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☆ Stocks making the biggest moves premarket: Apple, Amgen, Cloudflare and more
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Lisa Kailai Han | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Hershey — Shares of the chocolate confectionary maker added about 1% after Hershey posted a first-quarter earnings beat. Hershey's $3.25 billion revenue also beat the $3.11 billion consensus. Amgen — Shares soared 13% after the biotech firm posted a first-quarter earnings and revenue beat. Cloudflare — The stock continued to sink, plunging 12% after reporting weak full-year guidance, although Cloudflare posted a first-quarter earnings and revenue beat. However, Coinbase's first-quarter revenue of $1.64 billion beat the $1.34 billion consensus, according to LSEG.

Persons: Hershey, LSEG, Apple, Eli Lilly, Cloudflare, Expedia, Piper Sandler, Fortinet, FactSet, Jefferies, Coinbase's, Benjamin Nolan, — CNBC's Brian Evans, Michelle Fox, Hakyung Kim, Tanaya Macheel Organizations: Hershey —, Apple, Novo Nordisk, BMO Capital Markets, Revenue, Arista Networks, Arista, LSEG . Union Pacific, JPMorgan Locations: billings, LSEG, Stifel

☆ Most people on weight loss drugs are spending less on restaurants and takeout, survey says
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-20 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Most people taking those medications, called GLP-1s, say they are spending less on eating out at restaurants and ordering takeout, according to a Morgan Stanley survey released on Tuesday. GLP-1s include Novo Nordisk 's blockbuster weight loss injection Wegovy and diabetes counterpart Ozempic, along with Eli Lilly 's popular weight loss treatment Zepbound and diabetes injection Mounjaro. "There is growing evidence that the drugs have a meaningful impact on consumer behavior and spending on groceries and restaurants," Morgan Stanley analysts said in the survey. Those people are "early in their weight loss journey," but are making substantial changes to their diets and spending, according to the firm. Roughly half of people reported cutting consumption of regular sodas, alcohol and salty snacks by 50% or more since starting on weight loss drugs.

Persons: —, Morgan Stanley, Eli Lilly, Hollie Adams, Reuters Morgan Stanley, Morgan Stanley survery Organizations: Washington Post, Novo Nordisk, Reuters, Consumers Locations: Manhattan, London, Britain

Other analysts saw upside for Coinbase and DoorDash along with Meta Platforms, as the social network builds advertising market share. The firm initiated coverage of DoorDash stock with a buy rating and a $165 per share price target. The analyst reiterated his overweight rating on Tesla stock but lowered his price target slightly to $310 per share from $320. The firm reiterated a buy rating on Meta stock and raised its price target to $585 per share from $550 on Thursday. Meta stock has surged more than 43% in 2024.

Persons: Morgan Stanley, Pamela Kaufman, Kaufman, — Jesse Pound, Mark Zgutowicz, — Brian Evans, Oliver Wintermantel, Wintermantel, Brian Evans, Morgan Stanley's Adam Jonas, Morgan Stanley's, Adam Jonas, Tesla's, Jonas, Tesla, — Brian Evans TSLA, Oppenheimer, Coinbase, Owen Lau, Jefferies, Brent Thill, outgrow Amazon's, Meta, Thill, Erika Najarian, Najarian, BofA's Organizations: CNBC, Jefferies, Bank of America, UBS, Big Four, Meta, Hershey, ISI, Tesla Network, 2Q, Amazon, UBS downgrades Bank of America Locations: Big Four U.S, Hershey, cryptocurrency, Wednesday's, 2H24

☆ Journalists keep stealing Air Force One-branded items from the presidential airliner: report
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-29 | by ( Madison Hall | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Members of the White House Correspondents' Association routinely travel on Air Force One. AdvertisementJournalists traveling aboard the Air Force One presidential airliner keep nabbing its many branded knickknacks. Now the White House is trying to put a stop to it. Following a multi-day trip with the press aboard, members of the Air Force took inventory of the plane and found several items missing, according to Politico. After alerting the White House Travel Office about the missing pieces, White House Correspondents' Association president and NBC reporter Kelly O'Donnell reportedly sent a curt email to her colleagues telling them to knock it off.

