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☆ Does off-season travel exist anymore?
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-20 | by ( Lilit Marcus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Then, you can plot a graph to see which months are higher and lower than that total to determine when the peak season is. “In Thailand, low season typically spans from April to September with April and May being really hot,” says Ponti. “During this low season the tourist volumes each month constitute more than 7% of the annual total. Angelos Tzortzinis/dpa/picture alliance/Getty ImagesArguably the biggest single factor affecting what we know as “peak season” travel is weather. “For me, the challenge is about finding the joy in those low seasons, finding those nuggets of gold.”

Persons: ”, Olivier Ponti, Ponti, Angelos Tzortzinis, Ged Brown, Mikey Sadowski, there’s, we’re, Sadowski, David Silverman, it’s, ForwardKeys ’ Ponti, Ann Woodward, “, Woodward, –, I’ve, ’, Brown, haven’t, ” Brown Organizations: CNN, United Nations, European Travel Commission, Intrepid, Travelers Locations: Italy, Hong Kong, Amsterdam, Japan, Canary, Spain, Thailand, Hawaii, Maldives, “, ”, Athens, Greece, Europe, Denmark, Sweden, Nepal, Mexico, New York

☆ Walmart Opens the Year With Stronger Sales and Profit
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Jordyn Holman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The Numbers: Sales grew in stores and especially online. Walmart said its comparable-store sales in its U.S. business rose 3.8 percent from the quarter a year earlier. Walmart has performed better than retailers dependent on apparel sales, in part because it also sells essential goods like groceries. Walmart’s quarterly profit, of $5.1 billion, was triple the result a year earlier. The retailer’s stock rose in premarket trading, as investors reacted to last quarter’s results and the company’s upgraded forecast for growth this year.

Persons: ”, David Silverman Organizations: Walmart, Fitch

☆ Department stores face another squeeze. This time, with store credit card revenue
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Melissa Repko | In Melissa-Repko | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

For fiscal year 2023, credit card revenue totaled $619 million for Macy's and approximately $475 million for Nordstrom . The three companies do not break out how much of total credit card revenue comes from late fees. All of that adds up to dwindling credit card revenue for retailers, who can now expect to see it shrink even further. Target's credit card revenue fell to $667 million last year, down from $734 million in the prior fiscal year. Gap does not disclose credit card revenue, but its Chief Financial Officer, Katrina O'Connell, said on an earnings call that losses from late fees will be "largely offset in 2024 by other levers within our credit card program."

Persons: Robert Nickelsberg, it'll, Jane Hali, Kohl's, David Silverman, Silverman, —, Michael Fiddelke, Macy's, Adrian Mitchell, It's, Nordstrom, Katrina O'Connell Organizations: Getty Images Department, Consumer Financial, Bureau, Associates, Nordstrom, Fitch, TD Bank, Shoppers, Adobe Analytics, Citi, Sam's Locations: New York City

☆ Credit-card points might be entering a new era
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-26 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Visa and Mastercard settled a dispute with US retailers over credit-card swipe fees. AdvertisementOne of the great American pastimes — using your credit card to accumulate points — could be about to change. On Tuesday, Visa and Mastercard settled with US retailers over a longstanding dispute tied to credit-card swipe fees. But the points game can be one of fine margins, and a change to interchange fees could have ripple effects for rewards programs. Don't be surprised if it starts taking a lot longer to rack up the points required for your next getaway.

Persons: Banks, —, they'd, David Morris, Morris, David Silverman Organizations: Visa, Mastercard, Service, JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Bloomberg, Chase, National Retail Federation, Retail Industry, Association, Credit, Fitch Locations: bodega, It's, eMarketer

☆ Spring equinox: First day of spring arrives
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-19 | by ( Forrest Brown | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The spring equinox will arrive exactly at 3:06 UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) on Wednesday, March 20, according to EarthSky. Click here to look up the exact moment of the spring equinox where you’re located. Spring equinox has another nameIf you ever hear anyone say “vernal equinox,” it means the same thing. Zhang Xiaoyu/Xinhua News Agency/Getty ImagesIn Japan, Vernal Equinox Day is a public holiday (on Wednesday, March 20, this year). In China, trying to stand an egg upright is a popular game during the spring equinox, according to VisitBeijing.com.

