Fox Broadcasting (NWS, NWSA) files a motion in federal court seeking a ban on Dish Network's (DISH) ad-skipping feature. The network says it would lose significant revenue if Dish and competitors are allowed to provide the service to their customers. [View news story]
Advertising is a necessary evil. Without this we would all have to pay considerably more to view. If this feature was readily available then there would be no point in advertising. Also, when else would one go and make a coffee !!
Spain expects to use approximately €60B of the €100B available for its bank rescue, Economy Minister Luis de Guindos tells the NYT. De Guindos also says that the government could commit to stronger fiscal measures if the ECB were to buy its bonds. He expresses confidence about the property market as well, saying that in some areas, there's even scarcity. [View news story]
" He expresses confidence about the property market as well, saying that in some areas, there's even scarcity. " Try telling this to the thousands of property owners in Spain who are having to price their houses well below market value to even have a hope of getting a viewing, never mind a sale. What about all the half built houses and apartments that are scarring the landscape and will probably never get finished. Good luck with that piece of optimism Sr Guindos
After two years of trying, Hertz (HTZ) is set to acquire Dollar Thrifty (DTG) in a deal worth $2.3B. The price of $87.50/share represents a premium of 8% on the latter's close of $81 on Friday. To help obtain the blessing of regulators, Hertz also agrees to sell its Advantage Rent-A-Car unit to Franchise Services of North America and Macquarie Capital for a reported $16M. (PR) [View news story]
So it's taken three long years but HTZ have finally reached agreement. This should give them a huge boost in the European markets now providing both top of the range rental vehicles plus budget ones. That in addition to the extra airport franchises should make them a force to be reckoned with.
The debate about whether or not raising taxes on the rich would increase government revenue, is "beside the point," writes John Carney on CNBC. The real reason to hike taxes is to fight inflation, but if and when it exists, the measure possibly wouldn't cure that problem either. "The proposals to raise taxes on the wealthy just don’t add up," Carney writes. [View news story]
The wealthy need to pay taxes the same as the rest of us. The more they earn - the more they pay. That is fair. However, overtax them and they leave and go somewhere where they can pay less tax therefore to the detriment of the original country. We all accept that taxes are a necessary evil so long as they are wisely spent - but don't chase away the wealthy.
Electronic cigarettes, which contain electronic tubes that produce nicotine vapor to simulate the effects of smoking, don't appear to be as harmful to the heart as real cigarettes, a small-scale study has found. The results should be positive for manufacturers of the battery-powered products, including Lorillard (LO). [View news story]
Great so now there is a ' more healthy ' way to smoke. Excellent - but does it carry the same kudos of puffing away on a real one. Can kids show off to their friends ? Can they say - hey - have one of mine ? I sincerely hope this works as addiction is a terrible thing. Recent surveys show that children start smoking as young as 8 years old. Surely it's time for some serious education for children rather than giving them something else to puff on but where would be the profits in that.
Patients are facing costs of thousands of dollars to replace leads that connect St. Jude's (STJ) Riata defibrillators to the heart after the leads were recalled in December. While St. Jude will provide a replacement, patients formally have to pay for travel, hotel and the substitute if the product comes from another company. However, St. Jude has been known to foot the bill when asked. [View news story]
It would appear that these leads are also used to connect catheters and heart stents, etc. These products are faulty and are putting people's lives at risk. To replace them with something safe should not have to come down to whether a patient can afford it or not. Come on St. Jude - step up to the mark here.
As with the meeting between Angela Merkel and Greek PM Antonis Samaras, the latter's get-together with Francois Hollande yesterday produced the usual platitudes and some fantasy too: Hollande wants Greece to stay in the euro but says the country must get its act together (or words to that effect), "while making sure that it is tolerable for the population." Should Greeks laugh or cry? [View news story]
A quote from Mr Samaras that was printed in the New York Times, “I want to switch from being a country of red tape to one of a red carpet for investors. If someone is considering investing millions of euros in Greece and you think you’ll get back drachmas, then no one will come.” How very true but I wonder if Mr Hollande is worried about the same thing for France if the EU collapsed. What about all the EU subsidies that France receives !!
A sign of things to come? Upscale U.K. grocer Waitrose reports a 10.2% gain in total sales, led by a 55% jump in deliveries off of a rush of online orders with the Olympics in full swing. In the U.S., Whole Foods Market (WFM) has been dabbling with home delivery of groceries, with densely-populated areas such as Boston and L.A. a focus. [View news story]
Home delivery is the best thing since sliced bread for busy people. I have been using it for years in the UK. No more struggling around a busy supermarket. No more standing in line for an age at the checkout. Then best of all it gets delivered to your door and brought into your kitchen - and all for a fiver. I just wonder when they will also include the driver putting the stuff away for you.