Persons: It's, —, Kelly O'Donnell, curt, hasn't Organizations: White, Correspondents, Association, Air Force, Service, Journalists, Politico, Travel Office, NBC, eBay

Elena Perova | Istock | Getty ImagesJust ahead of the holiday season, Walmart had encouraging news for inflation-weary shoppers: Prices on food and other staples were falling instead of rising. But the retail giant backpedaled this week, saying higher prices on many grocery items and household staples like paper goods have stuck. Food prices climbed 2.6%, fueled by a 5.1% jump in prices for food away from home, a category that includes restaurant meals and vending machine purchases. That gives their makers the ability to keep raising prices to mitigate higher costs, even as their volume drops. Even some of the biggest U.S. brands have signaled that consumers' tolerance of higher prices has worn thin.

Persons: Elena Perova, John David Rainey, Coke, James Quincey, Gregory Daco, airfares, Tyson, Fernando Fernandez, Arun Sundaram, Kraft Heinz, Chocolate, Hershey, Edward Jones, Brittany Quatrochi, Sundaram, Pringles, Kellanova, Heinz, Stefani Reynolds, Brad Thomas, CFRA's Sundaram, Thomas, Frederic J, Brown, Oscar Mayer, Greg Melich Organizations: Istock, Walmart, CNBC, Federal, Depot, Pew Research Center, Maine Foods, Unilever, Nestle, Bloomberg, Getty, Planters, Target, Kroger, AFP, U.S, PepsiCo, Frito, Evercore ISI Locations: Hershey , Pennsylvania, North America, Washington ,, Rosemead , California

☆ Cocoa prices just hit a record high. Here's what's driving the gains and what it means for chocolate makers
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-17 | by ( Lisa Kailai Han | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

If you think chocolate prices this Valentine's Day were more expensive than usual, it's not you. Year to date, futures contracts are up nearly 27%, with cocoa prices rising in six of the past seven weeks. Here's a breakdown of what's driving cocoa prices higher and how it impacts the investment case around two major chocolate stocks. Doshi thinks cocoa prices could sell off about 20%, taking them to around $4,500 to $4,800 per ton. In an interview with CNBC last week, he underscored the rising cocoa price outlook as the key driver for his lower rating.

Persons: Humza Hussain, El, Aakash Doshi, Doshi, Bernstein, Bruno Monteyne, … There's, Mondelez, Alexia Howard, Hershey, Michele Buck, Bernstein's Howard, Howard, I'd, Bryan Spillane, Morgan Stanley, Pamela Kaufman, Bank of America's Spillane Organizations: Asset Management, CNBC, Hershey, Citi, 2H, Street, Bank of America, Bank of, Cadbury Locations: Mondelez, El Niño, Ghana, Ivory, Nigeria, Europe

Shanker also raised his price target to $80 from $75, suggesting nearly 34% downside from Friday's close. — Spencer Kimball 8:16 a.m.: Loop Capital upgrades Corteva, touts growth acceleration in 2025 Corteva's stronger-than-expected 2024 full-year guidance will jumpstart a period of strong growth, according to Loop Capital. The firm upgraded the agricultural chemicals company to buy from hold and increased its price target to $65 from $57. Analyst Jay Sole upgraded Urban to neutral from sell and upped his 12-month price target by $20 to $41. Kaufman's $183 price target indicates roughly 6.3% downside for shares, which have fallen more than 18% over the past year.