Persons: Tuesday •, •, • Chiang Mai, David Silverman, Alex Pena, It’s, you’ve, it’s, Hugo Borges, Itzá, El Castillo, Zhang Xiaoyu, ” Organizations: CNN, Tuesday, United, Southern, Anadolu Agency, Getty, NASA, Northern Hemisphere, Northern, Southern Hemisphere, National Weather Service, Heritage, Xinhua News Agency Locations: • Anchorage, Alaska, Vegas ( Nevada, Tuesday • Guadalajara, Mexico, Chicago, Illinois, Toronto, Canada, Jacksonville, Florida, Halifax, • Dublin, Ireland, Accra, Ghana, • Berlin, Germany, • Alexandria, Egypt, • Ankara, Turkey, • Dubai, United Arab Emirates, • Mumbai, India, Thailand, • Hong Kong, • Tokyo, Japan, Stellenbosch , South Africa, Northern, South, Quito, Ecuador, Singapore, San Andrés, Zapotitán, El Salvador, Pole, Scandinavia, Itzá, Yucatan State, AFP, England, Malta, Yoyogi, Tokyo, Vernal, Persian, China

EY's Daco said the past few years have been marked by a mismatch in supply and demand when it comes to goods, services and even workers. Companies furloughed workers in the early pandemic and then struggled to fill jobs. David Silverman, a retail analyst at Fitch Ratings, said companies are "feeling a bit heavy as sales growth moderates and maybe even declines." Cost cuts at UPS, Hasbro and Levi all followed sales declines in the most recent fiscal quarter. "Part of companies' decision to lower their expense structure is in line with their views that 2024 may not be a fantastic year from a top-line-growth standpoint," Silverman said.

Persons: EY's Daco, David Silverman, Levi, Fitch, Silverman Organizations: Getty, Airlines, Cox Automotive, Fitch, UPS, Hasbro, Walmart, Target Locations: U.S

☆ Why It’s So Hard to Copy Charlie Munger’s Secret Sauce
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( James Mackintosh | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Charlie Munger and Warren Buffett, with hand raised, in 2006. Munger persuaded Buffett to focus on buying ‘wonderful businesses at fair prices.’ Photo: David Silverman/Getty ImagesIf you want to invest like Charlie Munger , you’re late to the party. The investor’s genius in spotting what’s become known as the “quality factor”—buying good companies—made a ton of money for him and business partner Warren Buffett . Nearly 50 years on, it might not be such a great time to copy his strategy. For those who missed the late Munger’s brilliance, he’s the one who persuaded the billionaire Buffett to shift Berkshire Hathaway ’s focus from “cigar butt” value stocks—bad companies that no one else wants, and so are cheap—to buying “wonderful businesses at fair prices.”

Persons: Charlie Munger, Warren Buffett, Munger, Buffett, David Silverman, you’re, what’s, —, Berkshire Hathaway ’ Organizations: Berkshire

"In the more recent macro environment, consumer demand has been even more uneven and difficult to predict," Best Buy CEO Corie Barry said. U.S. holiday sales are expected to rise at its slowest pace in five years, according to data from the National Retail Federation, as Americans are likely to pull back on holiday shopping. REUTERS/Bing Guan/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLast week, industry bellwether Walmart (WMT.N) warned of cautious consumer spending as the holiday shopping season gets underway. Retail executives said higher interest rates, inflation and a resumption in student loan repayments will keep consumer wallets under pressure. Still, some investors expect holiday sales starting Black Friday to hold "some positive surprises."

