COSMETICS

Maybelline Says Benckiser Prepared to Top L’Oreal Bid: The week-old bidding war for the third-largest U.S. cosmetics company was ratcheted up a notch as Joh. A. Benckiser said it is prepared to top L’Oreal’s sweetened $716.6-million acquisition offer. In a letter to Maybelline Inc., Benckiser declined to say how much more it would offer. The German consumer-products company called for Maybelline to invite the suitors to submit their best proposals in a final round of bidding. Maybelline spokesman Gene Donati said the company is reviewing the letter and has no further comment. Shares in Maybelline were up $2.50 to close at $44.875 on New York Stock Exchange.