, “We commend Walmart’s aggressive leadership in renewable energy as a model for all industries. Our collaboration in Puerto Rico will provide a long-term financial return on Walmart’s investment in energy. The project also brings the solar industry to Puerto Rico with well-paying jobs for the island on top of the reduction of greenhouse gases to improve the environment.”

Walmart Stores is now a Pavilion Partner of the USA National Pavilion at the Shanghai World Expo 2010. Walmart will support the USA Pavilion with cash and through in-kind commitments. For its support, the Company expects to obtain an “exclusive opportunity to share its efforts to bring high quality, high value and a sustainable approach with the 70 million visitors from China and around the world expected to attend.” The Company made this announcement at Walmart’s flagship “High Efficiency” store in Beijing alongside U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke.

Secretary Locke congratulated Walmart's participation and announced, “Last week, the United States confirmed its participation in the Expo, and today we are celebrating a significant new development -- Walmart’s partnership with the USA Pavilion. It is important to see Walmart and other leading American companies embrace this effort. Their support will help ensure that our National Pavilion will offer all who visit it an unforgettable experience and make America proud.”

Locke further praised Walmart's High Efficiency store: “This eco-friendly site showcases the way American energy efficiency technologies, from companies like Honeywell, Copeland-Emerson, Carrier and Otis, can reduce the environmental impact of a large retail store. It’s a good example of Walmart’s willingness to lead by example.”

The Beijing Walmart High Efficiency flagship store uses a variety of energy saving solutions. Annually, the store saves 23.28 on electricity and 16.85 percent on water. They have an annual energy savings of 1,396,800 kWh. In other words, their energy savings per year could power 349 homes for a year. It has a payback period of 2.56 years using a 2005 baseline.

The project is supported by Secretary Locke, Chinese government officials from the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Ministry of Commerce as well as representatives of companies Honeywell, Copeland-Emerson, Carrier and Otis.

Ed Chan, President and CEO of Walmart China, remarked, “Walmart is delighted to partner with the USA Pavilion at the Shanghai Expo 2010 and to have the support of Secretary Locke. The Expo theme of ‘Better City, Better Life’ is aligned with Walmart’s mission of helping people save money so they can live better, and embodied in the company’s longstanding commitment to China and the communities around the world where we do business. We are especially excited about the USA Pavilion’s “sustainability” theme, because at Walmart, we believe that being an efficient and profitable business goes hand in hand with being a good steward of the environment.”

USA National Pavilion Co-Chair Ellen R. Eliasoph remarked, “We are thrilled to have the support of Walmart, whose commitment and approach to sustainability are a model for companies around the world. We look forward to working with Walmart to showcase its unique contributions in this area.”

In response to the results of the Wells Fargo and Company quarterly survey, the Company is providing new resources to aid customers on their path to financial stability. The survey showed that most people are concerned about the economy and their financial position, and 24 percent are unprepared for bad times, without enough savings to pay expenses if they lost their source of income. The survey also indicated that people are searching for ways to better manage their budgets. To meet this demand, Wells Fargo announced their Smarter Credit™ resources.

The press release reported on four services offered by the Wells Fargo Smarter Credit center that allow customers to better manage their spending, enabling them to increase their savings and pay down debt.

My Spending Report with Budget Watch is a free online money management tool that allows customers to create a budget and track it against their spending throughout the month. It categorizes transactions for the customer, allowing them to easily view their spending by category. My Savings Plan is a free online tool for Wells Fargo savings customers to save for goals and monitor progress towards those financial goals. Debt Pay Down Solution® is another online program available. Customers can consolidate high-interest debt and seek lower monthly payments through a Wells Fargo personal loan. They can use the previously mentioned My Spending Report with Budget Watch to track “what's left” (deposits minus spending) on a monthly basis. They can also transfer “what's left” to the principal of the new loan to accelerate the loan pay-down. Wells Fargo has also instituted rewards cards: Wells Fargo Cash Back Card, Wells Fargo Cash Back College Card, and Wells Fargo Home Rebate Card. These cards give customers 1 percent cash back on credit card purchases, and allow customers to automatically apply these rewards to paying off debt, building savings, or paying down a mortgage principal.