Persons: Corie Barry, Bing Guan, Fitch, David Silverman, Marvin Ellison, Thomas Hayes, Rachel Wolff, Ananya Mariam Rajesh, Savyata Mishra, Granth Vanaik, Juby Babu, Shounak Dasgupta Organizations: National Retail Federation, REUTERS, Walmart, Retail, Apparel, Abercrombie, Fitch, American Eagle Outfitters, Insider Intelligence, Thomson Locations: United States, SoHo, New York City, U.S, Bengaluru

☆ Premarket stocks: What the Israel-Hamas war means for US markets
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

New York CNN —Growing unrest in the Middle East has cast a shadow on global financial markets. Israeli stocks listed in New York and Tel Aviv have sunk to recent lows, underscoring the growing economic uncertainties in the war-torn region and leaving investors unsure of where markets go from here. Funds in the US hold more than $43 billion in Israeli stocks and bonds, according to a Bloomberg tracker. Big names, big exposure: As the war continues, businesses with headquarters, factories and inventory in Israel appear increasingly at risk to geopolitical turmoil. “If the war remains confined between Israel and Palestinians, it’s likely that the markets will forget about it after a few days,” he wrote.

Persons: ”, Steven Schoenfeld, Jamie Dimon, “, Benjamin Netanyahu, Raffi Boyadjian, Sam Stovall, Nathaniel Meyersohn, drugstores, David Silverman, Bill Ford, Vanessa Yurkevich, Ford, Jim Farley, Shawn Fain Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, Nasdaq, Funds, Bloomberg, Hamas, Bank of Israel, JPMorgan, Israel Innovative Technology, Mobileye, Tower Semiconductor, Teva Pharmaceutical, XM, CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, Fitch, Ford Motor Company, United Auto Workers, Big Three, UAW, Monday, Ford Locations: New York, Tel Aviv, New Jersey, Israel, United States, Canada, China, Ukraine, Kippur, Kuwait, Kansas City, drugstores, Rouge, Dearborn , Michigan

☆ Why so many drug stores are closing
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Now, they are closing thousands of stores, leaving gaps in communities for medicines and essentials. It comes amid walkouts by Walgreens pharmacists and technicians around the country and at CVS stores in Kansas City over low pay and understaffed stores. Drug store strugglesRite Aid’s bankruptcy reflects long-term struggles in the retail pharmacy industry. Walgreens and other drug stores have closed thousands of stores in recent years. But this strategy requires fewer brick-and-mortar retail stores.

Persons: Angus Mordant, Justin Sullivan, drugstores, ”, David Silverman, ” Silverman, Drugstores Organizations: New, New York CNN, Rite Aid, Bloomberg, Getty Images Rite, Walgreens, CVS, Walmart, Fitch, Aetna, Pharmacy, McKinsey . Rite, American Medical Association Locations: New York, Kansas City, drugstores

I need to have him back, in good shape – like before he left Thailand.”Thai workers at a vineyard in southern Israel. David Silverman/Getty Images/FILE‘Palestinian workers weren’t welcome anymore’Migrant workers from Asia make up more than half of Israel’s foreign work force, often taking on jobs as caregivers and within the construction industry. Human Rights Watch called for the “immediate and unconditional release” of all hostages and said that Thai workers, along with Nepalese and Filipinos, “were simply there to earn money to support their families. Migrant workers migrating to dangerous conflict zones in search of work, with little protection and legal enforcement, has been a “big issue for decades,” said British researcher and migrant worker rights specialist Andy Hall. Thailand itself is a major destination for migrant workers, mainly from poorer neighboring countries like Cambodia and Laos, as well as war-torn Myanmar.

Persons: Chumporn, Manee Jirachart, Jobs, Manee, He’d, Srettha Thavisin, ”, Phil Robertson, Lillian Suwanrumpha, Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, ’ Manee, “, ” Chumporn, David Silverman, Paul Castelvi, Nick, Paul, Ladizhinskaya, Kav LaOved, Israel ”, ” Ladizhinskaya, Robertson, ‘, Andy Hall, ” Hall, Martin Griffiths Organizations: Bangkok CNN, Hamas, CNN, “, Asia, Human Rights Watch, Getty, Labour, CNN Philippines, Rights, Agency, UN Locations: Bangkok, Thailand, Israel, Gaza, United States, Canada, France, Asia, Palestinian Territories, Philippines, “ Thailand, AFP, Palestine, China, San Fernando, Pampanga, “, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar

☆ US retail spending picked up in August, mostly due to sales at gas stations
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Washington, DC CNN —US retail sales picked in August, boosted by higher gas prices, as spending on other items grew modestly. Retail sales, which are adjusted for seasonal swings but not inflation, rose 0.6% in August, the Commerce Department reported Thursday. Excluding sales at gasoline stations, retail spending advanced a more modest 0.2% in August from July. Retail spending increased across most categories, including at restaurants and grocery stores. Online retail sales in August were flat, after jumping in July due to Amazon’s Prime Day promotional event.

