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Big retailers’ fortunes are diverging as the holiday shopping season gets underway. On Wednesday, Target cited “lingering softness in discretionary categories” as a top factor in its disappointing third-quarter sales, as many budget-conscious shoppers continue to focus on necessities. It’s the latest sign that discounts will be the driving force this holiday season, as they’ve been for much of this year. “We’re starting to get back to normal here.”U.S. retail sales rose 0.4% overall in October, federal data showed last month, beating analysts’ forecasts. In the meantime, the steady expansion of e-commerce looks set to continue this holiday season.

Persons: ”, Brad Thomas, they’ve, TJ Maxx, John David Rainey, “ We’re, “ They’re, they’re, ” Thomas, Matthew Shay, TransUnion, Neil Saunders, Saunders, Helene, Milton, who’ve, ” Saunders Organizations: Target, Walmart, KeyBanc, Marshalls, CNBC, “, National Retail Federation, GlobalData, NBC

☆ Amazon Prime wants to help you save on gas
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-24 | by ( Erika Tulfo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Prime members can now add “fuel discounts” to their ever-growing list of benefits. Members can avail themselves of the discount by linking their Amazon account to Earnify, a loyalty program app by BP. Amazon’s newest savings benefit could alleviate some of that potential grief for its over 184 million Prime subscribers. How Amazon is retaining its leadFuel and energy probably isn’t the first sector to come to mind when you think of Amazon, but analysts say that the recent inclusion of gas savings doesn’t come as too much of a surprise. “Other retailers are still playing catch up to Amazon, and Amazon wants to retain its lead,” Saunders said.

Persons: ”, Neil Saunders, Saunders, Wayfair’s, ” Saunders Organizations: CNN, Amoco, BP, GlobalData, Walmart, that’s, Target

☆ Butterball is making the worst part of cooking a Thanksgiving turkey much easier
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-18 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —Cooking a Thanksgiving turkey presents a host of unique challenges, including making sure it’s not dry, and making sure it’s delicious. But thawing out a multi-pound frozen bird is the first big one. Butterball has a solution with a new frozen turkey that the company says eliminates the hours-long thawing process. This week, the country’s largest turkey producer unveiled a new “Cook from Frozen” turkey that only has two steps to make it, which are unwrapping it and popping it in the oven. Butterball made a “specially formulated” brine that keeps the meat moist during the roughly 5-hour long roasting process.

Persons: Butterball, Cook, it’s, Neil Saunders, ” Saunders, Harris Teeter Organizations: New, New York CNN, GlobalData, CNN, Walmart, Kroger Locations: New York, Turkey

☆ 7-Eleven is closing more than 400 locations
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-11 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —Several hundred “underperforming” 7-Eleven locations across North America are closing, the convenience store announced. Seven & I Holdings, the chain’s Japan-based parent company, revealed in an earnings report Thursday that 444 locations of 7-Eleven are shutting down because of a variety of issues, including slowing sales, declining traffic, inflationary pressures and a decrease in cigarette purchases. A specific list of closing locations wasn’t immediately released. The chain has more than 13,000 stores across the United States, Canada and Mexico, so the number of closures amounts to 3% of its portfolio. Competitors like Wawa and Sheetz are earning higher customer satisfaction scores for their overall offerings, while 7-Eleven ranked way lower, according to a recent survey.

Persons: hasn’t, Neil Saunders, ” Saunders, it’s, Couche Organizations: New, New York CNN, Holdings, GlobalData, CNN, “ Locations: New York, North America, Japan, United States, Canada, Mexico, Wawa

☆ U.S. port strike could have huge impact on global supply chain
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-01 | by ( Sam Meredith | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

Workers at ports stretching from Maine to Texas went on strike early Tuesday in a dispute over wages and automation. So, the unpredictability of this issue here is really in play and it has the magnitude to really throw a giant wrench in global supply chains,” she added. Ocean supply chains have already been hit hard this year by conflict in the Red Sea, a lengthy drought affecting the Panama Canal and the Baltimore bridge collapse. You might say it is a perfect storm, but it is also a really good negotiating position for those people wanting a strike,” Sand said. “Frequent shocks to supply chains in recent years have left producers more attuned to the risks of running low inventories,” Saunders said on Sept. 25.

