Dollar General reports better-than-expected Q4 earnings
By Ashesha Mehrotra Variety store chain Dollar General Corp.’s stock surged 10.6 percent after the company reported higher earnings based on rising sales of such items as candy and snacks, tobacco and perishables. In the quarter ended Jan. 29, the Tennessee-based company’s net income rose to $376.2 million, or $1.30 per diluted share, from $355.4 million, or $1.17 per share, […]
Serving Curiosity
By Ashesha Mehrotra The human race is born curious. But when answers are valued more than questions, humans forget to ask and be curious. This is exactly where the founding team of Curiosity.com saw a business opportunity. To inspire people, teach them something new everyday is the motto of this online content curation platform that […]
Wear Athleisure at Your Leisure
Ashesha Mehrotra The rise of “athleisure,” a blend of athletic and casual wear, has changed the way American millennial women dress. Women have embraced the comfort and function of movability by wearing active clothing all day, not just to the gym. The increasing uptick in fitness awareness has contributed significantly to making athleisure a preference […]
Walmart expects almost no sales growth this year
By Ashesha Mehrotra Wal-Mart Stores Inc. shares weakened Thursday after the retail giant, citing the impact of a strong dollar and planned store closures, trimmed its sales outlook for the year. In the quarter ended Jan. 31, the Arkansas-based company had net income of $4.5 billion, or $1.43 per diluted share, down from $4.9 billion, […]
Housing starts show unexpected dip in January
Ashesha Mehrotra Construction of new homes unexpectedly dipped in January, as builders dialed back starts of single-family and multi-family homes. Housing starts declined 3.8 percent to a seasonally adjusted 1.1 million annualized rate, a Commerce Department report showed Wednesday. That number fell short of the 1.17 million rate economists surveyed by Bloomberg had been expecting.
Wall Street welcomes Build-A-Bear’s surprise profit
By Ashesha Mehrotra Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc.’s long-hibernating shares moved sharply higher Tuesday, after the retailer of customized stuffed animals reported fourth-quarter profits that significantly topped Wall Street forecasts. For the quarter that ended Jan. 2, the St. Louis-based company reported net income of $20.6 million, or $1.25 a diluted share, up from $11.8 million, or […]
Jobless claims decline as holiday shakeout ends
By Ashesha Mehrotra The number of Americans who filed for unemployment benefits last week dropped to a seven-week low last week, a better-than-expected performance that suggests the labor market is stabilizing after a period of post-holiday layoffs. In the week ended Feb. 6, the U.S. Department of Labor reported Thursday, initial jobless claims declined by […]
Time Warner’s stock tumbles after Q4 release; company tries to play catch-up
By Ashesha Mehrotra Time Warner Inc. stock plummeted 5 percent after the company reported underwhelming fourth-quarter earnings Wednesday, as content and subscription revenue for both HBO and Turner television network dashed Wall Street’s hopes. The stock closed at $60.03, down $3.18.
Brunswick’s operating results strengthen
By Ashesha Mehrotra Brunswick Corp.’s fourth quarter results reflected strengthening underlying profits, masked by negative non-operating factors. In the latest quarter,, the Lake Forest, Ill. based company reported a net loss of $9.3 million, or 10 cents per share, versus a deficit of $4.3 million, or 5 cents a share, in the year-ago period.
Verizon Exceeds Q4 Expectations
By Ashesha Mehrotra Verizon Communications Inc. reported higher-than-expected fourth quarter earnings Thursday, bolstered by an addition of 1.5 million wireless retail postpaid users and hefty tax benefits. The company swung to a profit of $5.51 billion, or $1.32 per diluted common share, from a loss of $2.14 billion, or 54 cents per share, the year-ago quarter. Shares […]
