Also...

* Whitman Corp. said it agreed to buy rival Pepsi bottler PepsiAmericas Inc., packaging the second- and third-largest U.S.-based Pepsi bottlers in a deal valued at about $331.7 million. Whitman will offer $3.80 a share in cash and stock and also will assume about $330 million in debt under the deal.

*

H&R; Block Inc., the world’s largest tax preparer, said its first-quarter loss widened to $51.7 million, or 55 cents a share, from $37.1 million, or 38 cents, a year earlier because of costs related to two acquisitions and higher expenses for its U.S. tax operations. Analysts expected a loss of 57 cents. The acquisitions helped the company more than double its revenue for the quarter to $320.6 million from $121.6 million.

*

Guide to Our Staff: Need to reach Business section reporters or editors? A guide to the section’s staff can be found at https://www.latimes.com/bizstaff.