Persons: headwinds, Morgan Stanley downgrades XPO, Morgan Stanley, Ravi, Shanker, — Michelle Fox, Julien Dumoulin, Smith, Duke's, — Spencer Kimball, Chris Kapsch, Kapsch, Brian Evans, Cassie Chan, they'll, Chan, —, Jay Sole, URBN, Sole, Urban's, — Pia Singh, Filippo Falorni, Falorni, Hershey, Stanley, Pamela Kaufman, Kaufman's, Hershey's, Kaufman, Graham Doyle, Doyle, Piper Sandler, David Amsellem, Amsellem, Amsellam, Christopher Horvers, Jan, Horvers, Fred Imbert, Dan Levy, Levy Organizations: CNBC, Barclays, Automotive, JPMorgan, Corp, Bank of America, Bank of America downgrades Duke Energy, Duke Energy, Duke, Wall, America, UBS, Urban Outfitters, Free People, Urban, Citi, PepsiCo, Citi Research, Pepsi, Hershey, GE Healthcare Technologies, UBS GE Healthcare Technologies, Pharmaceutical, Teva Pharmaceutical, Federal, Barclays downgrades Rivian, Rivian Automotive, North American EV Locations: Bank of America downgrades, GEHC, David Amsellem U.S

Hershey is cautioning on its 2024 profit growth as the company contends with rising cocoa costs that are leading to higher prices for chocolate. Cocoa futures prices have doubled over the past year and hit an all-time high of $5,874 per metric ton on Friday. Bad weather in West Africa is being blamed for damaging crop yields, which is pushing cocoa prices higher. But with inflation concerns still top of mind, many shoppers are pulling back on their spending and eyeing rising food prices cautiously. Hershey Co. anticipates its full-year earnings per share being relatively flat, partly due to higher cocoa and sugar costs.

Persons: Hershey, ”, Thomas Palmer, Michele Buck, ” Buck, Steven Voskuil Organizations: Citi, Hershey, Hershey Co Locations: West Africa

☆ Stocks making the biggest moves midday: Ralph Lauren, Walt Disney, Hershey and more
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Lisa Kailai Han | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Ralph Lauren posted earnings of $4.17 per share, while analysts surveyed by LSEG expected earnings of $3.54 per share. PayPal said it anticipates full-year earnings of $5.10 per share, short of the $5.48 per share analysts expected, according to LSEG. S & P Global — Shares dipped 5% following a fourth-quarter earnings miss and disappointing full-year guidance from the financial analytics firm. On the other hand, the company's fourth-quarter revenue of $3.15 billion beat the $3.13 billion analysts had anticipated. Zimmer Biomet — The stock slid 5%, despite the medical device firm posting a fourth-quarter earnings and revenue beat.

Persons: Walt Disney, Ralph Lauren —, Ralph Lauren, Hershey's, FactSet, Kate Spade, Stuart Weitzman, LSEG, Masco, Kellanova, Zimmer Biomet, Johnson, — CNBC's Michelle Fox, Hakyung Kim, Tanaya Macheel, Pia Singh Organizations: PayPal, Arm Holdings —, Hershey —, Intercontinental Exchange, Wynn, P Global, Johnson, LSEG

☆ Starbucks sued for allegedly using coffee from farms with rights abuses while touting its ‘ethical’ sourcing
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-10 | by ( Kenzi Abou-Sabe | Adiel Kaplan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

A consumer advocacy group is suing Starbucks, the world's largest coffee brand, for false advertising, alleging that it sources coffee and tea from farms with human rights and labor abuses, while touting its commitment to ethical sourcing. "But it's pretty clear that there are significant human rights and labor abuses across Starbucks' supply chain." Practices, in 2004 to oversee its coffee sourcing in more than 30 countries. The verification program holds Starbucks coffee suppliers to more than 200 environmental, labor and quality standards. "I think it is really hard to have an ethical supply chain.

Persons: Sally Greenberg, Greenberg, Genevieve LeBaron, LeBaron Organizations: Starbucks, D.C, National Consumers League, NBC News, Brasil, SCS Global Services, Conservation International, Rainforest Alliance, Hershey, School of Public, Simon Fraser University, United Nations Locations: Washington, Guatemala, Kenya, Brazil

☆ The digital world remade itself and now every company has become an ad seller
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( Lauren Johnson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

To use precise consumer data, advertisers now must work directly with the company that owns that data — like the retailer that knows what its customers bought or the media company that knows what its audience watched. Streamers including Netflix are building new ad businesses, while platforms like YouTube are trying to bolster their existing ad businesses with more content, such as live sports. "In a world of less data or worse data, whoever has the least-bad data wins," Brian Wieser, an advertising-industry analyst, told Business Insider. Even companies that aren't traditional retailers, such as Uber and Marriott, have kick-started ad businesses. The pandemic pushed the world to embrace streaming services.

