DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

[1/5] Garment workers come out of a factory during lunch hours at the Ashulia area, outskirts of Dhaka, Bangladesh, November 8, 2023. A panel of factory owners, union leaders and officials agreed to the increase unanimously, said Siddiqur Rahman, the owners' representative. "We continue to recommend that the government of Bangladesh adopt an annual minimum wage review mechanism to keep up with changing macroeconomic factors," the letter said. In addition to the wage increase, the government has said that workers would be given a 5% annual increment. Babul Akter, president of the Bangladesh Garment and Industrial Workers Federation, urged global brands to pay more, saying: "There could be some problems for the owners to cope with the increased salaries."

Persons: Mohammad Ponir Hossain, Siddiqur Rahman, Rahman, Inditex, Hugo Boss, Fazlul Hoque, Hoque, Levi Strauss, Armour, Sheikh Hasina, Akter, Abdus Salam Murshedy, Murshedy, Krishna N, Ruma Paul, Miral Organizations: REUTERS, Rights DHAKA, Reuters, Inc, Knitwear Manufacturers, Association, Labour, Abercrombie & Fitch, Adidas, Puma, Bangladesh Garment and Industrial Workers Federation, Envoy Group, Walmart, Hasina's Awami League, Das, Thomson Locations: Dhaka, Bangladesh, DELHI, China, Zara, Ukraine, New Delhi

Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., August 15, 2023. The S&P 500 (.SPX) eyes its fifth straight weekly fall, while the Dow (.DJI) is on track to decline for the third straight week. Energy (.SPNY) is set to be worst hit amongst the major S&P 500 sectors this week, while communications services (.SPLRCL) is on track to be the best performing. Looking ahead, data would take center stage once again with September consumer price inflation and producer price index readings due next week. ET, Dow e-minis were up 74 points, or 0.22%, S&P 500 e-minis were up 10.25 points, or 0.24%, and Nasdaq 100 e-minis were up 43.5 points, or 0.29%.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Levi Strauss, Tesla, that's, Marios Hadjikyriacos, LEVI.N, Ankika Biswas, Shashwat Chauhan, Anil D'Silva, Shounak Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Exxon, Dow, Nasdaq, Labor, XM, Traders, Energy, Federal, JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, BlackRock, Dow e, Tesla, Exxon Mobil, Reuters, Natural Resources, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Wells Fargo, United States, Bengaluru

NEW YORK/LONDON, Aug 10 (Reuters) - Lean times faced by many U.S. and European companies may last longer than expected as they try to sell off their bulging inventories in an economic climate where demand is stalling. Full-to-bursting warehouses means fewer orders for manufacturers, which translates into lower levels of business activity and, ultimately, weaker growth. Now, global demand is falling as borrowing costs have risen, so companies have started running down stocks. Maersk controls about one-sixth of global container trade, transporting goods for a host of major retailers and consumer goods companies. Refinitiv I/B/E/S data shows U.S. and European companies are expected to report their worst quarterly results in years.

Persons: Vincent Clerc, Hugo Boss, Moller, Stanley Black, Decker, destocking, Levi Strauss, Rajiv Sharma, Arun Sundaram, Guillermo Novo, Cyrus de la Rubia, Siddharth Cavale, David Gaffen, Josephine Mason, Mark John, Jonathan Cable, Helen Reid, Jane Merriman Organizations: U.S, Maersk, Heineken, 3M, . Bureau of Labor Statistics, CFRA Research, Retailers, BASF, London, Rutgers University, Hamburg Commercial Bank, doesn't, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, U.S, United States, Ashland, Hamburg, New York, London

The benchmark S&P 500 (.SPX) was solidly higher for most of the afternoon, but stocks sold off toward the end of the session. "The jobs report today I think is consistent with what the Fed would like to see," said Josh Jamner, investment strategy analyst at ClearBridge Investments. Among S&P 500 sectors, defensive groups fell the most, with consumer staples (.SPLRCS) down 1.3%. For the week, the S&P 500 fell about 1.2%, the Dow slid roughly 2% and the Nasdaq dropped 0.9%. The S&P 500 posted 11 new 52-week highs and five new lows; the Nasdaq Composite recorded 45 new highs and 63 new lows.