Persons: ” Lisa DeNight, Newmark, CNBC’s, DeNight, Peter Sand, Sand, ” Sand, — “, ”, Maersk, Bradley Saunders, Joe Biden, Biden, Taft, Hartley, ” Saunders Organizations: U.S, Workers, International Longshoremen’s Association, ILA, United States Maritime Alliance, Maersk, North America Economist, Capital Economics Locations: East, Gulf, Maine, Texas, U.S, Red, Panama, Baltimore, Gulf Coast, Europe, Asia, Danish, East Coast

☆ Big Lots files for bankruptcy protection, sells to private equity firm as it promises to keep offering 'extreme bargains'
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-09 | by ( Gabrielle Fonrouge | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

Discount home goods retailer Big Lots filed for bankruptcy protection on Monday after high interest rates and a sluggish housing market slowed demand for its low-priced furniture and decor. As part of its Chapter 11 filing, Big Lots agreed to sell its business to private equity firm Nexus Capital Management for about $760 million, consisting of $2.5 million in cash plus its remaining debt and liabilities, court records show. While discount retailers tend to do well in rough economic cycles, Big Lots primarily caters to lower- and middle-income consumers, who have curbed discretionary spending at a higher rate than their more affluent counterparts. “Big Lots is not always good value for money. A&G Real Estate Partners has been tapped as Big Lots’ real estate advisor, while Nexus will be represented by law firm Kirkland & Ellis.

Persons: Lots, Bruce Thorn, ” Evan Glucoft, ”, Big, Glucoft, Cos, ” Neil Saunders, GlobalData, ” Saunders, Davis Polk, Kirkland, Ellis Organizations: Big, Nexus Capital Management, Walmart, Goods, Guggenheim Securities, Real, Partners

☆ Starbucks’ CEO is out. Chipotle’s Brian Niccol is taking over
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-13 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —Starbucks CEO Laxman Narasimhan is stepping down immediately after just a year in the role, the company announced Tuesday. The struggling coffee chain has tapped Chipotle CEO Brian Niccol to be its new chairman and CEO, effective September 9. Starbucks’ stock soared more than 13% in premarket trading, while Chipotle’s dipped 8%. Chipotle CEO Brian Niccol is leaving the chain for Starbucks. From ChipotleStarbucks’ struggles reflect consumer fatigue with high prices at food chains, restaurants and stores after years of price hikes.

Persons: Laxman Narasimhan, Brian Niccol, Niccol, “ Brian, ”, Mellody Hobson, ” Narasimhan, Laxman, ” Hobson, Neil Saunders, ” Saunders, Saunders, Narasimhan’s, Howard Schultz, ” Schultz Organizations: New, New York CNN, Starbucks, Elliott Investment Management, GlobalData, Wall Street Locations: New York, Mexican, North America

☆ Streetwear brand Supreme is getting a surprising new owner
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-17 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —Supreme, the trendy streetwear clothier adored by celebrities and cool kids alike, has been sold to an eyewear manufacturer for substantially less than it sold for just four years ago. Italian company EssilorLuxottica announced Wednesday that it’s buying Supreme for $1.5 billion in cash from VF Corp. (VFC), the parent company of Vans and Dickies, which bought the brand for $2.1 billion in 2020. Supreme “perfectly aligns with our innovation and development journey, offering us a direct connection to new audiences, languages and creativity,” EssilorLuxottica said in a statement. The company added that the brand will have its “own space” in its portfolio and marks its first-ever apparel brand acquisition. “Buying a streetwear brand at a time when that aesthetic has gone off the boil is risky, and it is not clear what EssilorLuxottica intends to do to revive Supreme’s fortunes,” Saunders said.

Persons: EssilorLuxottica, ” EssilorLuxottica, Oliver Peoples, Ban, Oakley, Neil Saunders, ” Saunders Organizations: New, New York CNN —, VF Corp, Vans, Chanel, Gabbana, Carlyle Group, Corp, CNN, ” Observers Locations: New York

☆ Burberry CEO is out after company warns about its profit
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-15 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —British luxury brand Burberry is replacing its chief executive following another disappointing quarter in which sales plunged more than 20%. Jonathan Akeroyd is leaving Burberry with “immediate effect,” the company said in its earnings release Monday, and replacing him with Joshua Schulman, a luxury wear veteran that has held CEO roles at Coach and Michael Kors. A global slowdown on spending on luxury goods has also forced Burberry to issue a profit warning, and it scrapped its dividend. “There is a sense that Burberry has been on the back foot and that Jonathan Akeroyd’s revitalization plans have largely failed to stop the rot,” Saunders told CNN. “A course correction has been needed for some time and Burberry is hoping a new CEO can deliver this.”

