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☆ These 'best-in-class' stocks could bolster your portfolio as market unease resurfaces, analysts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-05 | by ( Michael Bloom | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Wall Street analysts named a list of stocks this week that they say could offer protection for investors as market tension rises. "We view Zscaler as a best-in-class, next generation cybersecurity company built for the distributed cloud world," he added. Earlier this week, the firm initiated coverage of the aerospace and defense components company with a buy rating. Zscaler - BTIG, buy rating "Over the last couple of months, we have spoken with seven contacts with a view on ZS, and feedback has been consistently positive. TransDigm Group - Citi, buy rating "The company's focus on proprietary products & lean operations affords pricing power and margin expansion potential.

Persons: Jason Kupferberg, Kupferberg, TOST, Zscaler, Gray Powell, Powell, Jason Gursky, Gursky, TransDigm, BURL, ROST, LULU, NetEase, Morgan Stanley Organizations: CNBC, Urban Outfitters, Toast Bank of America, TransDigm Group Citi, TransDigm, Barclays, Free, Citi, NetEase, Bank of America, TAM Locations: 2H23

☆ The Women’s Magazines of 2023 Are in a Facebook Group and Your Inbox
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-05 | by ( Sapna Maheshwari | More About Sapna Maheshwari | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

When Kate Middleton wore a Suzannah London dress in different colors to various events, it prompted Ms. Holmes to ask readers what clothing items they had in multiples. In her newsletter, she compiled the responses in a spreadsheet and featured a dozen products that had been suggested by more than one person. For some, these communities are a salve for the sheer amount of stuff for sale online, targeted to them in feeds fueled by algorithms. These women want a review of a review and the truth behind a flawless Instagram picture — has a real person actually tried that face roller? Has anyone else been targeted by ads for that particular eyeliner?

Persons: Kate Middleton, Holmes, Ms, “, there’s, —, Moss, Malinsky Organizations: Glamour, GQ Locations: Somerset, “

Eva Marie Uzcategui | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesIt's not your imagination: Companies are getting stingier with customer rewards. Raising the barSome of the biggest shifts in customer perks have come in the airline industry. At many retailers, customers must now pay a return fee if they want to ship back unwanted clothing, shoes or other items. "To drive that online demand, free shipping and free returns were put in place, but now we all know it costs significant money," he said. Both companies aim to make sure membership isn't shared with people who aren't paying, particularly as the companies chase new avenues of growth.

Persons: Eva Marie Uzcategui, Dunkin, Cowen, David Garfield, Yuping Liu, Stephanie Keith, Marshal Cohen, Circana, Nordstrom, Christopher Dilts, Kohl's, Macy's, they're, Amit Sharma, Heidi Isern, Levi Strauss, Ann Taylor, Crocs, Brooks, reining Organizations: Brickell City Centre, Bloomberg, Getty, Retailers, Ross, uptick, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Old Dominion, Strome School of Business, LaGuardia, American Express, American, IRI, NPD, Urban Outfitters, Abercrombie, Fitch, Nordstrom, Amazon, Foods, Netflix, Costco Locations: Brickell, Miami , Florida, Queens, New York, Delta, Schaumburg , Illinois

☆ Elon Musk says more people need to come to work in San Francisco or the city will struggle to survive
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Sawdah Bhaimiya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Elon Musk is encouraging workers to move to San Francisco to help the city survive its doom loop. Elon Musk is encouraging people to move to San Francisco and work there because he says the "city can't survive" unless it overcomes the urban doom loop. San Francisco, beautiful San Francisco, though others forsake you, we will always be your friend." San Francisco is struggling with a huge homeless population and increased crime, including theft and assault, according to retailers. In May, Musk said that downtown San Francisco was a "once beautiful and thriving" area but that it had become a "derelict zombie apocalypse."

Persons: Elon Musk, Twitter's, Twitter, Musk, Nordstrom, Critics Organizations: Morning, Walgreens, Foods, Paypal Locations: San Francisco, San Fransisco

☆ Twitter HQ won't move out of San Francisco despite 'doom spiral' affecting the city, Elon Musk says
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( Beatrice Nolan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Elon Musk says he has no plans to move Twitter, now X, out of San Francisco. He said Twitter's headquarters will stay put despite a "doom spiral" currently affecting the city. San Francisco, beautiful San Francisco, though others forsake you, we will always be your friend." Meta, PayPal, and Snap have all slashed their San Francisco office space in recent years. In May he called downtown San Francisco, where Twitter's HQ is located, a "derelict zombie apocalypse."

