Business news in brief

Philadelphia Gas Works said Friday that 7,742 of its 479,000 residential customers are without gas service after their accounts were terminated earlier in the year for failure to pay, a reduction of 781 customers from the same time a year ago. The city-owned utility reported the numbers in its annual cold weather survey that it is required to submit to the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. The aim of the report is to target the utility's outreach to help customers get their service restored in time for winter. Customers who need assistance can contact PGW at 215-235-1777. - Andrew Maykuth

Drugmaker AstraZeneca Plc., which is based in the United Kingdom but has two big facilities in Delaware, won an appeals court ruling that will block generic versions of its top-selling cholesterol medicine Crestor in the United States until July 2016. The patent on the medicine is valid and enforceable, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington said in an opinion posted on its website. The court rejected challenges made by generic-drug makers including Mylan Inc., and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., which has its Americas headquarters in North Wales. AstraZeneca's Crestor U.S. revenue was $2.3 billion in the first nine months of 2012 and total Crestor sales amount to 22 percent of total company revenue for the period. - Bloomberg

Less than two months after agreeing to heightened regulatory oversight by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., Cornerstone Financial Corp., a Mount Laurel bank, said it will not renew the contract of chairman, president, and chief executive George W. Matteo Jr. when it expires on March 31. Named to succeed him as president, subject to regulatory approval, was current executive vice president and chief operating officer Gene D'Orazio. The board selected Susan Barrett, a board member since 2010, as chairwoman, effective April 1. Cornerstone has eight locations in South Jersey. Since the beginning of 2011, the bank has lost $5.2 million and seen its core capital decline 23 percent. - Harold Brubaker

NEW YORK - Best Buy shares fell almost 15 percent, to $12.05, after the struggling electronics retailer said it extended the window for cofounder Richard Schulze to make a buyout bid until after the holiday season. The drop erased a 16 point gain Thursday, which followed a report that Schulze would make an offer by week's end. Best Buy said Schulze can make his offer between Feb. 1, 2013 and Feb. 28, 2013. - AP