Persons: Jonathan Akeroyd, Joshua Schulman, Michael Kors, Akeroyd, Burberry, Gerry Murphy, ” Murphy, “, Neil Saunders, Jonathan Akeroyd’s, ” Saunders, ” Organizations: New, New York CNN, Burberry, London Stock Exchange, GlobalData, CNN Locations: New York

☆ Cup Noodles wants to rethink the way you eat ramen with new s’mores flavor
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-01 | by ( Erika Tulfo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Cup Noodles is trying to change that — with a new s’mores-flavored instant ramen. While this marks Cup Noodles’ first foray into dessert territory, the noodle maker is no stranger to non-traditional ramen pairings. “Cup Noodles Campfire S’mores” is the latest in a series of seasonal flavors aimed at shaking up how consumers perceive the brand. Despite the saturated s’mores market, Saunders sees Cup Noodles as occupying a unique position that could get people talking because of ramen’s association with traditionally savory flavors. Stanton says younger buyers tend to be more playful with their tastes, adding that the s’mores flavor appeals to the connection between food and childhood memories.

Persons: Noodles, graham, ’, Nissin, Neil Saunders, It’s, ” Saunders, Priscila Stanton, ”, “, there’s, Saunders, ” Nissin, Gen Z, Stanton, Saunders doesn’t Organizations: CNN, Walmart, Nissin, USA Locations: ”

☆ Walgreens will close a ‘significant’ number of its 8,600 US locations
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-27 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —Walgreens is set to close a substantial number of its roughly 8,600 locations across the United States as the company looks to reset the struggling pharmaceutical chain’s business. The company didn’t announce a specific number of store closures, but it said Thursday that it is planning “significant” closures of underperforming stores across America as part of a multiyear optimization program. The closures would focus on locations that aren’t profitable, too close to each other or stores struggling with theft, Wentworth told the Journal. Major drugstore chains, including CVS (CVS) and Rite Aid, have struggled in recent years because of declining profits from filling prescriptions. Wentworth told the Journal it’s losing money on filling those prescriptions.

Persons: Tim Wentworth, Wentworth, “, ” Wentworth, ” Neil Saunders, GlobalData, ” Saunders, drugstores, hasn’t, – CNN’s Nathaniel Meyersohn Organizations: New, New York CNN, Walgreens, Wall Street Journal, Journal, Walgreens ’, CVS, Rite, Amazon, Target, Rite Aid Locations: New York, United States, America, drugstores, VillageMD

☆ Shoppers are hyper-focused on ‘value.’ That doesn’t mean buying the cheapest option
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-06 | by ( Parija Bhatnagar | Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Bargain retailers like Walmart and Costco have benefitted, as shown by the retailing industry’s recent slew of first-quarter earnings releases. Sales at its stores open at least a year increased 3.8% in the quarter from the same time last year. Which means that Americans are still spending, but selectively, and that “value shopping” means different things to different people. “A sizable segment of them are focused on value, however, that doesn’t directly correlate to a low price. Shoppers are willing to spend if they see value in an on-trend, well-made dress from Abercrombie – or a healthy salad from Sweetgreen.”

Persons: They’ve, What’s, ”, Neil Saunders, ” Saunders, Fitch, Stephanie Keith, Lilly Pulitzer, Laura Alber, Anne Hathaway, Della Patria, Elisabetta Villa, Richard Dickson, Zak Stambor, eMarketer, ” Stambor, “, Abercrombie – Organizations: New, New York CNN, Walmart, Costco, GlobalData, CNN, Abercrombie, Bloomberg, Getty, Hollister, Sonoma, Navy, Banana, “, Shoppers Locations: New York, Sonoma, Elm, Williams, Rome, Italy, Europe, Banana Republic

☆ Nestlé is releasing a lineup of frozen food for people on Ozempic and other GLP-1 drugs
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-21 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN —Nestlé, the maker of frozen food brands like Stouffer’s and DiGiorno, is slimming down with a new line of meals for people taking GLP-1 drugs, such as Ozempic, for weight loss. However, a recent study on Wagovy significantly reduced heart risk in addition to helping with weight loss. An example of Vital Pursuit food. It also made a $100 million-plus deal to buy Sequence, a telehealth business that offers virtual prescriptions to patients for these weight loss drugs where appropriate. Food companies, like Nestlé, are also bracing for GLP-1 consumers to buy fewer sugary snacks and drinks.

