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☆ Disney's parks are its top money maker — and it plans to spend $60 billion to keep it that way
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-07 | by ( Sarah Whitten | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +12 min

It had been more than a year since the Covid pandemic had forced Disney's domestic parks to shutter, but D'Amaro, chair of Disney's experiences division, was confident guests would flood back in when the gates reopened. Revenues fell 35% in 2020, a nearly $10 billion decrease from the $26.2 billion the experiences division had tallied in the year before the pandemic. The experiences division posted record revenue of $32.5 billion in fiscal 2023, a 16% increase from the prior year. Its innovations, from ride mechanics and animatronics to creature design and immersive architecture, have made Disney's parks a standout in the industry. Storytelling is at the heart of everything across Disney's experiences division.

Persons: Mickey Mouse, Ian Langsdon, Josh D'Amaro, D'Amaro, Bob Chapek, D'Amaro —, Walt Disney, King Arthur Carousel, Christian Thompson, you've, it's, Bob Iger, Nelson, Walt Disney Imagineering, Rey, Kylo Ren, Judy Hopps, Imagineers, CNBC —, Lewis, Disney, Imagineering, Matt Stroshane, Alan Bergman Organizations: Paris, Afp, Getty, Gibson, Disney, Walt Disney Imagineering, Hong Kong Disneyland, Walt Disney, Guardians, Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Star Wars, California Disneyland's, Walt Disney Imagineering's, Disney Engineers, Force, Southwest, CNBC, Galactic, Marvel Locations: California, Burbank, Disneyland, Hong Kong, Shanghai Disneyland, Florida, Epcot, Magic, Wharf, Disneyland's, Disney's, Edge

☆ Why the DC Universe reboot could give WBD's streaming business a much-needed jolt
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-05 | by ( James Faris | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

However, WBD's upcoming reboot of the DC universe may help move the needle for Max, according to Bank of America lead media analyst Jessica Reif Ehrlich. AdvertisementWBD is now rebooting its superhero franchise with the DC Universe, or DCU for short, which will have films with interconnected storylines like Marvel has. Reif Ehrlich said new DC films and series could be cross-sold across Max, cable, and free, ad-supported streaming TV channels. AdvertisementAlthough WBD's cable channels are suffering as millions of US households cut the cord, Reif Ehrlich said this dual-distribution method is an effective marketing mechanism. "WBD can employ this same playbook to promote the launch of the new DC universe and other high-value content," Reif Ehrlich wrote.

Persons: —, WBD's, HBO Max, Max, Jessica Reif Ehrlich, WBD, Marvel, James Gunn —, Reif Ehrlich, Kate Taylor, David Zaslav Organizations: Service, Warner Bros, Netflix, HBO, Warners, Nielsen, Business, Bank of America, Disney, Marvel, DC, DCU, Max, Hollywood, HGTV, Food Network

Following Thursday's trade, Jim Cramer's Charitable Trust will own 600 shares of BBY, increasing its weighting in the portfolio to 1.46% from 0.98%. BBY YTD mountain Best Buy YTD During our Monthly Meeting last week, we laid out the case as to why we think 2024 is the year that this consumer electronics retailer can finally move past its post-Covid hangover. As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. THE ABOVE INVESTING CLUB INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY , TOGETHER WITH OUR DISCLAIMER . NO FIDUCIARY OBLIGATION OR DUTY EXISTS, OR IS CREATED, BY VIRTUE OF YOUR RECEIPT OF ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH THE INVESTING CLUB.

Persons: Jim Cramer's, Jim Cramer, Jim Organizations: BBY, CNBC

☆ Could decaf coffee cause cancer? Experts weigh in
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-04 | by ( Kristen Rogers | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Here’s what experts and the FDA say about this clause in the modern context, and what you should know about the safety of decaf coffee. “There is more information on the toxicity of methylene chloride and the levels at which it causes this toxicity,” she added. Then there is the Swiss Water Process, which decaffeinates the beans by soaking them in warm water. The Clean Label Project, an organization that tests consumer products for hidden industrial and environmental contaminants, has detected methylene chloride in several brands of coffee. What you can do nowWhether or not the FDA eventually bans methylene chloride is a decision that could take years.