Persons: Elon Musk, San Francisco, Musk, he's Organizations: Twitter, Whole Foods, Meta, PayPal, San Locations: San Francisco, San, California, Francisco, The California, Miami, Florida

☆ Google launches a new AI-powered tool that allows shoppers to see how clothes look on different models
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( Sawdah Bhaimiya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Google announced new AI features to enhance users' online shopping experience. Online shoppers will be able to virtually see how items look on various models. Google selected models from sizes XXS to 4XL with different skin tones, ethnicities, and bodies. Google has introduced a new feature that allows online shoppers to try clothes on different models. A longstanding drawback of online shopping is the inability to see how an item actually looks on you before buying it.

Organizations: Google, Morning Locations: 4XL

☆ Westfield Gives Up San Francisco Mall, Signaling More Pain Ahead
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-14 | by ( Jordyn Holman | Thomas Fuller | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

In San Francisco, Nordstrom said it would close its longtime store at San Francisco Centre in August, which will leave the mall 45 percent empty. Westfield isn’t the first mall owner to decide to leave a longtime downtown shopping center. Last year, Brookfield Property Partners relinquished Chicago’s Water Tower Place, the mall that anchors the Magnificent Mile, an upscale commercial district. More than half of the space in Water Tower Place is vacant, including an anchor store location that was a Macy until 2021, according to Cushman & Wakefield. Indeed, Westfield’s decision in San Francisco is part of a broader strategy by its parent company, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, to greatly reduce the number of malls it operates in the country.

Persons: Yasukochi, ” Banks, ” Mr, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, REI, Macerich Organizations: San Francisco Centre, Hudson, Nike, Brookfield Property Partners, Macy, Cushman & Locations: San Francisco, New York, Manhattan —, Seattle, Portland, downtowns, Westfield, Cushman & Wakefield, United States

☆ Morgan Stanley says this retailer is set up for an 'inflection point'
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-13 | by ( Samantha Subin | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Urban Outfitters could see big gains from here as an "inflection point" draws near, according to Morgan Stanley. Analyst Alex Straton upgraded the retailer to overweight from equal weight, saying that its low valuation relative to peers creates an attractive risk-reward balance to the upside. Given this setup, Straton lifted her price target to $41 from $27 a share, implying 27% upside from Monday's close. But key to this potential re-rating is a cooperative inflection at its Anthropologie brand. On the valuation front, Straton noted that shares look cheap relative to peers at 11 times forward price-to-earnings and a 20% discount to historical averages.

Persons: Morgan Stanley, Alex Straton, oppty, Straton, CNBC's Michael Bloom Locations: Capri

☆ Retailers battle for uncertain back-to-school demand after ‘volatile’ quarter
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( Katherine Masters | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/2] Shopping trolley is seen in front of Walmart logo in this illustration, July 24, 2022. U.S. shoppers' spending in the summer ahead of the college and K-12 school year has grown steadily since 2015, according to the National Retail Federation, a trade group. The chain is stocking Adidas' Samba and Gazelle sneakers ahead of the new school year, it said. The challenge for retailers is predicting whether parents will buy less clothing and sneakers when the cost of necessities - such as pencils, notebooks and laptops - strains many households. Retailers face a "volatile time," said Jessica Ramirez, a senior research analyst at Jane Hali & Associates.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Locker, Spencer, hasn't, Ralph Lauren, Nordstrom, Doug McMillon, John David Rainey, Jessica Ramirez, Jane Hali, Moody’s, Moody's, Maxx, Martin Waters, Fran Horowitz, Jennifer Foyle, Abercrombie’s Hollister, URBN, Katherine Masters, Siddharth Cavale, James Davey, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Walmart, REUTERS, National Retail Federation, Ulta, Adidas, U.S . Commerce Department, Associates, Target, Moody's Victoria’s, Abercrombie & Fitch, Urban Outfitters, Abercrombie, Fitch, Free People, Thomson Locations: Britain, U.S, North America, New York, Bentonville , Arkansas, London

☆ San Francisco Hilton investor will stop making loan payments
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —Downtown San Francisco has been dealt another blow after an investor in one of its largest hotels said it would stop paying its loans. An investor presentation from Park reveals that San Francisco accounted for 16% of its business in 2019, then fell to just 3% over the past 12 months following the pandemic. The San Francisco Hotel Council told CNN affiliate KGO-TV that it’s “not uncommon for hotel ownership to change” and it expects the hotel will find new owners. Property crimes in San Francisco have garnered national attention because of several attention-grabbing videos of thieves in action. Meanwhile, violent crime statistics in San Francisco have remained relatively steady in recent years.