Persons: New York CNN — Nestlé, It’s, Morgan, Steve Presley, Neil Saunders, Nestlé, it’s “, Saunders, ”, “ Nestlé, Sesame, WeightWatchers, ” Saunders, CNN’s Nathaniel Meyersohn Organizations: New, New York CNN, North, GlobalData, Lean, CNN, Companies, Costco, Equinox Locations: New York

☆ Wayfair is opening its first-ever physical furniture store
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-18 | by ( Parija Bhatnagar | Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —Online furniture and home furnishings seller Wayfair is set to open its first-ever namesake store next month, the company announced Thursday. It will also feature an onsite restaurant called “The Porch,” the company said, taking a page out of Ikea’s store setup. Furniture stores need to always be advertising, Saunders added, because people generally don’t buy furniture very often. This is particularly important in furniture and finishings where people like to see and try out products before buying,” Saunders said. “If this store is successful then it could be the start of wider physical expansion for Wayfair,” Saunders said.

Persons: Joss, ”, Neil Saunders, Saunders, Wayfair, it’s, Niraj Shah, Wayfair “, “ It’s, ” Saunders Organizations: New, New York CNN —, GlobalData Locations: New York, Edens, Wilmette , Illinois

☆ Aldi plans to open 800 new locations in the next five years
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-07 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Some of the 800 new locations will be store conversions from its now-complete acquisition of Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarkets, with a “significant number” of those locations — largely located in the Southeast — ditching their respective names and being remodeled into an Aldi. Approximately 50 stores will be converted later this year, with a majority of those reopening under the Aldi name in 2025. However, the Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarkets names won’t completely disappear: Aldi said that a “meaningful amount” of locations will retain that branding. Aldi’s newest plan brings its store count to nearly 3,000 US locations, a notable expansion but still trailing against its rivals. If their merger is approved, Kroger and Albertson’s will have about 4,500 locations and Walmart, the nation’s largest grocer, has nearly 5,000.

Persons: Aldi, Winn, Neil Saunders, Saunders, ” Saunders, Albertson’s Organizations: New, New York CNN, Winn, Dixie, Harveys, Aldi, GlobalData, Kroger, Walmart Locations: New York, Northeast, Midwest, West, Southern California, Phoenix, Las Vegas

☆ DC and Marvel are reprinting coveted crossover comics
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-01 | by ( John Towfighi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —Comic-book store owner Jermaine Exum couldn’t believe his ears when a customer asked to reserve a copy of the upcoming 960-page “DC versus Marvel” comics collection. The "DC Versus Marvel Omnibus," to be released August 6, 2024, is a collection of various crossover comics, and just the second collaboration by DC and Marvel in two decades. From 1976 to 2003, crossovers between the DC and Marvel universes (“Superman vs. Uslan recalled similar “interplay” among the companies, citing a regular DC vs. Marvel softball match in Central Park as evidence of camaraderie. The comic "Marvel and DC Present Featuring the Uncanny X-Men and the New Teen Titans #1", will be reprinted in the upcoming collection.

Persons: Jermaine Exum couldn’t, “, ”, Lex Luthor –, ” Marvel, Exum, Michael Uslan, Carmine Infantino, Stan Lee, ” Uslan, Marvel, DC Walt Simonson, I’m, ” Simonson, Uslan, Walt Simonson, DC Ben Saunders, Denny O’Neil, George Pérez, Chris Claremont, John Romita Jr, Batman, Simonson, ” Saunders, Saunders, Federico Parra, James Gunn, Marvel’s, Peter Safran, Kevin Feige, ” Ethan Sacks, “ Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster, Bob Kane, Bill Finger, William Moulton Marston Organizations: CNN, Marvel, DC, Warner Bros, Discovery, Disney, Hollywood, ” Comics, Teen Titans, New Teen Titans, University of Oregon, Acme Comics, “, Marvel Studios, Guardians, Galaxy, DC Studios Locations: Greensboro, North Carolina, Central, Greensboro , North Carolina, Venezuela, Caracas, AFP, Greece, Rome, Egypt