Persons: Levi Strauss, Quincy Krosby, stoked, Josh Jamner, Brendan McDermid, Russell, Dow, Austan Goolsbee, Alibaba, decliners, Lewis Krauskopf, Sinead Carew, Bansari Mayur Kamdar, Johann M, Caroline Valetkevitch, Shinjini Ganguli, Richard Chang Organizations: Dow, Nasdaq, LPL, Reserve, ClearBridge Investments, Dow Jones, Energy, New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Chicago Fed, Rivian Automotive, Ant Group, NYSE, Thomson Locations: U.S, New York City, New York, Bengaluru

The U.S. added the fewest jobs in 2-1/2 years in June, although persistently strong wage growth pointed to still-tight labor market conditions, U.S. government data showed. "The jobs report today I think is consistent with what the Fed would like to see," said Josh Jamner, investment strategy analyst at ClearBridge Investments. According to preliminary data, the S&P 500 (.SPX) lost 12.42 points, or 0.28%, to end at 4,399.17 points, while the Nasdaq Composite (.IXIC) lost 18.33 points, or 0.13%, to 13,660.72. Energy (.SPNY) and materials (.SPLRCM) were among the biggest-gaining S&P 500 sectors, while defensive groups including consumer staples (.SPLRCS) lagged. Friday's jobs report kicks off a busy month of data including reports on inflation and corporate earnings ahead of the Fed meeting at the end of July.

Persons: Levi Strauss, payrolls, Josh Jamner, Austan Goolsbee, Carol Schleif, Alibaba, Lewis Krauskopf, Bansari Mayur Kamdar, Johann M, Caroline Valetkevitch, Shinjini Ganguli, Richard Chang Organizations: Reserve, ClearBridge Investments, Nasdaq, Dow Jones, Energy, Chicago Fed, BMO Family, Rivian Automotive, Ant Group, Thomson Locations: U.S, New York, Bengaluru

"But at the same time, it just puts the Fed in a position where they've got more work to do." Wall Street's main indexes ended sharply lower in a broad selloff in the previous session, with the benchmark S&P 500 posting its biggest daily percentage drop in six weeks, after employment data on Thursday showed the number of jobs more than doubled in June. Six of the 11 major S&P 500 sectors advanced in mid-day trading, with commodity stocks such as energy (.SPNY) and materials (.SPLRCM) up over 1% each and outperforming the broader market. Among other movers, the S&P 500 banking index (.SPXBK) gained 1.4%. The S&P index recorded three new 52-week highs and four new lows, while the Nasdaq recorded 28 new highs and 49 new lows.

Persons: Levi Strauss, we're, Steve Wyett, they've, Austan Goolsbee, Russell, Wells, Tesla, Bansari Mayur Kamdar, Johann M, Caroline Valetkevitch, Shinjini Organizations: Dow, Nasdaq, BOK, Traders, Chicago Fed, Dow Jones, JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, Alibaba, Ant Group, NYSE, Thomson Locations: Beijing, Washington, China, Bengaluru

[1/2] The Levi Strauss & Co. label is seen on clothes in a store at the Woodbury Common Premium Outlets in Central Valley, New York, U.S., February 15, 2022. Shares of the company fell about 6% in extended trading, as it joined peer American Eagle Outfitters (AEO.N) in predicting a weak outlook for consumer spending. Levi’s net revenues for the second quarter that ended May 28 declined by 9%, its steepest quarterly drop since the first quarter of 2021, according to Refinitiv data. The annual reported net revenue is expected to increase 1.5% to 2.5% from a year earlier, the apparel maker said, narrowing its previous forecast range of 1.5% to 3%. The apparel maker posted a net loss of $1.6 million for the second quarter, compared with a net income of $49.7 million a year earlier.