Persons: Thomas Baltimore , Jr, ”, It’s, Nordstrom Organizations: New, New York CNN, Downtown, Park, Resorts, Hilton San Francisco, Square, Marriott, Hyatt, San Francisco, San Francisco Hotel Council, CNN, KGO, San Francisco Police Department Locations: New York, Downtown San Francisco, Francisco, San Francisco

☆ Here’s why retailers are beating earnings estimates, even with lackluster sales
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-24 | by ( Robert Hum | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Here's the big key from retailers this earnings season: Margins are holding up and that's driving earnings beats even amid more tepid sales trends. That's all led to a rather lackluster round of retail sales this earnings season. Retailers have avoided heavy discounting We haven't seen many mentions this season of retailers resorting to steep markdowns despite more tepid shopping trends. Lower freight and shipping costs Another major pandemic cost driver was elevated transportation costs for retailers. Abercrombie & Fitch saw gross margin improvement "primarily driven by a benefit of 760 basis points from lower freight costs ."

Persons: Kohl's, Abercrombie, Fitch, TJX, Ralph Lauren, Lululemon, Michael Kors Organizations: Abercrombie, Fitch, Retailers, Urban, Anthropologie, Free People Group, Urban Outfitters, Walmart, Body, Nordstrom, Dollar Locations: Kohl's, Costco

☆ Shares of Urban Outfitters spike after fiscal first-quarter earnings beat
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-23 | by ( Gabrielle Fonrouge | In Gabrielle-Fonrouge | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Exterior view of an Urban Outfitters store is seen in Pasadena, California, May 22, 2021. Shares of Urban Outfitters popped about 8% Tuesday after the company reported fiscal first-quarter earnings that beat Wall Street's estimates on the top and bottom lines. Urban Outfitters is one of them. Urban Outfitters, meanwhile, saw margins increase 2.6 percentage points due to higher merchandise markups driven by lower transportation costs. Sales at Urban Outfitters' namesake banner dropped 13% year over year, but sales at its Free People and Anthropologie brands each saw double-digit increases.

Persons: Nuuly, It's Organizations: Urban Outfitters, Outfitters, Refinitiv, Urban, Free People, Free Locations: Pasadena , California

☆ Get ready to pay up to $10 for making a return, as more companies charge fees for shipping an item back
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-11 | by ( Sindhu Sundar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

More retailers are charging customers for shipping and related fees for mailing back returns. Roughly 41% of companies charged such fees in 2022, an increase from 33% in 2021, according to a survey. It's becoming more common for customers returning products to shoulder shipping fees. Several major retailers have referenced shipping fees for returns, including H&M, which states that "Shipping and handling costs are not refundable." J.Crew notes on its website that customers shipping gift returns will see a $7.50 charge in their refund, while JCPenney states that shipping returns cost $8.

☆ Nordstrom is the latest retailer to leave San Francisco
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Nordstrom’s exit dealt another blow for San Francisco, as several well-known chains have closed in the city. Incidents of theft in San Francisco have gained national attention, though crime has generally fallen over the past six years. Property crimes in San Francisco have garnered national attention because of several attention-grabbing videos of thieves in action. In total, there were 56 homicides in San Francisco in 2022, which is the same number of homicides the city saw in 2021. For starters, remote work following the pandemic has caused a decrease in foot traffic in major US downtowns, including San Francisco.

☆ A 44-year-old mom of 3 made $735,000 in a year from a reselling business she launched using just the clothes in her closet
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Jacob Zinkula | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

She earned $735,000 in 2021 selling on social media livestreams and through brand partnerships. Mona Mejia "Everything was selling really quickly"In 2015, Mejia's family was in need of additional income to supplement her husband's pay. When she began listing more items, she noticed that "everything was selling really quickly" and real money was trickling in. Mona Mejia"The more you list, the more money you're going to make." Despite discounting, she says she's able to maintain high levels of profitability by only selling items she bought at especially cheap rates.

☆ A recovering overspender explains how she makes a game out of having a 'no-spend day' to break bad habits and get her finances back on track
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-23 | by ( Jason Lalljee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Rebecca Sowden explains "no-spend days" and shares money-management strategies on TikTok. "No-spend days" involve training your financial habits so that you can meet goals and pay off debt. 'No-spend days' can really add upOne trend she's promoted is the "no-spend day" challenge. One TikTok user, @thesavvysagittarius, set a goal of doing as many no-spend days as she can until she pays off her debts, which she said adds up to about $13,000. "We're left with these habits that we got used to, these activities that include spending money that's really not sustainable.

