DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ The rise and fall of pharma bigwig Rite Aid, which couldn't keep up with rivals Walgreen and CVS
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Nidhi Pandurangi | Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Rite Aid filed for voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Sunday following slumping sales and a series of lawsuits. Rite Aid, which has over 47,000 employees, has struggled in recent years to compete against larger peers like CVS and Walgreens Boots Alliance, as well as Amazon. Rite Aid has faced growing competition from direct-to-consumer pharmacy startups as well as medication deliveries from the likes of Amazon and Uber. Rite Aid also experienced supply chain challenges after changing supplier for many of its perishable consumer goods and shrink "continued to be a significant headwind," Burr said. Representatives for Rite Aid did not immediately respond for Insider's request for further comment beyond sending statements about Stein's appointment and its Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing.

Persons: it's, —, Jeffrey S, Stein, Elizabeth Burr, Heyward Donigan, Donigan, Burr, there'd Organizations: Service, Rite, Walgreens Boots Alliance, Rite Aid, pharma, Aid, Discount, Rite Aid Corporation, PayLess, Walgreens, Albertsons, New York Times Locations: New Jersey, Scranton , Pennsylvania

☆ In EV battle, Toyota bets on new technology and old-school thinking
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( David Dolan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

He pointed to engineering and technology expertise anchored in "TPS", shorthand for the Toyota Production System. Toyota revolutionised modern manufacturing with its system of lean production, just-in-time delivery and "kanban" workflow organisation. ASSEMBLY LINE, GIGACASTINGOne innovation being emphasised by Toyota is its self-propelled production lines, where EVs are guided by sensors through the assembly line. Toyota also showed off a prototype of the die-casting technology known as "gigacasting" pioneered by Tesla that produces aluminium parts far bigger than anything used before in auto manufacturing. Like Tesla, Toyota says it will produce EVs in modular sections, reducing parts.

Persons: EVs, Goldman Sachs, Kazuaki Shingo, Tesla, Koji Sato, David Dolan, Jamie Freed Organizations: Toyota, TOYOTA CITY, TPS, System, United Auto Workers, Tesla, Thomson Locations: Japan, gigacasting, Toyota City, Motomachi

☆ China state TV slams beauty influencer who told off thrifty viewer
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( Casey Hall | Thomson Reuters | Casey Has Reported On China'S Consumer Culture Her Base In Shanghai For More Than A Decade | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SHANGHAI, Sept 12 (Reuters) - China's state television criticised on Tuesday a famous beauty livestreamer who told off a viewer for complaining about the high price of an eyebrow pencil, as many Chinese feel the pinch from an economic slowdown. Livestreaming is big business in China, generating sales of $480 billion last year, and Li gets a commission from the products he sells on his livestreams. Li responded by saying prices were not rising and told the viewer that she couldn't afford the eyebrow pencil because she wasn't working hard enough. Hours later, he apologised to the viewer on this Weibo social media account, and then the following day, he apologised again on his livestream. ($1 = 7.2876 Chinese yuan renminbi)Reporting by Casey Hall; editing by Miral FahmyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: livestreamer, Li Jiaqi, Li, Casey Hall, Miral Organizations: Thomson Locations: SHANGHAI, China

☆ ‘Scout’s Honor: The Secret Files of the Boy Scouts of America’ Review: A Predators’ Playground
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( John Anderson | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Mark Eaton in ‘Scout’s Honor’ Photo: NetflixThe Boy Scouts of America declared bankruptcy in 2020 in the face of a child-sexual-abuse scandal that, in terms of scale, was larger than that of the Roman Catholic Church. Or so it is claimed at the outset of “Scout’s Honor: The Secret Files of the Boy Scouts of America.” Yes, the Scouts taught skills and virtues to many boys: how to be thrifty, brave, clean and reverent; how not to pitch a tent at the bottom of a hill. At the same time, “It was all just veneer, to mask what was a very dangerous organization.”