Persons: Ana Milicevic, Brian Wieser, Sephora, Morgan Stanley, Milicevic, Neal Mohan, Vinny Rinaldi, Hershey's, Taylor, it's, Weiser, Wieser, influencers Organizations: Data, Apple, Sparrow Advisers, Walmart, Netflix, Companies, Retailers, Target, Marriott, Amazon, Major League Soccer, NFL, Columbia, Bose, YouTube, Advertising, Comcast, Hulu, Meta Locations: California, influencers

HAVANA (AP) — Until recently, the space was the one-car garage of a private home in Cuba’s capital, Havana. Yet despite their modest setup, their prices are far from affordable, even for a doctor or a teacher, who make about 7,000 Cuban pesos a month (about $28 in the parallel market). Political Cartoons View All 1247 ImagesFor example, one kilo (2.2 pounds) of powdered milk from the Czech Republic costs 2,000 Cuban pesos (about $8). “I retired with 2,200 (Cuban pesos a month or $8.80) last year and I can’t even buy a package of chicken," she said. The novelty is that the small shops like the one in Vedado and bigger bodegas like the “Cuban Costco” are entirely private and accept payments in Cuban pesos.

Persons: ” Ania Espinosa, Espinosa, Ingracia Virgen Cruzata, “, Goya, ”, Pedro Freyre, Akerman, That’s, Freyre Organizations: —, Cuban Costco, Akerman Consulting, Miami Law School Locations: HAVANA, Cuba’s, Havana, El, Cuba, Cuban, Vedado, Czech Republic, U.S, Uruguay, Florida, America, Caribbean

☆ Homesick Americans living in the UK should head to Costco for snacks
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-11 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Costco sells some American brands and products that aren't commonly available in the UK. Candy brands I saw at Costco included Red Vines licorice, Mike and Ike candy, and Welch's Fruit Snacks. A five-pack of Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Dinner costs £11.19 (around $2.75 per box) on the UK website, whereas on its US website, Costco charges $18.99 for 18 boxes of around the same weight – or just over $1 per box. AdvertisementAdvertisementBrits can still get their tea fixThere were, however, plenty of British products on sale, showing how it had adapted its assortment to UK shoppers. Grace Dean/Insider; Will Martin/InsiderLike many supermarkets in the UK, Costco was keen to point out the local origins of some of its own-brand Kirkland Signature produce as consumers pay more attention to food miles and supporting domestic agriculture.

Persons: —, Jerry's, Kraft, Will Martin, Candy, Red Vines, Mike, Ike, I'd, Grace Dean, Tetley, Heinz, Heinz Beanz, Jacks Organizations: Costco, Kraft, &, Service, Kraft Mac, Tesco, Asda, YouTube, Red, pretzels, San Francisco Pretzel Company, Daily, San Francisco Bay Coffee, Kraft Macaroni, Yorkshire Tea, Kirkland, Aberdeen Angus Locations: London, Puerto Rico, Canada, American, San Francisco Bay, South Croydon, Japan

☆ Corporate America weighs business impact of new weight-loss drugs
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Walmart (WMT.N) expects revenues from its health and wellness products to increase in the second half of the year, mainly due to the popularity of weight-loss drugs. PepsiCo (PEP.O) Chief Financial Officer Hugh Johnston has said the company is "not seeing any impact" yet from the popularity of weight-loss drugs. Coca-Cola (KO.N) CEO James Quincey said the company was monitoring what impact, if any weight-loss drugs will have. Abbott CEO Robert Ford has said diabetes patients could end up using glucose monitors with the weight-loss drugs in the long term. DRUG DISTRIBUTORSCencora (COR.N), formerly called AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health (CAH.N) and McKesson (MCK.N) have flagged potential boost to revenues this year owing to the growing demand for weight-loss drugs.