☆ How America’s once great department stores became a dying breed
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-27 | by ( Chris Isidore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

But department stores, focused on America’s middle class, are fading. The victims of shifting consumer tastes were not the department stores that anchored the local mall, it was the small, locally owned stores along downtown shopping districts that were closing their doors. And possibly even more than the big box competitors, department stores have suffered from consumers shifting to buying items online rather than in person. The steady closing of the department stores that once served as “anchors” of malls across suburban America has been another nail in the coffin of many malls, hurting the department stores that remained in hollowed-out malls with a fraction of their earlier traffic. Saunders said one of the primary problem for Macy’s is that its holding company, formerly known as Federated Department Stores, spent much of its resources on buying other department store brands, such May’s Department Stores, and Filene’s, rather than investing in the stores its held.

Persons: New York CNN —, Neil Sauders, ”, JC Penney, It’s, “, Neil Saunders, Shannon Stapleton, Saunders, ” Saunders, Al Bello, Sunny Zheng, Macy’s, Tony Spring, Taylor, Brian Snyder, Eddie Lambert, Michael Brown, Kearney, ” Brown, Mike Segar, Richard W, Sears, Alvah Roebuck, Sears Roebuck, Bettmann, PhotoQuest, Jack Manning, Frank Scherschel, Owen, Lucille Jagusch, Arlene Hardt, Martin Luther King Jr, Michael Ochs, Ron Frehm, Ralf, Finn Hestoft, Mark Peterson, Seth Meyers, Hugh Jackman, NBCUniversal, Kaylin Wilson, Jim Cole, Rene Johnston, Maria Alejandra Cardona, Scott Olson, Cesar Villasenor, Mel Melcon, Sarah Blesener, Paul Hennessy, Patti Naleck, Naleck, Stacey Wescott, Brown Organizations: New, New York CNN, American, Walmart, Company, Department, Sears, Target, GlobalData, JCPenney, Research, RadioShack, Reuters Sears, Federated Department Stores, May’s, Reuters, Chicago History, Sears Roebuck, Roebuck, Hulton, AP, AP Soldiers, Michael Ochs Archives, Getty, Bettmann, Kmart, Bloomberg, Toronto Star, Reuters Residents, Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Tribune, Service Locations: New York, GlobalData, America, Nanuet , New York, North Redwood , Minnesota, Chicago, El Paso , Texas, Jackson , Mississippi, Tucson , Arizona, Caracas, Venezuela, Niles , Illinois, Morton Grove , Illinois, Baltimore, White Plains , New York, Woodfield , Illinois, Hicksville , New York, Nashua , New Hampshire, Mentor , Ohio, Mississauga , Ontario, Hialeah , Florida, Janesville , Wisconsin, Santa Monica , California, Rockaway , New Jersey, Leesburg , Florida, Schaumburg , Illinois

☆ Target creates its cheapest in-store brand as spending dips
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —Target is taking aim at budget-conscious customers with a new value brand with prices for everyday basics that start at less than $1. Most of the items cost less than $10, with the cheapest coming in under $1. The entrance of Dealworthy means a shakeup of two other Target budget-focused brands that it produces: Smartly and Up&Up. The former, which largely focused on household essentials like soap and trash bags, will be discontinued and replaced by Dealworthy items. Up&Up, another affordably priced Target brand, is getting a redesign and will be priced slightly higher than Dealworthy.

Persons: Rick Gomez, ” Neil Saunders, ” Saunders, “, Smartly Organizations: New, New York CNN, Target, Walmart, GlobalData, CNN, “ Locations: New York

For instance, the U.S. has blocked shipments of cotton coming from China, a top manufacturer of popular clothing brands, because it was produced by forced or prison labor. While prison labor seeps into the supply chains of some companies through third-party suppliers without them knowing, others buy direct. Cargill acknowledged buying goods from prison farms in Tennessee, Arkansas and Ohio, saying they constituted only a small fraction of the company’s overall volume. For instance, about a dozen state prison farms, including operations in Texas, Virginia, Kentucky and Montana, have sold more than $60 million worth of cattle since 2018. “What for?”FOLLOWING THE MONEYThe business of prison labor is so vast and convoluted that tracing the money can be challenging.

