Bankia, SA. (CATS:BKIA) (Bankia) is expecting to receive binding bids for Bankia Habitat S.L.U. (Bankia Habitat) next week, daily Expansion quoted unnamed sources as saying. The buyer will acquire Bankia Habitat’s offices in Madrid and Valencia, the technology platform and 500 employees. The real estate assets and loan portfolio will remain in the hands of Bankia. The potential buyers include Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS), Cerebrus Capital Management, L.P., Fortress Investment Group LLC (NYSE:FIG), Apollo Group Inc. (NasdaqGS:APOL), Oaktree Capital Group, LLC (NYSE:OAK) and TPG Capital, L.P.

On April 17, 2013, Curtis M. Uehlein was appointed to the position of Acting Chief Operating Officer of Apollo Group Inc., to serve during the company's worldwide search for a new chief operating officer. On the same date, Uehlein was appointed as President of Apollo Global Inc. Prior to that time, from March 21, 2011, Uehlein served as Chief Operating Officer of Apollo Global. From 2005 until joining Apollo Global in 2011, Uehlein was the President and Chief Operating Officer of Wall Street Institute International, where he was responsible for managing international operations in twenty-seven countries and a global franchisee network of more than four hundred education centers. Prior to joining Wall Street Institute International, Mr. Uehlein served in senior management positions for two years at Steelpoint Technologies. He started his career in 1981 and worked for International Business Machines Corporation for eighteen years. Uehlein will not be separately compensated for his role as Acting Chief Operating Officer of the company.

Apollo Group Inc. reported unaudited consolidated earnings results for the second quarter and six months ended February 29, 2013. For the quarter, the company's net revenue was $834,372,000 compared to $962,682,000 a year ago. Operating income was $29,780,000 compared to $103,705,000 a year ago. Income from continuing operations before income taxes was $27,950,000 compared to $102,349,000 a year ago. Income from continuing operations was $13,659,000 or $0.12 per diluted share compared to $59,241,000 or $0.49 per diluted share a year ago. Net income attributable to the company was $13,527,000 or $0.12 per diluted share compared to $63,882,000 or $0.51 per diluted share a year ago. Income from continuing operations attributable to the company, adjusted to exclude special items were $37,961,000 or $0.34 per diluted share compared to $72,179,000 or $0.57 per diluted share a year ago. The decrease in income from continuing operations was attributable to lower enrollment and an increase in marketing costs primarily due to higher advertising expense, which was partially offset by a reduction in certain costs associated with the company's restructuring activities and lower bad debt expense. The company free cash flow, defined as cash provided by operating activities less capital expenditures, in the second quarter increased to $67 million as compared to $44 million in the prior year. The increase was principally due to the timing of cash payments, inclusive of lower capital expenditures, partially offset by a decline in operating income. For the six months, the company's net revenue was $1,889,555,000 compared to $2,134,582,000 a year ago. Operating income was $260,726,000 compared to $365,373,000 a year ago. Income from continuing operations before income taxes was $259,202,000 compared to $362,664,000 a year ago. Income from continuing operations was $147,399,000 or $1.30 per diluted share compared to $204,377,000 or $1.63 per diluted share a year ago. Net income attributable to the company was $147,022,000 or $1.30 per diluted share compared to $213,196,000 or $1.66 per diluted share a year ago. Net cash provided by operating activities was $298,950,000 compared to $384,479,000 a year ago. Additions to property and equipment were $49,024,000 compared to $62,357,000 a year ago. Income from continuing operations attributable to the company, adjusted to exclude special items were $175,845,000 or $1.56 per diluted share compared to $237,495,000 or $1.84 per diluted share a year ago. For the year 2013, the company expected net revenue in the range of $3.65 billion to $3.75 billion; and operating income of $500.0 million to $550.0 million, excluding the impact of special items and restructuring and other charges. The company anticipates its tax rate for the full year of fiscal 2013 to be about 42%. The company is expecting its tax rate for the second half of 2012. Since the first half rate was about 43%, the company would expect the second half rate to be slightly less than that.