Online Merger Talks

American Greetings Corp. and Egreetings Network Inc. have been discussing ways to merge their online businesses, according to a regulatory filing. Cleveland-based American Greetings obtained a 19.6% stake in Egreetings through the acquisition of Gibson Greetings Inc. last month. Egreetings, based in San Francisco, offers online cards, gifts and invitations through its Web site. In its filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, American Greetings said the discussions have been exploratory. Egreetings shares rose 38 cents to close at $4, while American Greetings shares fell 6 cents to $17.56. (Bloomberg News)