Persons: it’s, Willie Ingram, “ They’d, billy clubs, they’d, ”, Ingram, didn’t, they’re, don’t, Andrea Armstrong, Frank Dwayne Ellington, Ellington, Koch, “ It’s, it’s somebody’s, Alishia Powell, Clark, “, Bunge, Louis Dreyfus, Archer Daniels, Cargill, ” McDonald’s, Mills, ” Bunge, Burger, Jermaine Hudson, ” Hudson, Calvin Thomas, Thomas, Ken Pastorick, Pastorick, Jennifer Turner, Faye Jacobs, Jacobs, ’ ” David Farabough, they’ve, Joshua Sbicca, Cliff Johnson, Jimmy Dean, Sara Lee, Tyson, Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey, that’s, ” Ivey, “ They’re, ’ ”, William “ Buck ” Saunders, Hickman’s, Brooke Counts, Counts, John’s, Jack Strain, Tammany Parish, Russell Stover, Curtis Davis, Robert Bumsted, Cody Jackson, Columbia University’s Ira A, Lipman Organizations: Louisiana State Penitentiary, The Associated Press, Walmart, Cargill, U.S, Kroger, Target, Aldi, Corrections, Loyola University New Orleans, Koch Foods, Occupational Safety, Health Administration, Washington, Archer Daniels Midland, Consolidated, AP, Foods, Dairy Farmers of, Big, Sam’s, Tyson Foods, U.S ., Civilian, OSHA, Fair Labor, American Civil Liberties, Colorado State University, MacArthur Justice Center, University of Mississippi, PepsiCo, Brevard County Sheriff, Arizona . Companies, Costco, Correctional, Prisons, Nut, Maine Foods, Taylor Farms, Transitional, Associated Press, Public Welfare Foundation, Columbia, Lipman Center for Journalism, Arnold Ventures Locations: ANGOLA, La, Southern, Louisiana, Texas, In Louisiana, Angola, United States, “, Ashland, U.S, China, Tennessee , Arkansas, Ohio, Dairy Farmers of America, Texas , Virginia, Kentucky, Montana, Baton Rouge, Mississippi, Manhattan, America, Alabama, American, Arkansas , Texas, Florida , Alabama, South Carolina, Georgia, Arkansas, In Alabama, Florida, Brevard County, Arizona, Wisconsin, California, Colorado, state’s St, Tammany, Idaho, In Kansas, Cal, St, Francisville , Louisiana, Feliciana, Investigative@ap.org

☆ While Black Friday and Cyber Monday did good, Giving Tuesday lagged
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-03 | by ( Sergio Padilla | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN —Americans seemed more willing to spend money on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but less willing to donate money on Giving Tuesday. Giving Tuesday’s decline in participation is not an isolated incident, but rather, as its organization acknowledges, part of larger trends philanthropic organizations are experiencing. According to a report by Giving USA from this past June, Americans are giving the lowest percentage of their disposable income since 1995. Americans gave just 1.7% of their disposable income in 2022, with charitable giving declining from 2021 by 3.4% to $499.3 billion, which represents an even larger decline of 10.5% when adjusted for inflation. “I think the numbers are very interesting in terms of Black Friday and Cyber Monday but they don’t tell you the whole picture,” said Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData Retail.

Persons: “, ”, Asha Curran, Ebenezer Scrooge, Neil Saunders, ” Saunders, CNN’s Nathaniel Meyersohn, Elisabeth Buchwald Organizations: New, New York CNN, Black, CNN, GivingTuesday, United Nations Foundation, National Retail Federation, Adobe, Federal, GlobalData, Adobe Analytics, Charities Aid Locations: New York, New York City

☆ Kim Kardashian is investing in the maker of truffle-infused condiments
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —Kim Kardashian’s private equity firm has announced its first investment: A company that makes truffle-infused sauces that sell for about $20 a bottle. SKKY Partners, the company she formed last year with a former executive at Carlyle Group, has acquired a “significant minority stake” in Truff sauces. The six-year-old brand has recently grown in popularity for its condiments that extends from hot sauce to mayonnaise. The sauce brand has recently had high-profile collaborations with Taco Bell for a custom hot sauce and Hidden Valley for a special dressing. Skims, her underwear and apparel brand, recently launched a line for men.