The survey conducted by Ipsos Marketing for Wells Fargo found that 80 percent of homeowners are living with debt (excluding mortgage). Grimly, half of all homeowners were found to have an average of $10,000 or more in debt, which is substantially higher in this quarter than in previous ones. “The results of the survey clearly indicate that customers need – and want – more help making smart financial decisions, and not just more help managing their financial accounts,” says Ron Shevlin, senior analyst at Aite Group. “This is an important distinction that Wells Fargo clearly understands as it rolls out these tools and services. Many financial institutions have focused on using the online channel to help their customers make it easier to manage and access accounts. Wells Fargo is taking the next step and using online tools to provide guidance and assistance in making financial decisions.”

More relevantly, the survey found a significant, recent rise in homeowners' desire to better manage debt and credit. However, while 40 percent cited this desire, only 4 percent sought professional budgeting help in the last year. “Nearly 40 percent of survey respondents say they are budgeting more, but only 15 percent are using online budgeting tools to help,” says Jamie Moldafsky, an executive vice president in the Wells Fargo Home Equity Group. “We want to educate homeowners and others on how to get on the right track toward budgeting, paying down debt and saving for their futures. With the uncertain economy and job market, it is essential that consumers take action now to be more secure with their finances.”

The Company reiterated its dedication to serving customer needs with these tools and resources. “Wells Fargo’s tools and resources are examples of our commitment to helping customers manage credit, reduce debt and increase savings,” says Kevin Rhein, Wells Fargo group executive vice president of Card Services and Consumer Lending. “Consumers need to know what is available to them. A great place to start is the Smarter Credit online center, or they can visit with one of our bankers in our stores or over the phone.”

In a recent press release, financial services company Wells Fargo announced an expansion of their Mobile Banking services catering to America's increasing reliance on mobile devices for financial management in addition to communications. Wells Fargo Mobilesm Banking service is now extended as a free application to iPhone™ and iPod® touch users by making it accessible from Apple’s App Store online. This new service is fully Apple optimized for iPhones and iPod touch users. Wells Fargo Mobile Banking allows customers to check account balances, move money within the bank, pay bills, and search for the nearest ATM or banking storefront.

Wells Fargo made this move because of research done by Aite Group, a leading independent research and advisory firm. Aite Group predicts that the mobile banking market will more than double in 2009 up to 21.1 million users in the U.S., and that the number will rise to 35 million users by 2011. According to their study, this number is affected by both consumer desire and technological innovation, including an increase in consumer's desire to access financial services remotely, an increase in mobile device penetration, more sophisticated devices, faster networks, and increasing familiarity with data applications.

According to Secil Watson, senior vice president of Wells Fargo Internet Services Group, keeping pace with consumer demand is an important part of the Company's plan for the future. “We’re committed to providing products and services that meet our customers’ evolving banking needs,” Watson remarked. “We’ve been providing the mobile banking service for nearly two years, and we know that customers want and demand convenient banking solutions that help them manage finances while on-the-go. We help them view accounts and take care of tasks anytime, anywhere -- whether it’s a customer in a taxi or a customer who realizes at the last minute that the utility bill needs to be paid before leaving for vacation.”

“Mobile phones are becoming an integral part of our customers’ lifestyles,” said Arah Erickson, head of Wells Fargo’s Retail Mobile Banking. “People are expecting to do so much more on their phones: check e-mail, get directions at a maps site or find a restaurant. That’s why we’re seeing ever increasing adoption of mobile banking. We have seen growth beyond our expectations.”

On January 1, 2009, financial services company Wells Fargo announced that it completed its merger with Wachovia Corporation. This merger solidified the continent's most extensive distribution system for financial services, including 11,000 stores and 12,260 ATMs. Former Wachovia members now have access to all these services, as well as phone and online services. Additionally, Wells Fargo now provides greater access to their services, as the integration of Wachovia has provided the Company with a Community Banking presence in Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and Washington D.C.

Wells Fargo President and CEO, John Stumpf, spoke about the benefits of the absorption of Wachovia:

“This merger creates what we believe will be a very compelling value proposition for our team members, customers, communities and shareholders with significant potential for even more market share growth. Our team members can benefit from even more professional development opportunities across a much broader geography. Our customers can benefit from greater convenience and a better value for entrusting us with more of their business. Our communities can benefit because we want to be a leading contributor of financial, human and social capital in every community in which we do business. Our shareholders can benefit because of the exciting growth opportunities created by this merger. We’re being very thoughtful and deliberate in our three-year merger integration. Just as we did with the very successful Norwest-Wells Fargo merger integration a decade ago, we’ll take the time to do it right for our customers, always putting their interests first by seeking to satisfy all their financial needs and helping them succeed financially.”