Persons: Maria, Monique Richard, ”, Richard, wasn’t, ” Richard, Richard said, Dunkin Organizations: CNN, Food and Drug Administration, Occupational Safety, Health Administration, National Institutes of Health’s, Toxicology Program, Environmental Protection Agency, World Health Organization, Environmental Defense Fund, FDA, US Centers for Disease Control, EPA, Federal Food, Nutrition, maté Locations: California, Tennessee

We're buying 30 shares of Procter & Gamble at roughly $156.41. Following Wednesday's trade, Jim Cramer's Charitable Trust will own 520 shares of PG, increasing its weighting to 2.52% from 2.38%. PG 1Y mountain Procter & Gamble YTD You may wonder why a household staple like P & G is getting caught up in this mix. Despite the beauty softness last quarter, Procter shares surged after earnings on the improving volume trends and ongoing improvement to profit margins. Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust's portfolio.

Persons: Jim Cramer's, Ulta, Estee Lauder, Coty, Gamble, Procter, Lauder, Fabrizio Freda, Jim Cramer, Jim Organizations: Procter, Gamble, Procter & Gamble, JPMorgan, Kohl's, SK, Asia Travel, Citi, Bank of America, CNBC Locations: Sephora, China, We're, Asia

☆ Common flame retardants linked to deaths from cancer in people, study finds
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-01 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —Flame retardants added for decades to thousands of consumer products in the United States may raise the risk of dying from cancer, according to new research. “The new study links PBDEs to deaths from cancer, building a case for the association between flame retardants and cancer mortality being real,” said Trasande, who researches the impact of plastics, flame retardants and other chemicals on children. Flame retardant chemicals also can pass to developing fetuses via the placenta and to newborns through breast milk, past research has found. In some cases, the industry has replaced these chemicals with newer phosphorus-based flame retardants, Trasande said, adding that researchers are now concerned these chemicals may be linked to cancer as well. When reupholstering older couches or chairs, be sure to replace the old foam with flame retardant-free foam.

Persons: Leonardo Trasande, ”, Trasande, ” Trasande, Tasha Stoiber, EWG Organizations: CNN, National Health, JAMA, NYU Langone Health, US Centers for Disease Control, Manufacturers, US Environmental Protection Agency, CDC, Environmental Locations: United States, PBDEs, New York City

☆ Jim Cramer shares his thoughts on Walgreens, Home Depot, RH, Kimberly-Clark and Vornado
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-28 | by ( Kevin Stankiewicz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Jim Cramer's daily rapid fire looks at stocks in the news outside the CNBC Investing Club portfolio. "They need to be in this" business, Cramer said, noting that Builders FirstSource has been one of the best stocks in the S & P 500 lately. Cramer's CNBC Investing Club owns consumer-products giant Procter & Gamble . "This whole story about commercial real estate being in trouble, other than in San Jose, we're seeing improvement everywhere," Cramer said. Within banks, the CNBC Investing Club owns shares of Wells Fargo and Morgan Stanley .

Persons: Jim Cramer's, Jim Cramer, it's, Cramer, You've, Clark, They've, Morgan Stanley, Vornado Organizations: CNBC, Club, Walgreens Boots Alliance, Walgreens, Home Depot, Procter & Gamble, Vornado Realty Locations: San Jose, Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo raised its price target on Bank of America, now calling for more than 15% upside. Evercore ISI hiked its price target on the consumer products company to $150 per share from $133. Power has a $90 price target on the cloud software stock, implying shares can rally 44.5% in the next year. Forbes' $425 price target implies the stock can climb 43.1% from Wednesday's ending price. Analyst Mike Mayo raised his price target for the bank stock by $4 to $44, implying a 16.4% upside over Wednesday's close.