☆ Amazon is cracking down on returns
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —Amazon is attempting new measures to get customers to return fewer of their online orders, including charging a fee to return items to UPS stores. So, Amazon will start charging customers a $1 fee if they return items to a UPS store when there is a Whole Foods, Amazon Fresh grocery store or Kohl’s closer to their delivery address. Shoppers have become accustomed to endless free returns in recent years, but Amazon and other companies are trying to curb this customer habit. Amazon also recently started flagging “frequently returned” products on its website. More often, returned products can end up in liquidation warehouses or even landfills, which are an environmental threat.

Organizations: & $

☆ The most-wanted clothing brands at resale are probably hanging in your closet
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Resale clothing shoppers are bypassing previously-owned luxury brands at discounted prices in favor of scoring secondhand mid-tier brands for less. As many as 75% of consumers have shopped, or are open to shopping, for secondhand clothing – and demand has only grown during the pandemic. Mid-tier brands like Zara, Levi's and Abercrombie & Fitch have emerged as some of the most popular clothing brands among resale shoppers. In this environment, he said secondhand shoppers are hyper-focused on value, especially when buying clothes, and mid-tier brands are sitting in this sweetspot. ThredUp competitor Poshmark said mid-tier brands like Nike, Free People, Zara and J.

☆ If you want a side hustle reselling clothing on Poshmark, start by learning the important lingo
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Jennifer Ortakales Dawkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Reselling clothes and items on Poshmark can be a lucrative job or business for some users. For example, sellers can gain higher statuses as stylists or ambassadors when they promote other sellers' listings. Poshmark members, or "poshers," use a lot of phrases you may not understand if you're new to the community. ClosetA closet is a Poshmark seller's online store where they list items for sale. Users can share images and 15-second videos with their followers, similar to other apps like Instagram and Snapchat.

☆ I've been renting all my clothes for over a year. Here's what I love about it — and what everyone should know before trying it.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-04 | by ( Avery Hartmans | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

I've been renting all my clothes since late 2021 through Nuuly, an online-rental marketplace. It's helped me cut back on shopping, stop buying fast fashion, and focus on quality over quantity. As for me, I'm still hooked on renting over a year later, and I would recommend it to anyone who's thinking about trying it. But I've also uncovered some downsides that have made me rethink everything I thought I knew about clothes. Pro: Renting has made me more thoughtful about qualityPerhaps the biggest endorsement for renting all my clothes is the effect it's had on my mindset.

☆ Retailers brace for tougher times and more frugal customers in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-02 | by ( Melissa Repko | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Sales from Nov. 1 to Dec. 24 rose 7.6%, according to data from MasterCard SpendingPulse, which measures in-store and online retail sales across all forms of payment. The next few weeks, which close out many retailers' fiscal year, could help determine whether the holiday quarter is a win or a bust. Retailers enter 2023 reckoning with the fact that store traffic already lagged during peak weeks of the holiday season. It is also retailers' last chance to sell through excess inventory and start the new fiscal year in a cleaner position. Like many other retailers, Walmart's holiday quarter includes January.

☆ Don’t want that item? Returning it could cost you
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-27 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

It could cost you to return it online. Shoppers have become accustomed to free shipping and free returns in recent years, but Zara, H&M, J.Crew, Anthropologie, Abercrombie & Fitch and other chains are now slapping on fees of up to $7 to return items online. That’s a strain on retailers: For every $1 billion in sales, the average retailer incurs $165 million in merchandise returns, according to the NRF. Charging customers for online returns is just one of the ways retailers are trying to crack down on the cost of returns and prevent clothes from piling up in warehouses. Others are mulling a “returnless refund” policy, where they hand customers their money back and let them keep or donate items they don’t want.

Organizations: & $

☆ Shoppers' returns are spiking to unprecedented levels — driving a $280 billion problem that's starting to backfire against them
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Inflation and a phenomenon called 'bracketing' are driving returns, Insider Intelligence says. Returns add another layer of cost and complexity for retailers, Insider Intelligence analyst Zak Stambor wrote in the report. Depending on the way they handle returns, retailers could be on the hook for packaging, shipping, and labor costs, he wrote. Zara is among the stores that have started charging shoppers if they return items by mail. Amazon, for example, allows customers to return items purchased on its website at Whole Foods grocery stores, which the company owns.

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