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☆ Oreo is selling $40 limited-edition NBA cookies ahead of the All-Star Game — and fans are not pleased at the price
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-11 | by ( Aidan Pollard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Priced at $40 for a pack of 12, some fans scoffed at the price tag. For $40, fans can buy a box of 12 cookies decorated with frosting, sprinkles, and their favorite team's logo ahead of the NBA All-Star Game next weekend. "$40 for 12 Oreos that have some NBA logos on them is the worst deal ever," one user wrote on Twitter. But NBA fans this time around seem a little less keen on novelty Oreos than Pokémon fanatics. "Yes of course I want these NBA logo Oreos.

☆ Kellogg beats sales and profit estimates, to keep plant-based business
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The Pringles maker, which is in the process of a three-way break-up of its business, also said it has decided to keep its plant-based business, which represents 2% of net sales, in-house. Kellogg had last June announced plans to explore strategic options for its profitable MorningStar Farms business. The company forecast organic sales growth of 5% to 7% for full year 2023, as it expects sustained demand for its snacks and emerging markets business region. Shares of the Michigan-based company rose 1.5% before the bell. Kellogg's net sales rose 12% to $3.83 billion in the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31.

☆ Top Wall Street analysts find these stocks compelling
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-05 | by ( Tipranks.Com Staff | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Here are five stocks chosen by Wall Street's top analysts, according to TipRanks, a platform that ranks analysts based on their track records. (See Tesla Hedge Fund Trading Activity on TipRanks) Rakesh holds the 113th position among more than 8,000 analysts tracked on TipRanks. (See McDonald's Dividend Date & History on TipRanks) Despite tough macro conditions, McDonald's intends to expand further to grab additional business. Saleh ranks 383 out of more than 8,300 analysts on TipRanks, with a success rate of 65%. In line with his bullish stance, Goldman reiterated a buy rating and increased his price target to $74 from $71.

☆ Mondelez Expects Fewer Price Increases This Year
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Jaewon Kang | Kathryn Hardison | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Mondelez International Inc. said its costs remain high, though the snack and candy producer doesn’t anticipate boosting prices for its products at the same level as in 2022. Chicago-based Mondelez, which makes Oreo cookies and Triscuit crackers, said it has raised its prices because of higher costs of energy, transportation and labor. The company said it increased prices in the U.S. in December and is negotiating in Europe.

☆ Oreo's newest cookie is stuffed with Oreos
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Danielle Wiener-Bronner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —In the past, Oreo has partnered with Lady Gaga, Pokémon and Ritz on new limited-time flavors. The cookie brand’s latest limited-edition cookie is an Oreo stuffed with Oreos. Dubbed “the Most OREO OREO,” the cookie is made with the usual chocolate wafers, filled (to the “Most Stuf” extreme) with a creme that has Oreo bits mixed in, for a meta cookies-n-creme experience. Martha Stewart with the Most Oreo Oreo. On Monday, Stewart and McCallister will share their Oreoverse experiences on Oreo’s social media channels.

☆ These companies reporting next week have a history of beating analysts' estimates
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( Sarah Min | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Investors navigating a tough earnings season in the week ahead can stick to several stocks with a history of beating earnings expectations, according to Bespoke Investment Group. Of the 56 S & P 500 companies that have reported so far, about 69% have surprised to the upside, while 31% missed expectations, according to FactSet data. cookie maker posted positive earnings per share surprises 83% of the time out of 41 prior reports, and positive sales surprises 56% of the time. Meanwhile, computer peripherals maker Logitech has surpassed earnings expectations 75% of the time, and sales expectations 67% of the time, in 69 prior reports. Logitech has raised guidance just 1% of the time, however.

☆ Pitch Decks That Advertising Tech Startups Used to Raise Millions
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( Business Insider | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +19 min

Check out these pitch decks that they've used to sell their vision and raise millions from private equity and VC investors. Blocking ad fraudAdtech startup Lunio, announced a $15 million Series A funding round in September 2022. In May 2022, the software-as-a-service startup raised a $30 million Series B round, led by Insight Partners. Marketing in the metaverseAnima, an augmented-reality startup, raised a $3 million funding round from investors in Janury. He raised $50 million in Series D after closing a $34 million Series C last year, bringing its total raised to $100 million.