Persons: Wells Fargo, Clark, Javier Escalante, Escalante, KMB, — Jesse Pound, Jefferies, Portillo's, Andy Barish, Barish, — Brian Evans, Jason Gursky, Wednesday's, shakeup, Gursky, Alex Harring, Baird, William Power, — Alex Harring, Steven Forbes, Forbes, RH, BofA, Cintas, Heather Balsky, Balsky, Robinhood, Alex Markgraff, Markgraff, TD Cowen, John Blackledge, Grindr, Blackledge, It's, it's, Estee Lauder, Bryan Spillane, Spillane, Estee, Tom Ford, Joseph Greff, Greff, FanDuel, Vikram Gandhi, Gandhi, Wells, Bank of America Wells, Mike Mayo, Mayo, Goliath Organizations: CNBC, Bank of America, HSBC, Allstate, Kimberly, Staples, ISI, Citi, Boeing, Alaska Airlines, Dow Jones, UC, Guggenheim, RH's, FactSet, Estee Lauder Bank of America, JPMorgan, Allstate Allstate Locations: Portillo's, Five9, Estee, New Jersey, Wednesday's

☆ Apple's bad quarter and what history says will happen next
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-28 | by ( Alex Harring | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Apple is wrapping up a rough quarter, but history and Wall Street analysis show there is reason to expect a bounce ahead. Apple shares have typically risen following a quarter that ends down at least 10%, according to CNBC Pro data. 'Best bought on weakness' Despite the tough period, Wall Street sees reason for optimism ahead. Apple "is a stock best bought on weakness in general as they probably have the best, or one of the best management teams in the world," Mahoney said. In the median quarter following the losing one, shares jumped more than 14%.

Persons: jitters, Ken Mahoney, Apple, Mahoney, Ben Reitzes, Reitzes, Nicolas Cote, Colisson, Fred Imbert Organizations: Nasdaq, Apple, CNBC Pro, U.S . Department of Justice, Research, Vision, Mahoney Asset, Justice Department, HSBC Locations: China, C1H24

On Tuesday, Mr. Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, added a new item to the list: a $60 Bible. Days before Easter, Mr. Trump posted a video on his social media platform in which he encouraged his supporters to buy the “God Bless the USA Bible,” named after the ballad by the country singer Lee Greenwood, which Mr. Trump plays as he takes the stage at his rallies. “All Americans need a Bible in their home, and I have many. It’s my favorite book,” said Mr. Trump, who before entering politics was not overtly religious and who notably stumbled while referencing a book of the Bible during his 2016 campaign. “It’s a lot of people’s favorite book.”

Persons: Donald J, Trump, ”, Lee Greenwood, “

☆ 900.care wants to make refillable consumer products the norm. Check out the 16-slide deck it used to raise $22.7 million.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-26 | by ( Riddhi Kanetkar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Currently, many personal-use products in supermarkets, such as body wash, conditioners, and other hygiene products, use a lot of single-use plastics. "It creates so much plastic waste, and shipping water for these products also creates a lot of CO2 emissions," Grange told Business Insider. This reduces water waste, which would otherwise be required to manufacture and transport these products. Amid a tougher funding environment for D2C startups in the past two years, Grange told BI that 900.care's "growth economics and product-market fit" helped them to secure funding. Check out the 16-slide pitch deck used to secure the fresh funding.

Persons: Aymeric Grange, Grange Organizations: Lombard Odier, White Star Capital, Business, Grange, Lombard Locations: Paris, Lombard, France

☆ Nvidia has a parade of partners, but these two stocks are my favorite beneficiaries
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-24 | by ( Jim Cramer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +23 min

That's what Nvidia needed semiconductor design firm Synopsys to do to make this next generation of chips. Right now, Nvidia has had not one, but two different breakthroughs: Accelerated computing at a ridiculously fast speed and generative artificial intelligence. I think Jensen regards Dell as a crucial partner when it comes to installing Nvidia's systems anywhere. Do I think Nvidia would like to do more business with Apple? I think Nvidia would like to do more business with everyone, including alleged opponent Intel .

