Also. . .

* Harrah’s Entertainment Inc. agreed to acquire Players International Inc. for $8.50 per share, effectively ending Jackpot Enterprises Inc.’s earlier bid of $8.25 a share. Players, which operates riverboat casinos in the Midwest, said the deal is worth about $275 million in stock and $150 million in Players debt. Harrah’s shares closed up 75 cents at $22.63 on the NYSE; Players’ shares closed up $1.34 at $7.91 on Nasdaq.

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* United Parcel Service Inc. will restate its second-quarter earnings to take a charge of $1.44 billion after it was ordered by the Internal Revenue Service this month to pay back taxes and penalties that could total $300 million. UPS said the charge will result in a net loss of $854 million for the quarter ended July 30. The Atlanta-based company in July said its net income rose 28% to $588 million, or $1.04 a share in the second quarter. UPS is taking the $1.44-billion charge to cover all potential liabilities from 1984 through 1999, the company said. UPS may appeal the IRS ruling.

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