Netflix (NFLX) exec Ted Sararndos defends the company against accusations that it's spending too much in the hotly-contested U.K. video-on-demand market. Sarandos notes the company adopted the same policy in the U.S. in order to grab the rights for engaging online content and gain an edge. [View news story]
I still don't think the UK market is sustainable. I have spoken to many people in the UK who are ' giving it a go ', but no one as yet has said ' wow '. Only time will tell and if they can be the cheapest provider they may have a chance.
A delayed thought on the Square-Starbucks linkup: Though Square has been the one grabbing most of the kudos emanating out its announced partnership with Starbucks (SBUX +1.5%), don't overlook the impact the deal could have for the coffee chain's bottom line. Every time a customers pays with the Square smartphone app, Starbucks saves a little on credit card processing fees. It could also speed up lines at busy stores if the app's hands-free feature is utilized. [View news story]
I am sure that this will be a success for Starbucks/Square but I wonder how many of their customers, like me, will just continue either using their Starbucks card or debit card. Unless, when you use Square to pay there is a discount, then I can't see any advantage. Just call me old fashioned - I don't mind !!!
Retailers are finally catching on to what plus-size women shoppers really want to see in stores, ditching the older-looking loose look for trendier lines. It's a segment increasingly in focus with sales toppling $19.4B and claiming 32% of all women shoppers looking for apparel, according to data from NPD Group. Leading plus-size players: Torrid (HOTT), Limited (LTD), H&M, Lane Bryant (CHRS), and Lucky Brand (LIZ). [View news story]
Obesity is a sign of the times. Too much junk food and not enough exercise. It's no wonder the health service is struggling to cope as obesity causes so many health problems, least of all diabetes and heart disease. The problem is obese parents create obese kids - so the cycle continues.
Honda (HMC -0.3%) sets the hot-selling Toyota Camry in its sights with new models and marketing campaigns designed to topple the vehicle's dominance. The automaker's redesigned Accord midsized sedan offers better fuel-efficiency and new tech toys in a segment where increased competition could bring in lower pricing. [View news story]
The new Honda Accord does indeed look like a very sleek car. They say that the new ' Earth Dream ' engine will give a 10% improvement in fuel economy but there seems to be very little information out there currently as to what the new tec toys will be. I wait with interest.
Housing is showing signs of life, but negative equity hasn't improved, according to Zillow, which reports 30.9% of homeowners underwater in Q2 - up from 30% a year ago. Location, location though ... strip out the Southwest and Florida, and it's looking like a pretty normal market. [View news story]
Negative equity is a problem everywhere. But in the USA prices only rose by 1.3 % in April from March and this was first increase in seven months. This is not going to be enough to remove negative equity for many home owners. The only solution is to sit tight and wait it out. Although in the UK, the trend has been for people to extend their existing homes rather than try and sell to buy something bigger.
A simple ice cream promotion may have been behind Burger King's (BKW +0.5%) sales momentum, according to franchise operator Heartland Food. An offer to customers of $0.50 ice cream cones proved to be an intelligent play by adding traffic and visibility. If the sales pickup continues and store remodels help raise the image of the restaurant chain, Burger King could be on to something after years of lethargy. [View news story]
The sky's the limit nowadays. What with Starbucks trying out wine and beers are certain outlets. But ice cream is a necessity not a luxury. A definite must after a burgher and fries.
The Olympics bounce didn't materialize after all as an index of retail sales in the U.K. drops to its lowest level in four months. Even more alarming, the report from the Confederation of British Industry tips off that retailers expect business conditions to "deteriorate significantly" over the next three months with the weakest sentiment since February 2009 on display. [View news story]
What statisticians seem to ignore is the fact that during the Olympics tourists stayed away. London was virtually impossible to get around and people who came where there to watch the Games - not shop. Some hotels say that they were as much as 50% down and many smaller shops wonder if they can recover because trade continues to be down. Londoners need the summer tourist trade. The Olympic Games was no substitute.