Persons: Mark Eaton, “, ” Organizations: Netflix, Boy Scouts of America, Roman Catholic Church, Scouts Locations: ‘

☆ The divide between retail's winners and losers will be stark this back-to-school season
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-01 | by ( Pia Singh | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Back-to-school spending is expected to reach a record-high of $41.5 billion, according to the National Retail Federation's annual survey . The trends suggest certain retailers will fare better than others, with analysts favoring these stocks for back-to-school. According to a Stifel survey, retro basketball styles from Nike were the most popular choice for back-to-school this year. "These retailers have invested significantly in their private label assortments in recent years and continue to grow penetration," Jefferies analysts wrote in an Aug. 28 note. That could be a warning sign for the holidays as many investors look to back-to-school sales to set the tone for the winter season.

Persons: Morgan Stanley, Jefferies, Doug McMillon, Amazon's, Homegoods, Abercrombie —, Abercrombie, Locker, Stifel Organizations: National, Jefferies, Walmart, Target, Costco, Dollar, Ikea, P, Abercrombie, Fitch, American Eagle Outfitters, Barn Holdings, Nordstrom, Nike, FactSet Locations: U.S, Hollister, Thursday's, Banana

☆ Target slashes full-year earnings forecast as retailer struggles to win over thrifty shoppers
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( Melissa Repko | In Melissa-Repko | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

In this article TGT Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNTwatch nowTarget on Wednesday missed quarterly sales expectations and slashed its full-year forecast, as it again had trouble convincing shoppers to buy more than necessities. Target's struggling shares rose 3% Wednesday despite the soft forecast, as its fiscal second-quarter earnings topped expectations and inventory levels improved. CEO Brian Cornell said Target's sales and store traffic improved in July. Comparable sales, a key metric that tracks sales online and at stores open at least 13 months, declined 5.4%. Digital comparable sales dropped 10.5% Sales softened in the second half of May and into June before recovering in July, Cornell said.

Persons: Target's, Brian Cornell, Cornell, Michael Fiddelke, Clawing Organizations: Investors, Amazon

☆ Cava and Sweetgreen see delivery orders fall as customers pick up their own food
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( Amelia Lucas | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Delivery orders are typically more expensive, thanks to added fees and tips for delivery drivers. But delivery orders have also become an important contributor to restaurants' revenue because customers' receipt totals are higher. Cava's second-quarter sales growth wasn't hurt by softening delivery sales, but the Mediterranean chain's full-year forecast was cautious. After same-store sales growth of 28.4% for the first quarter and 18.2% for the second quarter, Cava is anticipating same-store sales growth of just 13% to 15% for the full year. Uber said its second-quarter delivery sales rose 14%, while DoorDash's total orders climbed 25%.

Persons: Sweetgreen, Mitch Reback, Cava, Tricia Tolivar, didn't, Uber Locations: Cava, North America

☆ Target slashes full-year forecast as retailer struggles to win over thrifty shoppers
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( Courtney Reagan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

In this videoShare Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailTarget slashes full-year forecast as retailer struggles to win over thrifty shoppersCNBC's Courtney Reagan joins 'Squawk Box' to break down Target's quarterly earnings results.

Persons: CNBC's Courtney Reagan

☆ Deep discount stores many Americans have never heard of, from Daiso to Dirt Cheap
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Large dollar store chains like Dollar General have gained popularity. Other chains, including some expanding to the US from abroad, attract budget-savvy customers. For some, including mid- and high-income shoppers, that's meant popping into dollar stores and other heavy discounters to buy everything from food to home goods. The dollar store chains are opening more stores to attract more customers. While Dollar General, Dollar Tree, and Family Dollar dominate the dollar store space in the US, there are other chains, including a couple of foreign competitors, worth getting to know.