Persons: Levi Strauss, Andrew Kelly, Levi's, Chip Bergh, Bergh, Michael Ashley Schulman, Granth, Kate Masters, Shweta Agarwal, Muralikumar Organizations: Woodbury, REUTERS, American Eagle Outfitters, Nordstrom, Revenue, Running, Capital Advisors, Thomson Locations: Central Valley , New York, U.S, North America, Bergh, Levi's U.S, Europe, Americas, Bengaluru, New York

"Today's numbers confirm the job market is still strong... and this report gives the green light to the Fed to raise rates," said Peter Cardillo, chief market economist at Spartan Capital Securities. Five out of the 11 major S&P 500 sectors declined in early trading on Thursday. Wall Street's main indexes ended sharply lower in a broad selloff, with the benchmark S&P 500 posting its biggest daily percentage drop in six weeks. Among other early movers, the S&P 500 banking index (.SPXBK) gained 1%. The S&P index recorded one new 52-week highs and three new lows, while the Nasdaq recorded 13 new highs and 22 new lows.

Persons: Levi Strauss, Dow, Peter Cardillo, we're, Wells, Tesla, Bansari Mayur Kamdar, Johann M, Caroline Valetkevitch, Shinjini Organizations: Nasdaq, Fed, Spartan Capital Securities, Traders, Dow Jones, JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, Alibaba, Ant Group, NYSE, Thomson Locations: Beijing, Washington, China, Bengaluru

☆ Levi Strauss trims annual profit forecast on higher costs, slowing consumer spending
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

July 6 (Reuters) - Levi Strauss & Co (LEVI.N) cut its annual profit forecast on Thursday, in a sign that higher costs were weighing on the denim maker's margins at a time when its wholesale sales remained under pressure in North America. Annual reported net revenue is expected to increase 1.5% to 2.5% from a year earlier, the apparel maker said, narrowing its previous forecast range of 1.5% to 3%. Industry peer American Eagle Outfitters (AEO.N) had also cut its full-year revenue forecast in May amid weak consumer spending environment. San Francisco-based Levi's has been grappling with higher costs, more promotions and supply chain snarls despite multiple price hikes on its products. Its quarterly revenue fell 9.1% to $1.34 billion, roughly in-line with analysts' expectations, according to Refinitiv data.

Persons: Levi Strauss, Granth, Shweta Agarwal Organizations: Dockers, Industry, Eagle Outfitters, Revenue, Target, Nordstrom, Thomson Locations: North America, United States, San Francisco, Europe, Americas, Bengaluru

☆ Levi Strauss tops quarterly revenue estimates, but higher costs hit margins
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

April 6 (Reuters) - Levi Strauss & Co (LEVI.N) on Thursday topped Wall Street estimates for quarterly revenue on resilient demand for jeans and non-denim styles, but maintained its annual forecast as the company turns cautious due to macroeconomic uncertainties. Shares of the San Francisco-based apparel maker fell more than 4% in premarket trade, as it also took a hit on margins in the quarter, owing to persistent cost pressures. The jeans maker's attempts to get rid of excessive inventory by offering higher discounts and promotions squeezed its profit margins. UBS analysts have noted that Levi's promotions were up 1,500 basis points in December. On an adjusted basis, Levi's earned 34 cents per share, beating estimates of 32 cents per share.

☆ Skinny jeans still a great fit in shrinking economy, Levi CEO says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Deborah Mary Sophia | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] The Levi Strauss & Co. label is seen on jeans in a store at the Woodbury Common Premium Outlets in Central Valley, New York, U.S., February 15, 2022. REUTERS/Andrew KellyJan 26 (Reuters) - Reports on the death of skinny jeans have been greatly exaggerated. At least that's what Levi Strauss & Co (LEVI.N) boss Chip Bergh wants everyone to believe. Once a wardrobe staple, skinny jean has recently lost favor among shoppers, especially after the pandemic accelerated a shift toward comfortable clothing like baggy jeans among young consumers. "The skinny jean is not going anywhere anytime soon," Bergh said.