Fox Broadcasting (NWS, NWSA) files a motion in federal court seeking a ban on Dish Network's (DISH) ad-skipping feature. The network says it would lose significant revenue if Dish and competitors are allowed to provide the service to their customers. [View news story]
Spain expects to use approximately €60B of the €100B available for its bank rescue, Economy Minister Luis de Guindos tells the NYT. De Guindos also says that the government could commit to stronger fiscal measures if the ECB were to buy its bonds. He expresses confidence about the property market as well, saying that in some areas, there's even scarcity. [View news story]
After two years of trying, Hertz (HTZ) is set to acquire Dollar Thrifty (DTG) in a deal worth $2.3B. The price of $87.50/share represents a premium of 8% on the latter's close of $81 on Friday. To help obtain the blessing of regulators, Hertz also agrees to sell its Advantage Rent-A-Car unit to Franchise Services of North America and Macquarie Capital for a reported $16M. (PR) [View news story]
The debate about whether or not raising taxes on the rich would increase government revenue, is "beside the point," writes John Carney on CNBC. The real reason to hike taxes is to fight inflation, but if and when it exists, the measure possibly wouldn't cure that problem either. "The proposals to raise taxes on the wealthy just don’t add up," Carney writes. [View news story]
Electronic cigarettes, which contain electronic tubes that produce nicotine vapor to simulate the effects of smoking, don't appear to be as harmful to the heart as real cigarettes, a small-scale study has found. The results should be positive for manufacturers of the battery-powered products, including Lorillard (LO). [View news story]
I sincerely hope this works as addiction is a terrible thing. Recent surveys show that children start smoking as young as 8 years old. Surely it's time for some serious education for children rather than giving them something else to puff on but where would be the profits in that.
Patients are facing costs of thousands of dollars to replace leads that connect St. Jude's (STJ) Riata defibrillators to the heart after the leads were recalled in December. While St. Jude will provide a replacement, patients formally have to pay for travel, hotel and the substitute if the product comes from another company. However, St. Jude has been known to foot the bill when asked. [View news story]
As with the meeting between Angela Merkel and Greek PM Antonis Samaras, the latter's get-together with Francois Hollande yesterday produced the usual platitudes and some fantasy too: Hollande wants Greece to stay in the euro but says the country must get its act together (or words to that effect), "while making sure that it is tolerable for the population." Should Greeks laugh or cry? [View news story]
“I want to switch from being a country of red tape to one of a red carpet for investors. If someone is considering investing millions of euros in Greece and you think you’ll get back drachmas, then no one will come.” How very true but I wonder if Mr Hollande is worried about the same thing for France if the EU collapsed. What about all the EU subsidies that France receives !!
A sign of things to come? Upscale U.K. grocer Waitrose reports a 10.2% gain in total sales, led by a 55% jump in deliveries off of a rush of online orders with the Olympics in full swing. In the U.S., Whole Foods Market (WFM) has been dabbling with home delivery of groceries, with densely-populated areas such as Boston and L.A. a focus. [View news story]
Netflix (NFLX) exec Ted Sararndos defends the company against accusations that it's spending too much in the hotly-contested U.K. video-on-demand market. Sarandos notes the company adopted the same policy in the U.S. in order to grab the rights for engaging online content and gain an edge. [View news story]
A delayed thought on the Square-Starbucks linkup: Though Square has been the one grabbing most of the kudos emanating out its announced partnership with Starbucks (SBUX +1.5%), don't overlook the impact the deal could have for the coffee chain's bottom line. Every time a customers pays with the Square smartphone app, Starbucks saves a little on credit card processing fees. It could also speed up lines at busy stores if the app's hands-free feature is utilized. [View news story]
Retailers are finally catching on to what plus-size women shoppers really want to see in stores, ditching the older-looking loose look for trendier lines. It's a segment increasingly in focus with sales toppling $19.4B and claiming 32% of all women shoppers looking for apparel, according to data from NPD Group. Leading plus-size players: Torrid (HOTT), Limited (LTD), H&M, Lane Bryant (CHRS), and Lucky Brand (LIZ). [View news story]
Honda (HMC -0.3%) sets the hot-selling Toyota Camry in its sights with new models and marketing campaigns designed to topple the vehicle's dominance. The automaker's redesigned Accord midsized sedan offers better fuel-efficiency and new tech toys in a segment where increased competition could bring in lower pricing. [View news story]
Housing is showing signs of life, but negative equity hasn't improved, according to Zillow, which reports 30.9% of homeowners underwater in Q2 - up from 30% a year ago. Location, location though ... strip out the Southwest and Florida, and it's looking like a pretty normal market. [View news story]
A simple ice cream promotion may have been behind Burger King's (BKW +0.5%) sales momentum, according to franchise operator Heartland Food. An offer to customers of $0.50 ice cream cones proved to be an intelligent play by adding traffic and visibility. If the sales pickup continues and store remodels help raise the image of the restaurant chain, Burger King could be on to something after years of lethargy. [View news story]
The Olympics bounce didn't materialize after all as an index of retail sales in the U.K. drops to its lowest level in four months. Even more alarming, the report from the Confederation of British Industry tips off that retailers expect business conditions to "deteriorate significantly" over the next three months with the weakest sentiment since February 2009 on display. [View news story]