Persons: New York CNN — Kim, SKKY, —, ” Kardashian, “, Truff, Taco, Ramadan, SKKY weren’t, Neil Saunders, ” Saunders, Jay Sammons, Carlyle, hadn’t Organizations: New, New York CNN, SKKY Partners, Carlyle Group, ”, Foods, Taco Bell, Unilever, Financial, GlobalData, CNN, ” Investment Locations: New York

☆ Aldi is buying 400 Winn-Dixie and Harveys supermarkets
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( Ramishah Maruf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN —Grocery shoppers in the Southeast can expect to see more Aldi stores starting 2024. Some of the nearly 400 Winn-Dixie locations Aldi is acquiring will keep the familiar red-and-white Winn-Dixie branding and traditional store layout, but many will convert to Aldi’s brand and bare-bones store format. The acquisition – which includes Harveys Supermarket – will add locations across Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi to Aldi’s portfolio. Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket had long been staples in the Southeast region. Aldi has not disclosed how many of the Winn-Dixie and Harveys stores it plans on converting, or how much the deal cost.

Persons: Winn, Jason Hart, Aldi, Dixie, Neil Saunders, ” Saunders, ” Hart, Kroger, it’s, Phil Lempert, Lampert, “ that’s, ” Lempert, “, ” Lampert, Saunders Organizations: New, New York CNN, Aldi, Winn, Dixie, Harveys, Southeastern Grocers, Fresco Retail, Albertsons, Publix, Sunshine State Locations: New York, Alabama , Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida, United States, Southeast, “, Aldi, Winn, Sunshine

☆ Tapestry and Capri are combining in an $8.5 billion deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Tapestry Inc., which owns Kate Spade and Coach, announced Thursday that it’s acquiring Capri Holdings, the parent company of Michael Kors and Versace. The $8.5 billion deal could help them better compete against their higher-end European rivals. Under terms of the deal, Capri shareholders will get $57 per share. Coach changed its parent name to Tapestry in 2017 and Michael Kors switched to Capri after it bought Versace in 2018. Those warning signs have “put pressure on Tapestry and Capri, both of which are now looking to international markets to bolster growth,” Saunders said.

Persons: New York CNN — Michael Kors, Kate Spade, Michael Kors, Versace, Stuart Weitzman, Jimmy Choo, Neil Saunders, ”, Jean, Jacques Guiony, ” Saunders Organizations: New, New York CNN, Tapestry Inc, Capri Holdings, ”, Capri Locations: New York, United States

☆ Gap hires Mattel president Richard Dickson to be its new CEO
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

New York CNN —Gap has named a new CEO, from toy giant Mattel, nearly a year after its previous leader departed. The retailer announced Wednesday that Richard Dickson, currently Mattel’s president and chief operating officer, will assume the position. First the president of the Gap division and later CEO of the company beginning in 1995, Drexler pushed Gap to expand beyond jeans into khakis and oversaw the creation of the budget-chain Old Navy in 1994. It doesn’t help that Old Navy and Banana Republic are also struggling, adding to Dickson’s challenges. In short, being CEO of Gap is not for the faint of heart,” Saunders said.

Persons: Richard Dickson, He’s, Dickson, ” Dickson, Barbie, Neil Saunders, GlobalData, ”, Chris Blakeslee, Alo Yoga, West, Sonia Syngal, Mickey Drexler, Drexler, Paul Pressler, Glenn Murphy, Peck, Syngal, ” Saunders Organizations: New, New York CNN, Mattel, Jones New, Warner Bros, CNN, Athleta, Republic, Kanye West, Navy, Disney, Gap, Banana Republic Locations: New York, Jones New York, Zara, North America, Peck

☆ Candles, clocks and throw pillows: 3 charts show how Home Depot and Lowe’s pivoted to “soft-DIY”
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-10 | by ( Christopher Hickey | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

The SEC data analyzed by CNN shows that home decor sales have doubled at both Home Depot and Lowe’s in that time period. By 2022, decor products accounted for 5.4% of Lowe’s sales – more than the tools, building materials, flooring or hardware categories. In 2019, year-over-year net sales at Home Depot and Lowe’s grew by roughly 2% and 1%, respectively. In 2020, Home Depot sales grew by nearly 20%, while Lowe’s saw sales jump by roughly 24%. While still primarily home improvement retailers, expanding into home decor was simply a logical opportunity for Home Depot and Lowe’s, Saunders said — especially online.

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