Persons: Victoria Klesty, Eli Lilly's, Eli Lilly's Zepbound, Hugh Johnston, James Quincey, Michele Buck, Dr Pepper, Robert Gamgort, Johnson, Joseph Wolk, Robert Ford, Michael Farrell, Bhanvi Satija, Ananya Mariam Rajesh, Mrigank Dhaniwala, Arun Koyyur Organizations: REUTERS, U.S . Food, Drug Administration, Walmart, PepsiCo, J, Abbott Laboratories, Insulet Corp, Boston Scientific, Cardinal Health, Thomson Locations: Oslo, Norway, Victoria, U.S, GLP, Bengaluru

☆ Advertisers pumped up to 90% of their Google ad spend into its AI tool, and some are now questioning whether it's actually performing.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( Lauren Johnson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Performance Max also drove retailers' spend with Google's shopping ad products up 16% year-over-year, according to Tinuiti. Digital agency Arm Candy said that 45% of retailers' Google spend is handled with Performance Max. Specifically, the source said that the return on ad spend of Performance Max campaigns started slowing down this summer. Brand search campaigns are when companies buy search ads against their own brand names, like Hershey's buying "Hershey's" keywords, for example. Advertisers that like Google's AI say it helps them find new customersGoogle has tried to address advertisers' concerns about what Performance Max buys.

Persons: Max, Belardi Wong, Candy, Max proliferates, Zach Thompson, Thomas, We've, Merkle, Brendon Kraham, Brand, Google's Kraham, Calla Murphy Organizations: Google, YouTube, Max Locations: ROAS

☆ For the second Halloween in a row, U.S. candy inflation hits double digits
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-28 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

For the second year in a row, U.S. shoppers are seeing double-digit inflation in the candy aisle. That's on top of a 14% increase in candy and gum prices in October 2022. "The price of candy has gotten to be outrageous," said Jessica Weathers, a small business owner in Shiloh, Illinois. Weathers said she usually buys plenty of candy for trick-or-treaters and events at school and church. Meanwhile, global sugar prices are at 12-year highs, Goughary said.

Persons: Jessica Weathers, Weathers, Dan Sadler, Kelly Goughary, Goughary, —, Michele Buck, Buck, Hershey Organizations: Gro Intelligence, Aldi, Hershey Locations: Shiloh , Illinois, West Africa, El, Ivory, India, Brazil

☆ Hershey tops quarterly estimates boosted by higher candy prices
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Hershey's chocolates are pictured for sale on a store shelf in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S. July 19, 2017. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsOct 26 (Reuters) - Hershey (HSY.N) beat Wall Street expectations for quarterly sales and profit on Thursday, riding on benefits from higher prices of its chocolates and candies at a time when demand has slowed. Overall organic prices rose by 9.8% in the third quarter, while organic volumes increased by only 0.9%. Hershey's net sales rose to $3.03 billion in the quarter ended Oct. 1 from $2.73 billion a year earlier. The company also reaffirmed its annual profit forecast of $9.46 to $9.54 per share and sales expectations for an 8% rise.

Persons: Carlo Allegri, Hershey, Michele Buck, Ananya Mariam Rajesh, Milla Nissi Organizations: REUTERS, Hershey, Thomson Locations: Manhattan, New York City , New York, U.S, Russia, Ukraine, Bengaluru

☆ Consumer Reports finds more lead, cadmium in chocolate, urges change at Hershey
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( Jonathan Stempel | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Hershey's chocolates are pictured for sale on a store shelf in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S. July 19, 2017. The magazine said 16 of the 48 chocolate products from various makers that its scientists tested recently in seven categories - dark chocolate, milk chocolate, cocoa powder, chocolate chips, and mixes for brownies, chocolate cake and hot chocolate - contained potentially harmful levels of lead, cadmium or both. The Consumer Reports testing followed its findings last December that 23 of 28 tested dark chocolate bars contained excessive lead or cadmium, including Hershey products sold under its own brand and the Lily's and Scharffen Berger brands. The magazine is again petitioning Hershey to reduce heavy metals in its chocolate. Consumer Reports food policy director Brian Ronholm said Hershey, as a "leading and popular brand," should commit to eliminating "dangerous levels" of heavy metals from its chocolate products, making them safer for consumers.