☆ Kabosu: 'Doge' meme shiba inu is seriously ill with leukemia
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( Tara Mulholland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Hong Kong CNN —Kabosu, the internet-famous dog who inspired the “doge” meme and influenced digital culture for a decade, is seriously ill with leukemia and liver disease. While Sato said Kabosu’s appetite had returned, she had previously blogged that the dog was moving around less, and more slowly. It reached a peak value of more than $400 in 2014, and is considered the first “meme coin” or satire of cryptocurrency. After it raised funds for the Ukrainian military, the country’s Ministry of Defense tweeted its thanks with a photoshopped image of a shiba inu in fatigues. In Sato’s most recent posts about Kabosu, she said the dog was “in a very dangerous condition” and appeared to be jaundiced, but was also taking antibiotics.

“I Wanna Dance with Somebody” suffers from thin dialogue and predictability — dull trappings intrinsic to biopics. Naomi Ackie as Whitney Houston in "I Wanna Dance with Somebody." To wit: Whitney Houston was a Black woman — ate Black, slept Black, lived Black, cried Black, walked Black and died Black. The most peculiar aspect of this criticism is the fact that nearly all American music is Black music. While Houston has mostly elided criticism that she wasn’t Black enough or didn’t make Black music, the spirit of this indictment lives on today.

☆ Dairy Queen is one of Warren Buffett's most-famous businesses. CEO Troy Bader laid out the benefits of Berkshire Hathaway's ownership, and explained how he's navigating the pandemic, inflation, and ne
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( Theron Mohamed | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway acquired Dairy Queen for nearly $600 million in 1998. Dairy Queen CEO Troy Bader told Insider that Berkshire's ownership lets him invest for the long run. Bader explained how Dairy Queen has dealt with the pandemic, inflation, and new customer demands. "What he feels is really what we see with so many of our customers, who have this different connection with Dairy Queen." Higher prices, less moneyInflation is dealing a one-two punch to Dairy Queen by raising its costs and squeezing its customers, Bader said.

☆ Mondelez to sell gum business in developed markets for $1.35 bln
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Dec 19 (Reuters) - Oreo maker Mondelez International Inc (MDLZ.O) said on Monday it had agreed to sell its gum business, including brands such as Trident and Dentyne, in the United States, Canada and Europe to Perfetti Van Melle Group for $1.35 billion. Perfetti Van Melle, the European gum and confectionery maker behind brands such as Mentos, Alpenliebe and Chupa Chups, will also acquire Mondelez's manufacturing facilities in Rockford, Illinois and Skarbimierz, Poland. Mondelez put its developed markets gum unit, which also includes brands such as Bubbaloo and Bubblicious, under a strategic review after demand took a severe hit during the COVID-19 lockdowns. The company said it will continue to operate its gum business outside the United States, Canada and Europe. The parties have entered into exclusive arrangements for the sale of the business in the country, it said.

☆ Fed Rate Increases Upended Funding Markets in 2022. Here’s What CFOs Can Expect in 2023.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Nina Trentmann | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +9 min

Here’s a look at how different financing instruments fared in 2022 and what’s ahead for 2023. Activity in the convertible debt market has picked up in recent weeks. Still, there could be financing opportunities for deals in 2023 in the form of syndicated loans, bankers said. “CFOs have to be aware of that and focus on cash conversion and margins,” he said, pointing to the increase in financing costs. “We expect deals will continue to get done,” he said, adding that those could however come with more oversight from lenders.

☆ Finding low volatility stocks that generate income for what's likely to be another tumultuous year
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Michelle Fox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

With 2023 expected to be another rocky year for the stock market, investors may find shelter in low volatility names that produce income. JPMorgan is expecting the S & P 500 to retest this year's lows and Morgan Stanley strategist Mike Wilson believes earnings will shrink 15% to 20% next year. They also have a dividend yield greater than 2% and at least 60% of the analysts covering them rate the stocks a buy, according to FactSet. The companies are all the S & P 1500 and have at least 5 analysts covering them. Some 74% of analysts covering the stock give it a buy rating.

