Among the stock activity stories for Thursday, Sept. 4, from AP Financial News:

A year after orchestrating a takeover of H&R Block Inc.'s leadership, Richard Breeden gave shareholders an update Thursday on efforts to rejuvenate the tax preparation giant, saying some success has been made but the work is ongoing.

Shares of tax preparer H&R Block Inc. retreated Thursday after the company more than halved its first-quarter loss on improvements in its tax services business but still missed Wall Street expectations, due to continued losses in its consumer financial services division.

H&R Block Inc. says it narrowed its loss in its fiscal first quarter as improvement in its tax services business was offset by losses in its consumer financial services division.

Among the earnings stories for Wednesday, Sept. 3, from AP Financial News:

H&R Block, the largest U.S. tax preparer, reported a quarterly loss that was 56 percent smaller than a year earlier on Wednesday, after shedding its money-losing mortgage operations to focus on its tax business.

H&R Block Inc <HRB.N>, the largest U.S. tax preparer, reported a quarterly loss that was 56 percent smaller than a year earlier on Wednesday, after shedding its money-losing mortgage operations to focus on its tax business.

By Jonathan Stempel

H&R Block Inc. said Wednesday it signed an agreement to buy the operator of its franchise units in Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas for about $278 million in cash.

Tax preparation and financial services company H&R Block Inc. reports fiscal first-quarter results on Wednesday after the market close.

Major business events and economic events scheduled for September (some dates are tentative):

Paula Willett is looking over the September calendar like a general, trying to figure when and how best to strike.

Tax services provider H&R Block Inc. on Friday said it named Sabrina Wiewel president of its digital tax services.

H&R Block Inc. said its board raised its quarterly dividend 5.3 percent to 15 cents.

H&R Block Inc., the nation's largest tax preparer, spent $272,000 lobbying in the second quarter on tax-related legislation, according to a recent disclosure report.