☆ Levi Strauss gives upbeat 2023 sales outlook as demand holds up
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Jan 25 (Reuters) - Levi Strauss & Co (LEVI.N) forecast annual sales above Wall Street estimates on Wednesday, in a sign that demand for its jeans is holding up better than feared. Shares of the denim maker were up nearly 8% in extended trading after it also topped fourth-quarter sales and profit estimates. However, Levi's said it saw more consumers shopping at its stores in the Americas and Asia, boosting its direct-to-consumer business. Levi's fourth-quarter net revenue of $1.59 billion edged past estimates of $1.57 billion, while adjusted profit of 34 cents per share topped expectations of 29 cents. Reporting by Deborah Sophia in Bengaluru and Kate Masters in New York; Editing by Maju SamuelOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Kohl's close to naming Tom Kingsbury as permanent CEO - NYT
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Jan 25 (Reuters) - Department store chain Kohl's Corp (KSS.N) is in late-stage talks to name Tom Kingsbury as its permanent chief executive, the New York Times reported on Wednesday, citing two people familiar with the situation. Kingsbury was named interim CEO in December, after Michelle Gass left Kohl's to become the top boss at Levi Strauss & Co (LEVI.N). The appointment will come as the department store chain is struggling with declining sales and greater pressure from activist investors. In November, Kohl's withdrew its 2022 sales and profit forecasts, blaming an uncertain economic outlook and the departure of Gass. Reporting by Mrinalika Roy in Bengaluru; Editing by Sriraj KalluvilaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Robots set their sights on a new job: sewing blue jeans
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( Timothy Aeppel | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/5] A robotic arm positions pieces of stiffened fabric for a demonstration of automated sewing at the Industrial Sewing and Innovation Center in Detroit, Michigan, U.S. August 19, 2021. Industrial Sewing and Innovation Center/Handout via REUTERSDec 12 (Reuters) - Will a robot ever make your blue jeans? Finding a way to cut out handwork in China and Bangladesh would allow more clothing manufacturing to move back to Western consumer markets, including the United States. Rather than teach robots how to handle cloth, the startup, Sewbo Inc., stiffens the fabric with chemicals so it can be handled more like a car bumper during production. The first step is getting robots into clothing factories.

Sale-leasebacks allow retailers to raise capital without shedding stores by selling the underlying real estate and turning them from landlords into tenants. They also point out that companies often spend the money on share buybacks and dividends rather than investing in their business. Spokespeople for Kohl's, Macellum and Ancora declined to comment. It is not clear how many of Kohl's 1,100 stores would have been involved in any deal. Reuters GraphicsRENT EXPENSESIn a letter to shareholders in March defending its strategy against criticism from hedge fund Macellum Capital Management LLC, Kohl's said that a "large" sale-leaseback would "negatively impact margins by adding unnecessary rent expenses in perpetuity and risk Kohl's investment-grade rating".

Organizations: & $

Phoenix-based VIP's toy mimics the design of the Jack Daniel's bottle with comical dog-themed text alterations, like replacing "Old No. After Jack Daniel's sent a cease-and-desist notice, VIP asked an Arizona federal court in 2014 to rule that its toy did not infringe the whiskey company's trademark rights. Circuit Court of Appeals in 2020 overturned a judge's ruling in favor of Jack Daniel's, finding that VIP's toy was a creative work with a "humorous message" that was entitled to First Amendment protections. The Supreme Court last year rejected a request by Jack Daniel's to reconsider that ruling. Jack Daniel's told the high court that the decision made it "virtually impossible to stop misleading or tarnishing use of a mark whenever a copycat deploys 'humor.'"

