Quarter

Chemical maker W.R. Grace & Co. on Wednesday announced preliminary first-quarter net income of $52 million to $53 million, or 68 cents to 69 cents per diluted share. Grace, based in Columbia, will report full earnings April 24 for the quarter that ended March 31. The company had reported earnings of $60.9 million, or 80 cents per diluted share, for the first quarter of 2012. Preliminary results for the most recent quarter show operating income of $77 million for the catalysts technologies division, with sales of about $266 million, Grace said.

Sparks-based McCormick & Co. said Tuesday that it increased profits 2 percent in the three months ending in February, compared with the year-earlier period. The spice maker, which also sells seasonings, recipe mixes and other products, produced profits of $76 million from sales of $934 million. Sales rose 3 percent. The company said its sales outlook for the year — growth of 3 percent to 5 percent in local currency — still stands. McCormick's earnings of 57 cents per share, up from 55 cents a year earlier, topped Wall Street analysts' expectations by 1 cent per share on average.

The man-up unit put the Stevenson men's lacrosse team up for good. Just 11 seconds after No. 8 Lynchburg was flagged for a slashing penalty, the No. 5 Mustangs took advantage of their extra-man opportunity when junior attackman Chris Dashiell found sophomore midfielder Michael Crowe wide open on the left side of the crease for a 12-11 win in overtime at Mustang Stadium on Saturday night. Crowe's first goal of the game, with 2:43 left in the extra four-minute period, occurred as a result of the Hornets' defensive focus on sophomore attackman Mark Pannenton, who leads Stevenson with six man-up goals.

While Congress tosses all kinds of scenarios around about the future of retirement benefits like Medicare or Social Security - while doing absolutely nothing about it - we shouldn't be terribly surprised that real people are feeling as insecure about their post-employment years as ever. The latest survey from the Employee Benefit Research Institute found that despite last year's stock market gains, workers are less confident this year than last that they'll have enough money for a comfortable retirement.

Women's college basketball Vermont's Lauren Wheeler made her only 3-pointer of the game with 26 seconds left to break a tie and lift sixth-seeded Vermont (10-20) to a 47-43 win over third-seeded UMBC (10-20) in an America East quarterfinal Friday in Albany, N.Y. Sophomore forward Annie Wheeler hit one of two free throws with five seconds left to seal the victory. The Retrievers shot their second-lowest field-goal percentage of the season (.246) and didn't hit a 3-pointer for the first time since Jan. 19, 2012.

With a chance to repeat as champion in the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament in jeopardy, the 10th-ranked Maryland women's basketball team leaned on junior forward Alyssa Thomas, and the two-time conference Player of the Year delivered a performance that, coupled with a stifling defense in overtime, allowed the Terps to outlast Wake Forest, 92-81, in the quarterfinals Friday night at Greensboro Coliseum. Disregarding stomach discomfort that had been bothering her since Tuesday, Thomas collected the first triple double in ACC tournament history, scoring a career-high 32 points, including eight in overtime, with 13 rebounds and 10 assists.

Maryland's burst to the top of the rankings has been aided by a 12-10 redemption against reigning national champion Loyola and a 16-7 thumping of Atlantic Coast Conference rival Duke en route to a 4-0 record. The Terps have also benefitted from quick starts. This season, the team has outscored opponents, 22-4, in the first quarter and after halftime, the squad has sprinted to a 16-9 advantage in the third quarter. Maryland's ability to put their opponents in an early hole in each half mirrors the wishes of coach John Tillman.

Navy's 11-2 loss to Patriot League rival Bucknell this past Saturday was exacerbated by a poor offensive showing highlighted by zero goals in the contest's final three quarters. Despite the inability to score a goal in the final 51 minutes, coach Rick Sowell was hesitant to declare wholesale changes in the starting lineup for Saturday's home game against Lafayette. “Everything's under the gun,” Sowell said Tuesday. “We're re-evaluating the situation. I don't know if we have to make drastic changes.

The Randallstown boys basketball team had the ultimate fourth-quarter test of character. The Rams saw their 15-point lead dwindle to nothing with five minutes to play in Tuesday's Class 2A North region semifinal. The opponent was No. 13 Lake Clifton, defending state champions and the same Lakers who rallied past them earlier in the season. Instead of folding, Randallstown stayed poised. The Rams executed on offense and clamped down on defense, scoring the next eight points to restore order and claim a hard-fought 59-55 win on their home court.

T. Rowe Price Group announced Thursday it was raising its quarterly dividend by 12 percent to 38 cents per share. The dividend will be paid March 27 to those who are shareholders as of March 13. The Baltimore-based money manager said it has increased its annual dividend 27 years in a row since going public in 1986. Text BUSINESS to 70701 to get Baltimore Sun Business text alerts