☆ December is the month for eating all the cookies
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-10 | by ( Casey Barber | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Editor’s Note: Food writer Casey Barber says December is the month for baking cookies. Freezing cookies can also help save time in the long run by allowing you to start your holiday baking early. Lin makes cookies weeks in advance of his parties and thaws them at room temperature up to two days before an event. If you are short on timeBar cookies are Lin’s secret weapon when it comes to holiday baking. Many cookies, such as Lin’s red velvet crackle cookies, require that the dough be chilled before portioning and rolling, so it’s key to take that into consideration.

☆ With Debt Coming Due, Investment-Grade Companies Are Paying Up, Too
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Nina Trentmann | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +7 min

What’s more, volatile markets have resulted in fewer opportunities for companies to sell their debt. Investment-grade U.S. companies have between $550 billion and $750 billion coming due per year from 2023 through 2027, according to Goldman Sachs Group Inc., with about $59 billion left to pay off or refinance in 2022. Of the $615.54 billion, $504.31 billion were new issuances, compared to $111.23 billion in refinancings, Dealogic said. But investor demand for bonds has been stronger in recent days, leading Amazon.com Inc. and others with near-term debt coming due to the market. Among the businesses that recently took out bond debt at a higher cost is retail giant Walmart Inc.

☆ Consumers are looking to chocolate, Oreos, and Twinkies to 'not feel terrible all the time' — Hershey, Hostess, and Mondelez are cashing in
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Consumers are buying more chocolate and cookies as recession fears hang over the economy. But they are still buying smaller pleasures, including sweet treats like cookies and chocolate. Now, many of the same companies are seeing sales of chocolate, cookies, and other sweet snacks rise. "Our products remain an affordable treat for families and consumers," Michele Buck, the CEO of Hershey, told analysts on a call. While consumers cut back spending in many areas, such as travel, sales of lipstick actually grew.

Less than 24 hours after implementing new gray "official" checkmark tags to some prominent Twitter accounts, platform owner Elon Musk has decided to remove them. But by noon on Wednesday, Musk tweeted to a user that he had decided to “kill” those checkmarks. The "official" checkmarks quickly disappeared. Crawford then clarified that the "official" checkmarks would still be used in the future but that they would be initially focused on adding them to "government and commercial entities." “Please note that Twitter will do lots of dumb things in coming months,” Musk tweeted Wednesday.

☆ Oreo maker Mondelez pulls ads off Twitter, citing hate speech -CEO
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Jessica Dinapoli | Thomson Reuters | New York-Based Reporter Covering U.S. Consumer Products Spanning Paper Towels To Packaged Food | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

"What we’ve seen recently since the change on Twitter has been announced, is the amount of hate speech increase significantly," Van de Put said. Twitter last week laid off half its workforce as advertisers pulled spending amid concerns about content moderation. Twitter, which has lost many members of its communications team, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Van de Put added that Mondelez, which makes Cadbury and Milka chocolates, is expecting a strong holiday season. Reporting by Jessica DiNapoli in New York Editing by Matthew LewisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Gilead, Kite in process of pausing Twitter advertising
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Nov 7 (Reuters) - Gilead Sciences Inc (GILD.O) said on Monday the company and its unit Kite were in the "process of pausing advertising" on Twitter, after Elon Musk completed his takeover of the social media company. In a statement to Reuters, Gilead said it was monitoring its advertising spend and waiting to better understand how community standards and content moderation will be handled on Twitter now. Gilead joins a growing list of U.S. companies, including General Motors (GM.N) and General Mills (GIS.N), who have either paused or are in the process of re-evaluating advertising on the social media platform. Last week, the Wall Street Journal reported Oreo maker Mondelez International Inc (MDLZ.O) and U.S. drugmaker Pfizer Inc (PFE.N) had also temporarily halted advertising with Twitter. Reporting by Bhanvi Satija and Raghav Mahobe in Bengaluru; Editing by Krishna Chandra EluriOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Why Costco, Trader Joe's stopped selling your favorites
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-05 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Fans run social media accounts dedicated to tracking discontinued products at Trader Joe’s, and others blog about long-lost items at Costco. “We understand that it can be disappointing — devastating, even,” Trader Joe’s says on its “discontinued product feedback” contact page for customers. There are several reasons Trader Joe’s, Costco (COST) and other stores suddenly stop selling customer favorites. Also, for stores like Costco and Trader Joe’s, discontinuing items can reinforce the treasure hunt-like appeal of these stores. One major factor: It’s difficult to get shelf space inside Trader Joe’s and Costco and stay there.