As a result of the takeover, Wells Fargo now runs community banks in 39 states and the District of Columbia and is lead in deposit market share in 18 of those states. Wells Fargo is now the top ranked financial services company in the U.S. in community banking presence (with 6,650 stores), small business lending, commercial real estate brokerage, and bank-owned insurance brokerage. Furthermore, Wells Fargo is now #2 in U.S. banking deposits, home mortgage originations and servicing, and retail brokerage (based on number of financial advisors, as well as debit card use. The Company is also one of the country's top 40 private employers, providing around 276,000 jobs, and ranks among the top ten in the nation for corporate donations.

Regarding the transition for former Wachovia customers, executive vice president Pat Callahan, the head of Wells Fargo's merger transition, remarked on the steps taken to ensure a smooth transition.“The key to a successful integration will be our ability to provide outstanding customer service throughout the integration,” said Callahan. “So we’re going to take our time and do this right. Wells Fargo and Wachovia customers should continue banking as they do today — using the same bank accounts, payment coupons, online sign-on, credit cards, ATM cards and check cards, checks and banking stores. We’re committed to keeping customers informed of all significant changes before they happen.”

Wells Fargo obtained all outstanding shares of Wachovia common stock in a stock-for-stock transaction. At closing, shares of each outstanding series of Wachovia preferred stock were converted into shares (or fractional shares) of a corresponding series of Wells Fargo preferred stock, mostly with the same rights and preferences. Wachovia shareholders received 0.1991 shares of Wells Fargo common stock in exchange for each share of Wachovia common stock they owned.

A recent press release from Wells Fargo and Company announced the optimistic results of their Small Business Index survey with Gallup. The survey was conducted April 1-14, as small business owners were asked about their financial expectations. The study found that the selection of small business owners polled have grown more optimistic for the first time since 2007.

The survey studied small business Future Expectations, which covers the next 12 months, and the Present Situation. From these, Gallup calculated the overall Index score, which takes into account financial situation, cash flow, revenues, capital spending, job hiring, and credit availability. The Future Expectations score rose nine points (to 10) since 2007, however the Present Situation score dropped 6 points (to negative 11).

Wells Fargo reported that the responses to questions regarding financial situation and capital spending were largely responsible for the increase in Future Expectations scores this year. The survey showed that business owners ranking their financial situation expectations either “very good” or “somewhat good” increased 11 percent from just the last quarter's survey results. They also found that expectations for “a little” or “a lot” of increase in capital spending is up 44 percent from the last quarter.

Ultimately, the survey found 61 percent of small business owners are optimistic about their financial situation in the next 12 months, and 23 percent expect increased capital spending in that period.

The overall small business owner optimism score rose three points to -1. The press release pointed out that a score of zero would indicated business owners on the whole are neutral, not optimistic but also not pessimistic, about their situations. The index high was 114; this was last reached in November 2006. Future expectations were also calculated higher at 10, up nine points from the previous quarter.

The Wells Fargo/Gallup Small Business Index has surveyed small business owners for the last 24 quarters. For this survey, 602 owners were interviewed by telephone. The survey included 12 questions about the present and future. The range of the index is from -400 to +400. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4 percentage points.

A recent press release from Wells Fargo and Company announced a total quarterly dividend of $312.5 million payable to the U.S. Treasury on the Company's 25,000 shares of Fixed Rate Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series D held exclusively by the Treasury. This stock was purchased from Wells Fargo under the department’s Capital Purchase Program (CPP). The report says that a dividend of $12,500 per share was payable May 15, 2009.

“Since last October when Wells Fargo received this investment from the U.S. Treasury, Wells Fargo has extended more than $225 billion of credit to U.S. consumers and businesses,” said Chief Financial Officer Howard Atkins. “In the first quarter alone, we originated $101 billion in home mortgages helping 450,000 customers finance a mortgage - almost double the number of customers who did so with us the previous quarter.”

Wells Fargo also announced their first quarter lending highlights:

$175 billion in loan commitments, mortgage originations and mortgage securities purchases

$190 billion in mortgage applications, including record $83 billion in applications in March

$101 billion in mortgage originations, helping over 450,000 homeowners purchase a home or refinance

$225 billion of credit extended to U.S. taxpayers since last October, nine times the amount received from U.S. taxpayers through the U.S. Treasury’s Capital Purchase Program investment

A recent press release from Wells Fargo announced the disturbing results of their quarterly survey. The survey, conducted by Ipsos Marketing, showed that while Americans, and particularly homeowners, are anxious to increase their savings, but many of them currently are not as prepared for economic woes as they would like.