Persons: That’s, It’s, “ Fitch, ”, David Silverman, Goldman Sachs, there’s, Lydia Boussour, “ Encouragingly, Boussour Organizations: DC CNN, Commerce Department, AAA, Federal Reserve, Fitch Locations: Washington, Libya, EY

☆ Instagram is making you a worse tourist. Here’s how to travel respectfully
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( Lauren A. Siegel | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Now, travelers also look to social media for proof of how others behave. If their peers from home are throwing caution to the wind while on vacation, this can cause a domino effect of bad behavior. I’ve identified other bad travel attitudes and habits that have emerged as a result of social media-driven tourism. The Instagram effectWhen people travel to a beautiful place, the temptation to post photos and videos to social media is high. This speaks to the role of social media as part of the problem when it comes to bad tourist behavior.

Persons: I’ve, David Silverman, Bali, Vienna –, Finland’s, Finn, aren’t, you’ve, Lauren A, Siegel Organizations: CNN, Getty, influencers, Research, University of Greenwich Locations: Rome, geotags, Italy, Florence, Bali, Iceland, Hawaii, Palau, New Zealand, Costa Rica, Vienna, Netherlands, Amsterdam, London

☆ International tipping: How to cut through the chaos and confusion
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-29 | by ( Forrest Brown | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +15 min

In the United States, “tipping is very customary. Leighton also said you won’t find a tipping culture on the island of Taiwan. Robinson said the tipping culture is less pervasive in Sicily than the United States and even more laid-back than in Rome. As for tipping culture in the US vs. the UK, Ryan Burditt said, it’s “really opposites to me. Robert Knopes/Education Images/Universal Images Group/Getty ImagesVisitors to the United States could be in for some tipping culture shock.

☆ As retail gets choppy, Walmart flexes its grocery muscle, deep pockets and huge reach
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( Melissa Repko | In Melissa-Repko | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

In this article WMT Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNTBloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesAs shoppers get thrifty, Walmart is flexing its muscles. And its huge reach allows Walmart to make money in other ways, including selling ads, offering delivery services and fulfilling online orders for third-party sellers. Here's a closer look at some key themes for Walmart that could emerge at the investor event:Checking the consumer's healthAs the nation's largest retailer, Walmart is a bellwether. It said it expects same-store sales for Walmart U.S. will increase between 2% and 2.5% excluding fuel, in the fiscal year ahead. The retailer will likely showcase how it is growing online sales and trying to make them profitable.

☆ Retailers could face cost cuts and slower sales this year
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-19 | by ( Melissa Repko | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Other big-name retailers will follow, including big-box players like Target and Best Buy , and mall staples like Macy's and Gap . Yet healthier profit margins could be a silver lining, as freight costs fall and retailers have less excess merchandise to mark down. That could boost profit margins, even if consumers don't spend as freely. That hurt companies' margins, as unsold merchandise wound up on the clearance rack and costs crept up, along with sales. Lululemon said its profit margins would be lower than anticipated, as the athletic apparel retailer juggles excess inventory.

☆ Analysis: Bed Bath's novel deal is no universal dodge-bankruptcy card
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Shankar Ramakrishnan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

It's unclear whether Bed Bath can capitalize on the breathing room to turn around its business, which has been battered by competition from other online and brick-and-mortar retailers. A spokesperson for Hudson's Bay declined to comment, while Bed Bath & Beyond did not respond to requests for comment. To secure the Hudson's Bay investment, Bed Bath offered a deal that guarantees the hedge fund a lucrative return in most circumstances. It is not clear how much of the stock Hudson's Bay has converted and sold since it inked the deal with Bed Bath on Feb. 6. The deal is very dilutive for other Bed Bath investors, who will end up owning 80% less if the company survives.

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