Persons: Abraham Lincoln, David Herbert Donald, Jensen, It's, Jensen Huang, Lincoln, Leonardo da Vinci, da Vinci, he's, Blackwell, Grace Hooper Superchip, –, Moby Dick –, that's, they've, Adam Selipsky, Jensen laughingly, Claude, Anthropic, Dell, Michael Dell, Jensen's, it's, dink, I'm, Johnson, J, Abbott, Reckitt Benckiser, we've, CrowdStrike, ServiceNow, Bill McDermott, Tesla, Elon Musk, Lora Kolodny, That's, Frank Slootman, Ansys, Synopsys, isn't, Sundar Pichai, Satya Nadella, Larry Ellison, Nvidia's Blackwell, Mark Zuckerberg, Jim, Tim Cook, Cook, Apple, Jim Cramer's, Jim Cramer, Josh Edelson Organizations: Lincoln, GTC, Nvidia, GTC –, CNBC, Amazon, Microsoft, Google, Dell Technologies, Club, Dell, Siemens, Rockwell Automation, Cadence Design Systems, Nvidia's, Johnson, Abbott Laboratories, GE Healthcare, cybersecurity, Palo Alto, Palo, Snowflake, AMD, Autodesk, Cadence, Computer, Oracle, Apple, Justice Department, Intel, Vision, Jim Cramer's Charitable, SAP Center, AFP, Getty Locations: U.S, Silicon Valley, Lincoln, Here's, Palo Alto, Pittsburgh, Switzerland, San Jose , California

☆ Dollar General is taking a key strategy from Costco as it aims to lower costs
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-21 | by ( Dominick Reuter | Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Dollar General is sharply reducing the selection of products it sells in order to cut costs. The discounter previously stocked about 12,000 unique items, referenced by SKUs. AdvertisementSome Dollar General shoppers may see their favorite items disappearing from shelves as the discount retailer looks to control inventory costs. The move inches Dollar General closer to Costco's time-tested strategy for finding savings through simplicity — the wholesale club famously keeps its SKU count to around 4,000 in its warehouses. Last summer, Dollar General took a $95 million inventory write-down as it cleaned those stores up.

Persons: SKUs, —, Todd Vasos, there's, Neil Saunders, Vasos, didn't, Gina Goetter Organizations: Costco, Service, Walmart, Aldi, Hasbro

☆ EV charging for the U.S. freight trucking market is starting to scale
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-21 | by ( Eric Rosenbaum | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Einride plans to open many EV charging stations for freight trucking on the West and East coasts, though California is the only state in which there are any EV freight charging stations of scale today. Voltera, which develops, owns and operates EV infrastructure, said the site was permitted, built, electrified and operational in under 18 months. "In the world of charging infrastructure, that's pretty remarkable," its CEO Matt Horton said in a statement. One of the first EV charging stations of scale for freight trucks is opening near the major ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, California, as the trucking market takes some limited, but significant steps to build the infrastructure required for a long-term transition to EV trucking and net-zero shipping. Additional EV charging projects at ports in New York and New Jersey, as well as the Pacific Northwest, are planned.

Persons: NFI, Matt Horton, Robert Falck, Einride, Moller, Erik Neandross, —, Neandross Organizations: EV, West, Volvo, Southern California Edison, Maersk, CNBC, Pepsi, Walmart, U.S, California Air Resources Board, Department of Energy, Environmental Protection Agency, EPA Locations: East, California, Lynwood, America, Southern California, Ontario , California, U.S, Sweden, Einride, Los Angeles, Long Beach , California, Government, New York, New Jersey, Pacific Northwest, Shanghai, Chicago

☆ Stocks making the biggest moves premarket: Nvidia, Unilever, Coinbase and more
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-19 | by ( Jesse Pound | In Jesse-Pound | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Here are the companies making headlines on Wall Street ahead of the opening bell. Several Wall Street analysts hiked their price target for Nvidia after the event. Disney — Shares declined less than 1% following news that filmmaker George Lucas is backing Disney CEO Bob Iger in the company's proxy fight with activist investor Nelson Peltz. Super Micro Computer — The tech stock tumbled more than 10% after a filing showed a new stock offering of two million shares. The company's full-year revenue guidance was also near the low end of Wall Street expectations.