Organizations: Service, Dollar Locations: Wall, Silicon

☆ Warren Buffett's wife balked at paying $4 for a cup of coffee. That won't surprise the investor's close followers.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-15 | by ( Theron Mohamed | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Warren Buffett's wife reportedly balked at the $4 cost of a coffee at Sun Valley. Buffett lives simply, seeks value as an investor, and strikes a hard bargain when he cuts deals. Get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in business, from Wall Street to Silicon Valley — delivered daily. Her reaction won't surprise close followers of Buffett, or shareholders of his Berkshire Hathaway conglomerate. Indeed, Buffett still lives in the same house in Omaha, Nebraska that he purchased for $31,500 in 1958.

Persons: Warren Buffett's, Astrid Menks, Buffett, Warren Buffett, He's, Charlie Munger, —, Munger, They're, Alleghany, Goldman Sachs Organizations: Service, New York Post, Berkshire Hathaway, Berkshire, Alleghany Locations: Sun, Wall, Silicon, Berkshire, Omaha , Nebraska, Munger, Los Angeles, Omaha

☆ Used cars may never be cheap again — here's what you need to know about shopping for one right now
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-08 | by ( Nora Naughton | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Sometimes shopping used can require even more research and preparation than shopping for a new car. Used car prices have been notoriously volatile since the pandemic and squeezes on inventory have allowed sellers of used cars to jack up prices based on urgent needs. While this option can be great for new car shopping if you're on a budget, used car leases can be dangerous. Even when buying a used car, warranties are an important part of used car shopping. If repair costs are a concern for you, consider purchasing an extended warranty on your used car.

Persons: you've, that's, Kelley Organizations: Morning, Companies, Hertz, Avis, Enterprise, CPO

Our experts answer readers' credit card questions and write unbiased product reviews (here's how we assess credit cards). The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card and the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card are offering $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. If you're looking for a rewards business card, it's hard to go wrong with any of the Chase Ink Business credit cards. The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card stands out because it offers more rewards in popular business categories. If you're intrigued about the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, you should know that it offers more perks on the travel front.

Persons: Read, Wells, We're, Chase, you'll, that's, You'll, Holly Johnson Freelance, Holly Johnson, Johnson, Joseph Hostetler, Joseph, Guy Organizations: Chase Ink, Card Citi, Card, Target, Walmart, Citi, Chase, FDIC, Reading Chevron, Business, Sapphire, Ink, Chase Travel, United Airlines, Air, Hyatt, Virgin Atlantic, Rover, U.S . News, Club, Finance Locations: Air Canada, Europe, Delta, Chase, U.S

☆ McDonald's Indonesia is offering a $200 wedding package that includes 100 chicken sandwiches
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( Nicolas Vega | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The fast food chain's Indonesian social media account this week announced that it will begin offering catering for couples who are tying the knot. The "Wedding Mekdi" package includes 100 chicken sandwiches and 100 four-piece chicken McNuggets orders, the company revealed in an Instagram post that includes imagery of both menu items as well as a bouquet of flowers and a pair of gold wedding bands. "Make your wedding more memorable with the Wedding Mekhdi package," the post reads. Larger weddings will be able to increase the size of their orders, and the post also advertises an on-site food stall service. 1 best piece of advice for regular investors, do's and don'ts, and three key investing principles into a clear and simple guidebook.

Persons: McDonald's, Warren Buffett Organizations: The Sun, CNBC Locations: Jakarta, Hong Kong

☆ Designer Clothes at Deep Discounts? Fashion Insiders Divulge Their Shopping Secrets
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( Aria Darcella | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

STYLE CONNIVERS The fashion pros from ‘Absolutely Fabulous.’ Photo: BBC ArchiveYOU NEEDN’T take out a second mortgage to dress as well as a real-estate magnate. With the rise of luxury consignment platforms like the RealReal and Fashionphile; outlet websites such as the Outnet and Saks Off 5th; and easy access to once-exclusive sample sales via Instagram tips and sites like 260 Sample Sale, nabbing designer clothes at deep discounts has never been easier. But, while thrifty, those are the sort of hacks that style insiders consider bush league. Yes, stylists and even designers hunt for low prices just like the rest of us—but their tricks far outrank ours.

