Staff reports

The parent company of Franklin Savings and Loan Co. posted a 31 percent decline in first-quarter profits because fewer people obtained loans to buy homes and refinance mortgages, officials said.

Blue Ash-based First Franklin Corp. earned $281,000, or 17 cents a share, down from $407,000, or 25 cents a share, in 2003's first quarter. With assets of about $280 million, Franklin Savings has eight branches in Greater Cincinnati. Its stock closed Monday at $18.55, down 5 cents.

Home Emporium to open in May

A Chattanooga, Tenn.-based home improvement retailer will move in May into the Columbia Township store vacated by Sam's Club.

Home Emporium, owned by 2nd in Building Materials Inc., will open its fourth U.S. location at the 108,000-square-foot Ridge Road store. The store offers a wide variety of home decor items, including flooring, imported rugs, ceiling fans, mirrors, pictures and pottery, store manager Michael Baker said. Sam's Club moved to Center of Cincinnati in Oakley.

Milacron adding 'Cincinnati' to line

Milacron Inc., a plastic molding equipment maker that dropped "Cincinnati'' from its name several years ago, says it is adding it to another of its product lines in response to customer demand.

The company, which completed a $200 million refinancing last month, says it will bring back the Cincinnati Milacron name on its twin-screw extruding machines made in Batavia, replacing the ExtrusionTek name.