Persons: Carlo Allegri, Joe's, Scharffen Berger, Hershey, Brian Ronholm, Steve Voskuil, Voskuil, Christopher Gindlesperger, Jonathan Stempel, Bill Berkrot Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Hershey Co, Nestle, Starbucks, YORK, Hershey, Consumer, Walmart, Target, National Confectioners Association, Thomson Locations: Manhattan, New York City , New York, U.S, New York

☆ Big Food vs. Big Pharma: Companies bet on snacking just as weight loss drugs boom
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-01 | by ( Amelia Lucas | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

But food companies' major bets on snacking come as investors fear the looming danger of Big Pharma's blockbuster obesity and diabetes drugs Wegovy and Ozempic. Younger generations snack more often than older consumers, said Kelsey Olsen, food and drink analyst for market research firm Mintel. Millennials and Gen-Z consumers tend to eat smaller meals that are closer together, creating more occasions to grab a snack. At the same time, Novo Nordisk's Ozempic and Wegovy have taken off, fueled by prescriptions to help patients lose weight. Some patients even report developing aversions to foods with higher sugar and fat content — a category that includes many big snack brands.

Persons: Smucker, Big, Wegovy, snacking, Kelsey Olsen, Millennials, Morgan Stanley, Morgan Stanley's, General Mills Organizations: Hostess Brands, HSBC, Accenture, Novo Nordisk's Ozempic, Hershey, Mondelez, PepsiCo, General Locations: Seattle , Washington , U.S, U.S

REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsChocolate makers are banking on the traditional resilience of their product to price increases. The data showed Hershey's sales volumes increasingly declined during the period as the company hiked prices. "We are seeing consumers starting to react more than before, I'd be very cautious with price increases," said Dan Sadler, a candy expert at U.S.-based market researcher IRI. Barry Callebaut (BARN.S), the world's biggest chocolate maker supplying most major brands including Nestle (NESN.S), doesn't expect any growth in sales volumes this year. Pennsylvania-based Hershey, is hoping that as it eases off the rate of price hikes, its sales volumes will reverse their current downtrend.

Persons: Nielsen, Dirk Van de, Luca Zaramella, Patrick Folan, Mike Blake, Mondelez, Hershey, Zaramella, Bernstein, I'd, Dan Sadler, Barry Callebaut, Hershey's, Michele Buck, Matt Scuffham, Elaine Hardcastle Organizations: Nielsen, Hershey, Reuters, Consumers, Cadbury, Barclays, REUTERS, IRI, Nestle, Rabobank, El, Kailyn, Thomson Locations: Europe, United States, North America, Encinitas , California, U.S, Pennsylvania, El Nino, West Africa, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Kailyn Rhone, New York

"The increase in sugar and cocoa specifically is material," Mondelez CFO Luca Zaramella said in July. The data showed Hershey's sales volumes increasingly declined during the period as the company hiked prices. Barry Callebaut (BARN.S), the world's biggest chocolate maker supplying most major brands including Nestle (NESN.S), doesn't expect any growth in sales volumes this year. In the U.S., private label sales volumes grew nearly 9% in the year to mid-June despite near double-digit price rises, IRI data shows. Pennsylvania-based Hershey, is hoping that as it eases off the rate of price hikes, its sales volumes will reverse their current downtrend.

