Retail Sales: The March Shopping Boycott [View article]
Still i think that having monthly retail sales $184-185 billion range would be decent, and that doesn't seem to far off. Prior to the Financial Crisis things were really overheated, mainly due to individuals buying items with money they didn't have (ie credit cards). If these are the numbers that we get with people being frugal, than I would say that is a good thing.
I would like to see a chart of retail sales of JUST gasoline and see how that looks over time.
The fact that this is the slowest recovery on record is due to the fact the Bush dug us a whole so vast and so deep, it will take an extra amount of time than usual to crawl out of it.
Roosevelt was in the same situation thanks to Hoover and it took 10 years to get the economy back to fuel steam.
Here we are at year 5, and things are definately better, and still improving.
Weekly Unemployment Claims: Down Another 10,000 [View article]
Granted the population is much larger than it was in the 70's what do you think is a healthy level for Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims? (~300,000?)
Consumer Inflation Running At A 2% To 2.5% Rate [View article]
Point is that if we are under potential GDP we need to lessen Monetary policy, decrease rates so that it adds money to the system. Once we are above potential GDP, we will want to increase monetary policy by taking more money out of the system; in effect decreasing rapid inflation. We are still below GDP so increase interest rates is not in America's best interest.
McDonald's Profit Margins Are Going Down [View article]
How can they get more fat in a burger than they already have. Higher price for lower quality product. Ya i can see it dropping. Companies like this make money on volume, if the price increases just a bit it really hurts margins. The term "cut away the fat" dosen't seem to be applying here.
Cattle stocks are at a record low for the first time in 60 years. The four year drought that more than likely will continue, restricts the availability of cheap feed. A massive slaughter house in Texas has already closed. The fact is the the cow is the most inefficient animal out there with a bio-mass conversion rate of 50%. Also, cattle uses a large amount of water. 1000 liters to produce one pattie. As time progresses the cost of beef is going to go up as it is now and reduce margins to all fast food joints. (Maybe they will substitute pork..) Food for thought
McDonald's Profit Margins Are Going Down [View article]
Currently the amount of cattle in the states is at a 60 year low, due to the four year drought. How will this impact McDonalds sales when hamburger gets more and more expensive?
Canada reports a blowout payroll number, adding 40K jobs vs. an estimated of 5K. The unemployment rate slips to a 4-year low of 7.1% vs. 7.3% expected. This follows November's even-bigger blowout job gains of 59.3K. The loonie gains about half a cent vs. the greenback, now buying $1.0142. [View news story]
Ya but in October there was only like 5000 jobs created...so the average is less.
Canada's health care system is funded through many different systems. British Columbia has a health premium paid monthly, where as some Provincies have a payroll tax. Others have health care tax levies on employeers. Its different right across the country. I live in BC so my costs are 64 dollars a month. The rest is funded by the Province, which is running huge deficits. However, its nice to know i won't go bankrupt if i get in a car accident and require massive sugeries. Its also nice that i don't have deductables to get treatment.
This biggest problem i see with BEst buy is that there are two many stores in a city. I live in Canada where they bought the "FUTURE SHOP" chain which in my opinon is a better store because they sell appliances as well. (stoves,fridges etc) Thing is they have a "BEST BUY" less than a hundred yards from a "FUTURE SHOP" What idiot in their right mind would double the rent and the payroll and put two stores of exactly the same nature owned by the same company side by side? In another part of town they have another two stores 5 mins drive from each other. It obvious having this many stores in a town is too much to maximize profits. Downsizing is exactly what they should do as it would concentrate their sales to one or two stores. That is what i would do if i was the CEO and i bet it would really affect their bottom line.
Super Media Is Best Of The Yellow Pages: Management Does Matter [View article]
I guess the question remains is that who uses print anymore. Telephone books are a dying breed. Granted online is increasing but not at the rate that print is decreasing. What was it 50 million drop in print revenue to 4 million increase in online. That is a major contrast.
I do feel that if the creditors do give yellow media the time to transform into an online entity they have every reason to survive, but all this negative press could have an effect on people used yellow media for advertising.
Yellow Media's Improved Prospects: Share Price Decline a Boon for Investors [View article]
Grant if you look at the numbers Yellow makes 350 million in online revenue a year. That represents 30% of their annual income. If they go to 50% the company will survive. This number started low and has increased 10% perecent per year.
April Home Sales Highest For The Month In 6 Years, Median Sales Price Highest In 5 Years [View article]
Retail Sales: The March Shopping Boycott [View article]
I would like to see a chart of retail sales of JUST gasoline and see how that looks over time.
Why Is Everyone So Gloomy? [View article]
Roosevelt was in the same situation thanks to Hoover and it took 10 years to get the economy back to fuel steam.
Here we are at year 5, and things are definately better, and still improving.
Claims Data Say The Recovery Is Very Real [View article]
Weekly Unemployment Claims: Down Another 10,000 [View article]
Consumer Inflation Running At A 2% To 2.5% Rate [View article]
Consumer Inflation Running At A 2% To 2.5% Rate [View article]
Groupon (GRPN): Q4 GAAP EPS of -$0.12 misses by $0.15. Revenue of $638.3M (+30% Y/Y) in-line. Gross billings +24% Y/Y to $1.52B. Expects Q1 revenue of $560M-$610M, below $650.3M consensus. Expects Q1 operating income of -$10M to $10M. Shares -25.8% AH. (PR) [View news story]
McDonald's Profit Margins Are Going Down [View article]
January Retail Sales Warning [View article]
Food for thought
McDonald's Profit Margins Are Going Down [View article]
Canada reports a blowout payroll number, adding 40K jobs vs. an estimated of 5K. The unemployment rate slips to a 4-year low of 7.1% vs. 7.3% expected. This follows November's even-bigger blowout job gains of 59.3K. The loonie gains about half a cent vs. the greenback, now buying $1.0142. [View news story]
Canada's health care system is funded through many different systems. British Columbia has a health premium paid monthly, where as some Provincies have a payroll tax. Others have health care tax levies on employeers. Its different right across the country. I live in BC so my costs are 64 dollars a month. The rest is funded by the Province, which is running huge deficits. However, its nice to know i won't go bankrupt if i get in a car accident and require massive sugeries. Its also nice that i don't have deductables to get treatment.
Best Buy: A Heck Of A Miss [View article]
Super Media Is Best Of The Yellow Pages: Management Does Matter [View article]
I do feel that if the creditors do give yellow media the time to transform into an online entity they have every reason to survive, but all this negative press could have an effect on people used yellow media for advertising.
Yellow Media's Improved Prospects: Share Price Decline a Boon for Investors [View article]
What is you feel of this Patrick?