☆ Kohl's CEO Gass to leave for top job at Levi Strauss
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Uday Sampath Kumar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Nov 8 (Reuters) - Kohl's Corp (KSS.N) Chief Executive Michelle Gass will step down and take the helm at Levi Strauss & Co (LEVI.N) amid renewed calls from activist investors for management and board reshuffles at the struggling department store chain. Gass came under renewed pressure from hedge funds Macellum Advisors and Ancora Holdings after Kohl's decided in July to remain independent after exploring a sale. The former Starbucks (SBUX.O) executive, who became Kohl's CEO in 2018, will leave in December to become president at Levi's early next year before taking over from long-time boss Chip Bergh within 18 months. At Levi's, Gass faces the challenge of helping the denim maker navigate out of an inflationary environment that has caused a slump in discretionary spending and hit earnings. Kohl's said Tom Kingsbury, a director nominated by Macellum and Ancora last year, will serve as interim CEO from Dec. 2.

☆ Levi's names Kohl's Michelle Gass as chief executive
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Nov 8 (Reuters) - Levi Strauss & Co (LEVI.N) on Tuesday named current Kohl's Corp (KSS.N) Chief Executive Officer Michelle Gass as its next CEO, replacing Chip Bergh. Gass will leave Kohl's in December to become president of Levi's and will report to Bergh before taking over as chief executive within the next 18 months. Kohl's said Tom Kingsbury, a director on the department store chain's board and former Burlington Stores Inc (BURL.N) chief executive, will serve as interim CEO from Dec. 2. Kohl's shares rose 11% in premarket trading, after it also forecast better-than-expected third-quarter earnings. Reporting by Uday Sampath in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak DasguptaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Levi's names Kohl's Michelle Gass as next chief executive
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Nov 8 (Reuters) - Levi Strauss & Co (LEVI.N) on Tuesday named current Kohl's Corp (KSS.N) Chief Executive Officer Michelle Gass as the next CEO of the denim maker, succeeding long-time head Chip Bergh. Gass' departure from the struggling department store chain comes as activist investor groups push for management and board reshuffles, including a change of CEO. Gass will leave Kohl's in December to become president of Levi's early next year, and will take over as chief executive within the next 18 months. Kohl's said Tom Kingsbury, a director who was nominated by Macellum and Ancora last year, will serve as interim CEO from Dec. 2. Kohl's forecast third-quarter earnings of 82 cents per share, compared with analysts' estimates of 64 cents, according to Refintiv IBES data.

☆ Factbox: Companies count the cost of ditching Russia
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

INDITEX (ITX.MC)Zara owner will book a provision of 216 million euros after agreeing to sell its Russia stores to UAE-based Daher Group. TRATON (8TRA.DE)Volkswagen's (VOWG_p.DE) truck division Traton in September said disposing of some assets in Russia would cause a 550 million euro loss. CREDIT AGRICOLE (CAGR.PA)Credit Agricole provisioned more than 500 million euros related to its Russian exposure in Q1. LINDEThe world's largest industrial gases company's exit from Russia recorded impairments of $993 million from its Russia exit. SIEMENS (SIEGn.DE)The Munich-based engineering and tech firm said in May it would take a 600 million euro hit in Q2 for exiting Russia.

☆ Estee Lauder cuts forecasts on China curbs, tightening inventories
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The New York-based company's shares were down about 12% in premarket trade after the company also forecast second-quarter sales and profit below estimates. Sales growth of many U.S. companies such as Estee and Canada Goose have been impacted in China, with the country implementing a zero-COVID policy to fight rising infections. Estee generated about 31% of its sales from the Asia-Pacific region in fiscal 2022, according to a regulatory filing. However, European peers Kering (PRTP.PA) and cosmetics group L'Oreal (OREP.PA) had posted strong quarterly sales last month as robust demand in Europe and the United States helped them offset disruptions in China. Estee now expects 2023 net sales to decrease between 6% and 8%, compared with the prior forecast of a 3% to 5% growth.

Search resuls for: "LEVI.N"

21 mentions found