Persons: Jerry's, bitcoin, George Lucas, Bob Iger, Nelson Peltz, Lucas, Goldman Sachs, DLocal Organizations: Nvidia, Unilever, Disney —, CNBC, Tencent Locations: San Jose , California

☆ Home prices rose 2.4 times faster than inflation since 1960s, study finds. What that means for homebuyers
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-19 | by ( Ana Teresa Solá | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

"When demand for other consumer products comes up, or when it increases, it's usually not too hard for people to scale up supply," Brannon said. Moreover, the current housing affordability makes 64.2% of owners and renters have negative feelings about the economy, Redfin found. In fact, affordable housing is a pressing topic for both liberal and conservative voters: the topic is ranked as No. 1 for liberals while it's No.3 for conservatives, according to a separate survey by The Real Estate Witch. To address the issue, President Biden announced in early March as part of his budget for fiscal 2025, a plan to cut housing costs, boost supply and expand access to affordable housing.

Persons: Brannon, Kirabo Jackson, Qualtrics, Redfin, it's, doesn't, Brennon, Biden Organizations: Westend61, U.S . Census, White House Council, Economic Advisers, CNBC Locations: U.S

☆ Singapore claims to have world-class talent. One executive living and working here for 17 years shares why this is true.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-18 | by ( Sponsor Post | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Darul Kisai, director of manufacturing and supply network operations, has dedicated 17 years to Procter & Gamble's Singapore plant. P&G benefits from the contributions of dedicated, top-tier talents like Kisai, who chose Singapore to pursue a meaningful career. Darul Kisai, manufacturing and supply network operations director, P&G, Singapore. "Singapore and P&G serve as magnets for top talent because they offer a platform where individuals can contribute significantly both professionally and personally." Here to stayFor those contemplating a move to Singapore, Kisai suggests conducting thorough research on potential employers and the country itself.

Persons: Kisai, Kris LeBoutillier, he's, I've, Darul Kisai, — Organizations: Singapore, Procter, Gamble's, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT, Procter & Gamble, Insider Studios, Singapore Economic Development Board Locations: Gamble's Singapore, Singapore, Asia, Malaysia, US, Darul Kisai, Darul, New York City, Pakistan

☆ Disney streaming salary data shows Disney+ and Hulu staffers can earn as much as $385,000 in pay. See the full list.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-18 | by ( Ashley Rodriguez | Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

In the paid streaming wars, where only a few players will be favored, Disney has established itself as a formidable No. Disney has been pushing a lower-priced ad tier and cracking down on password sharing to drive subscriber growth at Disney+. To see what Disney and Hulu pay for certain jobs, Business Insider analyzed recent work-visa disclosures. Most of the roles were tech jobs, including data scientist and software engineer roles. Disney Streaming — $120,000 to $385,057 a yearDisney streaming roles, not including Hulu, Disney has offered between $120,000 and $385,057 a year to some candidates on US work visas.

Persons: Bob Iger, It's, Hulu, Elaine Low, Colin Salao Organizations: Disney, Netflix, ESPN, Star, Business, Netflix's, Hulu, Disney's, Fox Corp, Warner Bros, US, of Foreign Labor, Labor, Consumer, Software Engineering, Data Engineering, Business Intelligence, Software, Account, Growth, Hulu —, Management, Security, Network, Disney Entertainment, Disney Financial Services, Human Resources Services, Workforce Technology, Engineering, Disney Parks Technology, Technology, Digital, Retail Commerce, Disney Worldwide, Walt Disney Attractions Technology, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, Walt Disney Pictures, & $ Locations: Hulu, Disney

☆ What is shrinkflation? Here’s why consumers may be getting less for their money
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-17 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Pixelseffect | E+ | Getty ImagesSome grocery store products are providing less for your money. At the State of the Union, he again took a stand against shrinkflation, complaining that Snickers bars have become smaller. on X earlier this month, the White House responded, "C is for consumers getting ripped off." Where consumers may see shrinkflationFor now, it's up to consumers to spot the changes companies may make to their products. Why critics say shrinkflation is the wrong focusWhile shrinkflation is now under the political spotlight, not all experts agree the emphasis is correctly placed.