Organizations: Saks

☆ Joseph Pedott, 91, Dies; Made Chia Pets an ‘as Seen on TV’ Sensation
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( Alex Traub | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Joseph Pedott, whose decades of commercials for the zany plantlike figurines known as Chia Pets launched them into the pantheon of American consumer culture, died on June 22 in San Francisco. The origins of the Chia Pet’s popularity can be traced to March 1977, when Mr. Pedott (pronounced PEE-dot), an independent advertising executive, wandered around a Chicago home and housewares trade expo looking for new clients. “He said, ‘There’s this stupid item called the Chia Pet. I don’t know why anybody buys it,’” Mr. Pedott later recalled. The sales executive faxed Mr. Pedott a picture of the stupid item in question.

Persons: Joseph Pedott, Chia Pets, Sherry Ettleson, Pedott, ’, faxed Mr Locations: San Francisco, Chicago, Oaxaca, Mexico

☆ There's a big venture capital funding downturn — except for this one set of investors
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( Riddhi Kanetkar | Tasmin Lockwood | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Venture capital funding into startups has drastically slowed. Corporate venture capital grew in 2022 and looks to grow again in 2023, bucking the broader downturn. Continuing a pullback in funding activity in 2022, venture capital into European startups fell by 32.1% in Q1 of 2023, per Pitchbook data. Faced with the prospect of raising down rounds at slashed valuations, startups are turning to an alternative mode of funding — corporate venture capitalists. A corporate venture capital firm, or CVC, is the investing arm of a specific business.

Persons: Ekaterina Almasque, Almasque, Sabrina Maniscalco, Luis Valente, Valente, iLoF, Charlie Bullock Organizations: Corporate, GV, Google, Catalyst, Catalyst Fund, Presidio Ventures, Japan's Sumitomo Corporation, Microsoft, OSRAM Ventures

☆ 71-year-old shares 22 'most useful' life lessons young people should know: 'Live in a tiny room—and eat beans and rice'
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( Kevin Kelly | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

How to learn from people: If you're the smartest person in the room, you're in the wrong room. How to find your passion: The best way to start is to be an expert on one thing. It will be shocking and painful, but it's the best way to improve. How to pick the right advice: Advice like these are not laws — they are simply hats! Don't miss:Want to be smarter and more successful with your money, work & life?

Persons: I've, Kevin Kelly Organizations: The New York Times, Street Journal

"Germans are cautious by nature," said Stephan Fetsch, Germany's head of consumer goods at KPMG. Economists polled by Reuters are split on its second quarter fortunes: views ranged from a 0.3% GDP fall to a 0.5% gain, with a median forecast of 0.2% growth. However, German consumer sentiment remains below its pandemic low in the spring of 2020 and the consumer barometer from the German Retail Association (HDE) shows a similar picture. German consumers were hit particularly hard by high energy prices, being more dependent on Russia gas. "The German consumer has reasons to be scared and the result of all the economic uncertainty is usually an increase in precautionary savings," said Michael Burda, economics professor at Humboldt University Berlin.

Persons: Wolfgang Rattay, Germany's, Stephan Fetsch, Holger Schmieding, Carsten Brzeski, KPMG's Fetsch, Joerg Kraemer, Michael Burda, Brzeski, Maria Martinez, Prerana Bhat, Indradip Ghosh, Mark John, Toby Chopra Organizations: REUTERS, KPMG, Reuters, German Retail Association, Berenberg, ING, European Central Bank, Humboldt University Berlin, Thomson Locations: Cologne, Germany, BERLIN, Europe, France, Italy, Russia, Berlin, China, Bengaluru

Discretionary products account for a major portion of the company's merchandise and it has been looking to increase the share of household essentials as sticky inflation and higher interest rates weigh on consumers' spending decisions. "American consumers continue to face difficult trade-off decisions as they juggle the wants and needs of their families ... The fear of a looming recession weighs heavily on many American families," Senior Target executive Christina Hennington said on a post-earnings call. Target projected adjusted profit between $1.30 and $1.70 per share, below estimates of $1.93 for the current quarter and forecast comparable sales to decline in the low-single digits. Target executives used the word "cautious" at least 13 times during the hour-long earnings call.