Persons: Mike Blake, Dirk Van de, Luca Zaramella, Patrick Folan, Mondelez, Hershey, Zaramella, Bernstein, I'd, Dan Sadler, Barry Callebaut, Hershey's, Michele Buck, Matt Scuffham, Elaine Hardcastle Organizations: REUTERS, Hershey, Reuters, Consumers, Nielsen, Cadbury, Barclays, IRI, Nestle, Rabobank, El, Kailyn, Thomson Locations: Encinitas , California, Europe, North America, U.S, Pennsylvania, El Nino, West Africa, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Kailyn Rhone, New York

☆ E-commerce analytics firm MikMak is removing a competitor by acquiring assets from rival ChannelAdvisor
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-15 | by ( Lauren Johnson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Adtech firms are racing to grab more of the retail media business, expected to be worth $130B. E-commerce startup MikMak has acquired the shoppable media and brand analytics arm of rival ChannelAdvisor for an undisclosed amount. With the new employees from ChannelAdvisor, MikMak will have 175 staffers. In buying part of ChannelAdvisor, MikMak inherits analytics that advertisers want to justify increasing ad spend with retailers. As part of the deal, MikMak and ChannelAdvisor will cross-sell their products.

Persons: ChannelAdvisor, Rachel Tipograph, Tipograph, MikMak, Morgan Stanley Organizations: Walmart, MikMak, Diageo, Hershey's, Tech, ChannelAdvisor Locations: ChannelAdvisor

☆ Apple has plowed over $500 billion into stock buybacks since 2012 — more than Visa, JPMorgan, or Exxon are worth
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-11 | by ( Theron Mohamed | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Apple has spent over $500 billion on stock buybacks since 2012, a Markets Insider analysis shows. Warren Buffett has welcomed Apple's buybacks as they've boosted his ownership at no cost to him. It splurged $90 billion on buybacks in its last financial year, and has repurchased $56 billion worth of its shares in the last nine months alone. His Berkshire Hathaway empire owns nearly 6% of Apple, and the position accounts for almost half of its roughly $350 billion stock portfolio. "Much of what the company retained was used to repurchase Apple shares, an act we applaud," Buffett wrote in his 2021 letter to shareholders.

Persons: Apple, Warren Buffett, Apple's buybacks, Charlie Bilello, Bilello, Apple's repurchases, Buffett, Tim Cook, Apple's Organizations: Service, Visa, JPMorgan, Exxon Mobil, Apple, Citigroup, Berkshire Hathaway Locations: Wall, Silicon, buybacks, Berkshire

☆ MrBeast plans to take on Hershey's with his Feastables brand - and says shorting a stock 'seems lame'
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-22 | by ( Theron Mohamed | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The YouTube star seems confident he can take on Hershey's with his Feastables chocolate bars. MrBeast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, also said that shorting a company's stock "seems lame." "But I will say these next few years between Feastables and Hershey's will be interesting once I actually ramp up." Warren Buffett, whose Berkshire Hathaway conglomerate owns See's Candies, has warned that old habits die hard in the candy business. Buffett even challenged Elon Musk to disrupt the candy business a few years ago, and the Tesla CEO tried and failed to develop a superior candy.

Persons: MrBeast, Jimmy Donaldson, who's, Donaldson, Warren Buffett, Buffett, Elon Musk Organizations: YouTube, Service, GameStop, AMC Entertainment, Berkshire Hathaway, Berkshire Locations: Wall, Silicon, Feastables, Berkshire

Several consumer industry trade bodies - whose members use aspartame - on Thursday rejected the IARC’s assessment. Shoppers can find aspartame in Weight Watchers yoghurts, some Snapple drinks and Conagra’s Mrs. Butterworth’s syrups. “Aspartame has been in use as an intense sweetener for more than 30 years in the UK. In 2014 General Mills (GIS.N) swapped the aspartame in Yoplait Light for the sweetener widely known as Splenda. Sweeteners have varying levels of sweetness and price, and are different chemical compounds, making it difficult to simply swap ingredients.

Persons: Health Organization's, Garrett Nelson, Butterworth’s, ” Nelson, ” Tom Sanders, Mills, Richa Naidu, Savyata Mishra, Jessica DiNapoli, Barbara Lewis Organizations: Reuters, International Agency for Research, Cancer, Health, Joint WHO, Food, Agriculture Organization's, CFRA Research, Shoppers, Nutrition, King’s College London, PepsiCo, Thomson

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