Persons: Joe Biden, Cookie, Biden, hasn't, Cookie Monster, Mara Weinraub, Weinraub, Shrinkflation, shrinkflation, Veronique de Rugy, de Rugy, David Doyle, Justin Sullivan Organizations: State, Union, shrinkflation, White, Federal Trade Commission, FTC, of Labor, Finance, Social, Federal, Labor Statistics, of Labor Statistics, George Mason University, Costco, Getty Locations: U.S, California, Macquarie, Novato , California

☆ Gwyneth Paltrow shares her easy-to-replicate longevity tips
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-16 | by ( Joi-Marie Mckenzie | Jordan Parker Erb | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . DispatchThe mania over Trader Joe's mini tote bags and Stanley cups is indicative of just how fast today's consumer fads can come and go. Instead, it's (checks notes) a $2.99 Trader Joe's miniature tote that has shoppers in a frenzy. Trader Joe's played into a scarcity model too, forcing consumers to scramble to find them.

Persons: —, they've, Stanley, Chanel, Gucci, We've, Emily Stewart, They're, Joe's, TJ's, they'll, Gwyneth Paltrow, She's, Taylor, Rebecca Zisser, Gwyneth Paltrow preps, Fiona Chandra, Jenny Chang, Rodriguez, Duff Goldman, Esther Horvath, Getty, Claudia Totir, Elena Veselova, Tyler Le, Duff, Goldman, Jennifer Aniston, Lindsay Lohan, Taylor Swift, Chandra Wilson, Max, it's, Joi, Marie McKenzie, Jordan Parker Erb, Dan DeFrancesco, Lisa Ryan Organizations: Business, Service, Dior, tote, Stanley, wilatlak, Chandra Wilson ABC, Disney, Netflix, Nickelodeon Locations: Africa, South Africa, Tanzania, California, wilatlak villette, Getty, Toom, Kirkland, New York

☆ These 7 portfolio stocks boosted their dividends this year, with more likely on the way
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( Kevin Stankiewicz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

The hikes also sweeten the potential total return for their stocks at a time when some Wall Street strategists are shining a light on that performance metric. That performance metric captures not just stock price moves but also gains from reinvested dividends. The difference between stock price performance and total return can be substantial, underscoring the benefits of reinvesting dividends. Consider that over the past 10 years, Linde's stock price has climbed 260%, according to FactSet. Eaton's stock price has climbed 321% over the past decade while its total return is 462%.

Persons: Savita Subramanian, Jim Cramer's, Eli Lilly, Linde, Stanley Black, Decker, Jim Cramer, Jim, Spencer Platt Organizations: Disney, TJX Companies, . Eaton Corp, Linde, DuPont de Nemours, Coterra, Procter, Gamble, Bank of America, Meta, Alto Networks, Bausch Health, Abbott Laboratories, Broadcom, Costco Wholesale, Ford Motor, Nvidia, Apple, Costco, Jim Cramer's Charitable, CNBC, New York Stock Exchange, Getty Locations: Cincinnati, New York City

☆ Biden's laws are pouring billions into new infrastructure and it could be a rare opportunity to make communities safer and more sustainable
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-11 | by ( Eliza Relman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

The American Society of Civil Engineers gave it a C-minus in 2021 and said the US needed about $2.6 trillion in infrastructure investment over a decade. These include nonvehicle transportation projects such as pedestrian bridges and urban bike paths and neighborhood-level projects like park improvements. Inflation, worker shortages, and other obstaclesAcross the country, there are some key practical challenges to implementing infrastructure projects. Overcoming barriersLocal governments and employers across the country recognize many of the challenges to building and maintaining major projects. Under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act alone, 72 programs "emphasize or allow some type of workforce development activity," a Brookings report found.

Persons: —, Joe Biden, Joseph Kane, Charles Marohn, Marohn, Kane, Drew Angerer, it's, Biden, It's, Greg Gianforte Organizations: Service, American Society of Civil Engineers, Infrastructure Investment, Jobs, Business, Transportation, Brookings Institution, Rail, Potomac, White House, Texas Department, US Department of Transportation, Michigan's, Grant, they're, Biden, Builders and Contractors, Congress, Jobs Act, Brookings Locations: Washington, Strong, Baltimore, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Long, New York, Austin, Austinites, America, Detroit, Brookings, Montana