☆ Post-Covid, post-bankruptcy Hertz is all-in on electric, with big implications for the EV, auto and rideshare market
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-14 | by ( Tim Mullaney | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

In this article HTZ Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNTTesla Model 3 electric vehicles at a Hertz neighborhood location. These deals began to roll out last year, after Hertz's first Teslas hit the road in 2021 and experiments with rental EVs extended back over the past decade. "At the end of [March], we had about 50,000 electric vehicles in our fleet, comprising approximately 10% of total cars," Scherr said. Hertz has also told analysts that the growing EV rideshare market can be a buffer against traditional quarterly peak to trough experienced in the leisure business. The benefits of using an EV begin with a $1 per ride credit to the driver for using an EV, Uber spokeswoman Alix Anfang said.

☆ JetBlue adds incremental perks like early boarding and booze to keep travelers reaching for status
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Leslie Josephs | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

JetBlue Airways has unveiled new perks for less-frequent flyers who are striving for elite status, the latest carrier to rethink its loyalty program to reflect shifting travel habits. Other changes include:JetBlue breaking up its elite Mosaic status into four levels, with benefits corresponding to each. To earn level 1 of that program travelers will need 50 tiles, and that comes with benefits like access to seats with extra legroom at check-in and same-day flight changes. JetBlue is also offering perks when a customer moves up a level of elite status like pet-fee waivers or a $99 credit card statement credit. American Airlines late last year, for example, raised the spending threshold required for customers to earn elite status.

☆ 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.

☆ A personal-finance blogger quit being a landlord, sold her rental properties, and still plans to retire early. Here's how.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Aj Latrace | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

A personal-finance blogger sold two rental properties and reinvested the money into index funds. She plans to retire early and likes that index funds "never call you in the middle of the night." Trading rental properties for index fundsThe Johnsons, who are both in their early 40s, plan to retire in the next few years. Other downsides of landlord lifeA lot of eager real-estate investors may not be fully aware of the downsides of being a landlord, Johnson said. "So many people are getting into rental properties who have no idea what they're getting into and probably shouldn't be at all," she said.

☆ Rental car firm Hertz's finance chief Cheung to quit
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

March 27 (Reuters) - Rental car firm Hertz Global Holdings Inc (HTZ.O) said on Monday its Chief Financial Officer Kenny Cheung was leaving the company to pursue other opportunities. The company said Chief Accounting Officer Alexandra Brooks will serve as interim finance chief, effective April 1. Shares of the company, which operates the Hertz, Dollar and Thrifty vehicle rental brands, were up 1.3% before the bell. Cheung's departure comes at a time when Hertz's profitability has come under pressure in recent months due to higher car maintenance costs. Cheung will remain in the company until April 14, the company said, as it kicked starts a formal search process for a new CFO.

☆ Walmart offers affordable Easter meals to lure thrifty shoppers
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

March 13 (Reuters) - Walmart Inc (WMT.N) said on Monday it would offer Easter meals and bundles at affordable prices, a move aimed at drawing more customers to its stores at a time when egg prices have surged and consumers are keeping a tight grip on their wallets. The price of eggs, a staple of Easter baskets, has been near a record high for months as outbreaks of avian flu have killed more than 58 million backyard and commercial chickens and turkeys since February 2022. Walmart said on Monday it would keep the prices of its Easter essentials consistent with 2022 and offer the Easter meal and basket combo for less than $100, both online and in stores. This year, Walmart's Easter meals and baskets will include staples like ham, green beans and cherry pies, along with decorative grass, Hershey's (HSY.N) Milk Chocolate Bunnies and Reese's Eggs. Reporting by Mehr Bedi in Bengaluru and Siddharth Cavale in New York; Editing by Pooja DesaiOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Search resuls for: "thrifty"

25 mentions found