Williams-Sonoma helped by West Elm brand, hurt by PBteen

By Sarah Very Shares of Williams-Sonoma Inc. tumbled Thursday as disappointed investors responded to lower-than-expected earnings caused by softening performance at the retailer’s Pottery Barn brand. The San Francisco, Calif.-based specialty home goods retailer, parent of the Pottery Barn and West Elm brands, said net income fell 4 percent to $141.1 million, or $1.55 per […]

Single-family homes boost February housing starts

By Sarah Very Construction of new homes jumped unexpectedly in February to their highest level in five months, bolstered by a spike in single-family home-building. Housing starts jumped 5.2 percent in February to a seasonally adjusted 1.18 million annualized rate, outpacing January’s upwardly restated 1.12 million pace, the U.S. Commerce Department said Wednesday. This outperformed […]

Can you sit and stay fit?

By Sony Kassam and Sarah Very Three University of Chicago graduates want to change the way people think about health in the workplace. Frustrated by the lack of affordable and accessible workplace fitness options during their summer internships and post-graduate jobs, Arnav Dalmia, Shivani Jain and Ryota Sekine decided to take matters into their own […]

Black Diamond reports year-end loss, plans to shake up operations

By Sarah Very Despite a one-time charge that stifled its bottom line, Black Diamond Inc. turned in results Monday that bested Wall Street estimates, and unveiled plans for a major corporate restructuring. The Salt Lake City, UT-based maker and marketer of equipment and apparel for climbing, mountaineering, backpacking and skiing reported a loss of $20.7 […]

Bohemian House enjoys early success despite competitive food scene

By Sarah Very and Sony Kassam Dan Powell and Markus Chwajol met late one night in a neurosurgical operating room. Little did they know they would become best friends and business partners – founding their own Bohemian restaurant and taking its annual revenue to $2.6 million in under two years. Embellished with brightly colored tiles and European-inspired […]

The holidays come late for Macy’s Inc.

By Sarah Very Despite unfavorable weather conditions and stiff competition from online retailers during the holiday season, Macy’s Inc. turned in better-than-expected year-end earnings Tuesday. The Cincinnati, OH-based retailer, which also operates the upscale Bloomingdale’s, said net income sank in the fourth quarter ended Jan. 30 to $544 million, or $1.73 per diluted share, from […]

Core consumer prices on the rise in January

By Sarah Very While easing energy costs kept consumer prices in check last month, inflation rates for goods other than food and energy moved higher in January – raising questions as to how the Federal Reserve will respond. The Bureau of Labor statistics said Friday that the Consumer Price Index remained unchanged in January on […]

Garmin stock soars as results top forecasts

By Sarah Very Shares of Garmin Ltd. surged Wednesday after the company reported fourth quarter results that dramatically bested Wall Street expectations. The Switzerland-based provider of GPS navigation technology said net income sank 37 percent to $132.4 million, or 70 cents per diluted share, from $210.2 million, or $1.09 per diluted share, in the year-earlier […]

CVS reports healthy fourth quarter

By Sarah Very CVS Health Corp. turned in fourth quarter results that matched Wall Street expectations, as recent acquisitions and growth in its retail and pharmacy-services businesses bolstered revenue at the second largest drugstore chain. In the latest quarter, the Woonsocket, Rhode Island company reported net income of $1.5 billion, or $1.34 per diluted share, […]

Analysts predict strong earnings for Zimmer Biomet post-acquisition

By Sarah Very The hub of orthopedic innovation exists in Lilliputian, quaint Warsaw, Ind. — where news of corporate mergers and artificial joints fills radio broadcasts and coffee shop smalltalk. On June 24, 2015, Zimmer Inc. acquired crosstown rival Biomet Inc. for $13.35 billion — positioning Zimmer Biomet Holdings Inc. as the second largest company […]