Business Beat: Domino’s, chocolate war winners, Wal-Mart

Domino’s puts a bounty on old signs

The company that’s dropped ‘pizza’ from its name has turned to social media to find stores still using the old name or signs. The grand prize, curiously enough, is free pizza.

Did a chocolate company win over your timeline?

The candy is probably long gone. Maybe the flowers too. What’s left are the bragging rights for companies that won over consumers’ hearts and timelines.

Nearly 40% of Wal-Mart’s U.S. workers to get pay raises

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is spending $1 billion to make changes to how it pays and trains U.S. hourly workers as the embattled retailer tries to reshape the image that its stores offer dead-end jobs.

Kitchfix to open Gold Coast store

Kitchfix, the healthy meal delivery service, plans to open its first retail store this spring on the Gold Coast.

Totally floored: Tesla’s test drive really is insane

Sure, you can test drive a Tesla on the streets of Chicago, but wouldn’t it be more fun to do it on a closed track, with the car in “insane” mode? It’s a silly question with an obvious answer.

FTC objects to Sysco-US Foods merger

The Federal Trade Commission objected Thursday to the proposed merger of foodservice companies Sysco and U.S. Foods, saying the combination would probably raise prices paid by restaurants, hospitals and schools.

Ball buying rival can maker Rexam in $6.64 billion deal

Ball Corp. is buying metal beverage can maker Rexam PLC in a cash-and-stock deal valued at about $6.64 billion in order to stay competitive against other packaging companies. Rexam’s U.S. operations are headquartered in Chicago.

Judge rules against American Express in antitrust suit

American Express violated U.S. antitrust laws by barring merchants from asking customers to use one credit card over another, a federal judge ruled Thursday.

Mondelez wants to boost African coffee output

Mondelez International Inc., the Deerfield-based maker of Oreo cookies and Ritz crackers, wants to increase African coffee production 50 percent as part of a $200 million global program to help farmers. [Bloomberg]

T-Mobile beats Street 4Q forecasts as customer list grows

T-Mobile US Inc. on Thursday reported fourth-quarter net income of $101 million, after reporting a loss in the same period a year earlier, as more people signed up for its wireless service.

Nestle profits rise, but held back by weak pricing in Europe

Food company Nestle S.A. says net profit rose 44 percent last year as the company booked one-time gains from the sale of a stake in L’Oreal and its purchase of dermatology company Galderma.

Frederick’s of Hollywood shutting a third of stores

Frederick’s of Hollywood has hired liquidators to help shutter at least a third of its 93 stores as the troubled lingerie retailer works to turn itself around. [MarketWatch]