When it comes to newer consumer-social startups, the environment they're entering is turbulent — investor checks have dwindled, users are facing subscription burnout, and successful advertising models require massive scale. AdvertisementSo how are the emerging, buzzy social startups approaching monetization in 2024? "There's really only two monetization business models for consumer products," said Tiffany "TZ" Zhong, founder of new social platform NoSpace and early-stage VC firm Pineapple Capital. 3 ways new social-networking startups are approaching monetizationWhile some newer social startups are already monetizing their product, many are still pre-revenue and experimenting with different models to see which will make sense for their product and audience. And Verse CEO Bobby Pinckney told BI that the social platform, centered around music, plans to add a premium subscription that will unlock advanced AI tools, analytics, and templates.

Persons: —, there's, Eric Wittman, Tiffany, Zhong, VCs, Bianca Ambrosini, Ambrosini, Marlon Nichols, Nichols, Emma Bates, Andrew Kahn, Danial Hashemi, Alexandra Debow, Bobby Pinckney Organizations: Service, Meta, Business, Pineapple, Mac Venture Capital, Twitter, Crush Ventures, Crush, BI Locations: Berlin

☆ Barbie is the blueprint as Mattel seeks to revitalize American Girl, Fisher-Price
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-07 | by ( Sarah Whitten | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

This is especially important for the company's Fisher-Price and American Girl brands, which have been in the midst of their own transformations for several years. In just the last year, net global sales for American Girl were down 9%. When it comes to to the American Girl brand, Kreiz admits that the challenges "were not product driven," but rather an issue with its commercial strategy. American Girl doll by Mattel Source: Mattel"We think there's some real opportunities to continue to grow the brand and extend the story that exists within American Girl thoughtfully, and we want to do it authentically," said Silverman. Mattel executives remained tightlipped about what to expect from an upcoming American Girl movie, which currently does not have a release date.

Persons: Barbie, Ynon Kreiz, Fisher, Price, Kreiz, He's, Greta Gerwig, Josh Silverman, Margot Robbie, It's, company's Fisher, Capital, Mattel, Silverman, Lisa McKnight Organizations: Warner Bros, Mattel, Barington Capital, American Girl, CNBC, Sinfonietta, Sunday's, American, Fisher, Disney, Paramount Locations: American

☆ With the Oscar-nominated ‘Barbie,’ Mattel has arrived in Hollywood. What’s next for the toy company?
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Elizabeth Wagmeister | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Driven largely by benefits associated with the “Barbie” movie, Mattel finished last year strong with 24% fourth-quarter growth. Before the “Barbie” movie was released, the Barbie brand already had a 99% rate of global brand awareness, selling more than 100 dolls every single minute, according to Mattel. What’s next for Mattel Films? Mattel Films, which is headed by Oscar-nominated producer Robbie Brenner, faces a lot of pressure to live up to “Barbie” with its second go-around. When asked about the possibility of an R-rated film at Mattel, Kreiz says, “I wouldn’t rule out different scenarios.

Persons: CNN — Barbie, “ Barbie ”, Fisher Price, Barbie, J.J . Abrams, Vin Diesel, ”, Lena Dunham, Lily Collins, “ Barney, Daniel Kaluuya, Bob, Jennifer Lopez, Anthony Ramos, “, Matt Mason, Tom Hanks, KELLY CLARKSON, Jennifer Lopez Weiss Eubanks, Mattel, Ynon Kreiz, Kreiz, ” Kreiz, Greta Gerwig, Margot Robbie’s “ Barbie ”, Chris Pizzello, Lisa McKnight, ” Barbie, “ Barbie, Robbie, Amy Schumer, Anne Hathaway, ” McKnight, Barney ’, Oscar, Robbie Brenner, Gerwig, Mark Ronson, Barney, BARNEY, “ It’s, ‘ Barbie, ’ ” Organizations: CNN, Academy, Hollywood, American, Warner Bros . Pictures, Marvel, Mattel, UNO, KELLY CLARKSON SHOW, Fox Kids Europe, Endemol, Hasbro, Universal, Sony, Mattel Films, Entertainment, Everett, haven’t Locations: Hollywood, J.J, ”, Arizona, Los Angeles, Cold

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