The Wells Fargo and Company quarterly survey reported that nearly one in four, 24 percent of homeowners do not have sufficient savings to cover their cost of living should they lose their source of income. This pairs very poorly with an increased level of anxiety over job stability; the number of those who responded that the job market was their top concern jumped from 21 percent to 29 percent since the fourth quarter 2008. The survey also found that participants have a much greater desire to increase their savings and reduce debt (60 percent up from 53 percent), as well as pay down debt faster ( 53 percent up from 46 percent).

Furthermore, 23 percent, less than a quarter of respondents increased their savings since the last survey taken in the fourth quarter of 2008. However 37 percent responded that they have paid down debt and a further 12 percent reported having paid off debt completely in the last year.

The survey also reported on not-strictly-banking actions that people are taking in face of a troubling economic recession. Most notable, people seem to be taking bigger steps and more “drastic actions” to reduce their expenses. In the last year, 34 percent, one third, of homeowners report having family or friends move in with them. Forty-two percent reported spending less on their children. There have been adjustments in monthly spending. Thirty-nine percent of respondents are budgeting more and 41 percent are buying more out of necessity, while 30 percent reported taking steps to better manage their budgets on their own.

People are anxious for something to boost their confidence in the economy, and one in four reported that an improvement in their personal situation is what would be needed. Homeowners are stalling on spending large sums, with 30 percent saying that when the economy does improve, their first purchase will be home improvement related. A further 18 percent said that an automobile would be their first purchase, and 13 percent said they would take a vacation.

Ipsos marketing conducted this survey for Wells Fargo. They polled U.S. homeowners about their attitudes and behaviors toward debt and their use of credit. This is the sixth year that Wells Fargo has surveyed homeowners.

A recent press release from Marathon Oil Corporation announced the Company's participation in World Malaria Day, which was April 25, 2009. Marathon released an episode of Discover Marathon titled “The Fight Against Malaria,” to increase awareness of the global impact of the disease.

For this particular episode, Adel Chaouch, director of Corporate Social Responsibility for Marathon, discussed how serious and widespread malaria is. Marathon partnered with Bioko Island Malaria Control Project in equatorial Guinea, where the Company already conducts operations, to identify best practices and coordinate efforts to prevent and ultimately eliminate the disease. This episode of Discover Marathon is available for podcast download.

The Discover Marathon podcast series was launched on April 21. The series intends to give stakeholders “a deeper insight into Marathon's business segments, goals, values and vision for the future.” As part of the podcasts, Marathon leaders and employees will present topical discussions of Company issues including projects, programs, and achievements, in addition to challenges and opportunities that arise in the energy industry.

A recent press release from Marathon Oil Corporation announced that the Company has completed the sale of one of its wholly owned subsidiaries, Marathon Oil Ireland Limited (MOIL). The subsidiary was sold to PSE Ireland Limited, a subsidiary of Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas). Marathon reported that the transaction has a total value of $180 million with an effective date of December 31, 2007. The Company noted that this sale does not include its 18.5 percent interest in the Corrib natural gas development.

According to the terms of the sale, PSE Ireland Limited will take over Marathon's 100 percent operated interest in the Kinsale Head Area, which comprises Kinsale Head, South West Kinsale, and the Bally cotton gas fields. PSE will also acquire an 86.5 percent interest in the gas producing Seven heads Field, and a 100 percent interest in Marathon's gas storage business, which has a current capacity of 7 billion cubic feet. PSE Ireland Limited will retain the 61 MOIL employees in Ireland.

During the first quarter of 2009, the net production from the operations in question averaged approximately 30 million cubic feet of natural gas per day. Marathon reported that its total net risked resource associated with the sold assets was 62 billion cubic feet at the end of 2007. Out of that, 46.2 billion cubic feet were net proved reserves; this equates to 7.7 million barrels of oil.

This transaction is part of an estimated $2 to $4 billion sale in assets that Marathon announced in March of 2008. They have now reached approximately $1.3 billion in sales of assets. Official announcements about Marathon's asset review and disposal program are expected in mid-2009.