☆ Factbox: Twitter 2.0: Musk warns of bankruptcy, flip-flops on blue check mark in chaotic start
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File PhotoNov 18 (Reuters) - Twitter has had a bumpy ride since new owner Elon Musk took charge last month. Twitter has also cut staff by half, while Musk has raised the possibility of the social media platform going bankrupt. read more read more* ROLLS OUT $8 SERVICETwitter on Nov. 5 launches an $8 subscription service that gives the user a verified blue check mark and other features. read more* WARNS OF BANKRUPTCYOn his first mass call with employees, Musk raised the possibility of the social media platform going bankrupt, Bloomberg News reported. read more* RELAUNCH $8 SERVICE ON NOV. 29On Nov. 15, Musk said the sought-after blue check subscription service will be relaunched on Nov. 29, a minor delay from his initial tentative timeline.

☆ Companies are suspending ads on Twitter after Elon Musk's takeover. Here's the full list of brands pressing pause on advertising.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( Beatrice Nolan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

"As always, we will continue to monitor this new direction and evaluate our marketing spend," a spokesperson for General Mills told The Wall Street Journal. As is normal course of business with a significant change in a media platform, we have temporarily paused our paid advertising. VolkswagenVolkswagen has reportedly taken similar steps and pulled its ads from the social media platform, per The Wall Street Journal's anonymous sources. Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty ImagesAccording to the report, Oreo maker Mondelez International has also suspended advertising on Twitter for the time being. Interpublic GroupMajor advertising agency Interpublic Group has also advised clients to pause spending on Twitter advertising during the company's "chaotic" interim.

☆ General Mills, Audi and Pfizer Join Growing List of Companies Pausing Twitter Ads
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Suzanne Vranica | Patience Haggin | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Food company General Mills Inc., Oreo maker Mondelez International Inc., Pfizer Inc. and Volkswagen AG’s Audi are among a growing list of brands that have temporarily paused their Twitter advertising in the wake of the takeover of the company by Elon Musk, according to people familiar with the matter. Some advertisers are concerned that Mr. Musk could scale back content moderation, which they worry would lead to an increase in objectionable content on the platform. Others are temporarily halting their ads because of the uncertainty at the company as top executives exit and Mr. Musk considers a raft of changes, some of the people said.

☆ Cheerios maker General Mills, Audi of America pause advertising on Twitter
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Packages of Cheerios, a brand owned by General Mills, are seen in a store in Manhattan, New York, U.S., November 12, 2021. REUTERS/Andrew KellyNov 3 (Reuters) - General Mills Inc (GIS.N) and Luxury automaker Audi of America said on Thursday they have paused advertising on Twitter, days after the social media platform was acquired by billionaire Elon Musk for $44 billion. "We will continue to monitor this new direction and evaluate our marketing spend," a General Mills spokesperson said. Audi of America, the Herndon, Virginia-based U.S. unit of Audi - a Volkswagen Group (VOWG_p.DE) brand - said it would "continue to evaluate the situation." The two companies join top U.S. automaker General Motors Co (GM.N), which last week said it had temporarily halted paid advertising on Twitter.

☆ Mondelez International Raises Outlook Despite Lower Profits
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( Kathryn Hardison | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Mondelez International Inc. raised its full-year outlook as consumers continue to absorb higher prices for its snacks, though extra costs took a chunk out of its bottom-line in the third quarter. The Chicago-based maker of Oreo cookies and Triscuit crackers said sales rose 8.1% to $7.76 billion in the latest quarter, driven by higher pricing and volume. It also started to log sales following its acquisitions of energy bar marker Clif Bar & Co. and baked goods company Chipita Global S.A., deals valued at $2.9 billion and $2 billion respectively.

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