Kohl’s beats estimates but stock falls
By Richard Foster-Shelton Medill Reports Kohl’s Corp. (NYSE:KSS), based in Menomonee Falls, Wis., reported increases in revenues and net income, exceeding analysts’ expectations, for the fourth quarter ended Feb. 3. But the stock fell. Helped by strong holiday sales, tighter inventory control and a tax benefit, the company reported net income of $468 million, or […]
Abbott buys rights to a vascular balloon, possibly confronting Medtronic
Roxanne (Yanchun) Liu Medill Reports Illinois-based healthcare giant Abbott Laboratories (NYSE: ABT) announced Tuesday that it would pay up to $92 million to secure global commercialization rights for SurVeil, a Minnesota company’s drug-coated vascular balloon designed to treat peripheral artery disease, or PAD, a niche market already occupied by muscular competitors including Medtronic PLC (NYSE: MDT). […]
Japan’s top e-retailer hopes sports sponsorships increase U.S. awareness
By Brian Baker Medill Reports When the defending NBA Champion Golden State Warriors arrive for practice, they arrive at the Rakuten Performance Center in Oakland. When they put on their game jerseys, they put on a jersey with a Rakuten logo. In Spain, FC Barcelona, one of the world’s most recognizable soccer teams, also wears […]
Devastation still evident in Puerto Rico five months after Maria
By Elizabeth Beyer Medill Reports Rolling blackouts and lack of access to running water still plague much of Puerto Rico five months after Hurricane Maria struck the island. Residents of the La Perla neighborhood of San Juan fear they will be left out of plans to rebuild the electric delivery system entirely. That threatens to leave the community on its […]
Can robots solve the aging problem in Japan’s work force?
By Minghe Hu Medill Reports It’s getting hard for employers to find qualified workers in Japan, and a rapidly aging society is the reason for the worker shortage. Robots may help. In September 2017, 28 percent of the population was over 65 years old, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications of Japan. […]
Bringing 18th century elegance to the 21st century
By Loumay Alesali Medill Reports Antique furniture restoration is the business that Ziggy Osak started after turning his hobby into a passionate career. He opened his first workshop at his home garage in Evanston in 1984, then started his first shop on Main Street in Evanston in 1987. The store is named Evanstonia because Osak […]
Vending machines fill in for a labor shortage in Japan
By Xinyi (Ethel) Jiang Medill Reports Tourists are often surprised by the large number of vending machines in Japan. “When you are thirsty, you always have something to drink, because there are vending machines for everything,” said visitor Angelica Spadaro. There are more than 5.5 million vending machines in Japan — one for every 23 […]
Learning to prepare Western cuisine helps immigrants build careers
By Serena Yeh Medill Reports Less than a year ago, Daisy Cao moved to Chicago from the Chinese city of Wenzhou with her husband and two kids. From working as an assistant manager in an international travel service firm there and then making the transition to being a housewife and cooking daily here, Cao realized […]
Poised for the prowl: Black Panther’s box office attack continues
By DeForest Mapp Medill Reports Superhero King T’Challa led the multitudes to “Black Panther” for two consecutive weekends. The blockbuster topped attendance at any other movie with a domestic gross of $400 million and shattered previous earnings records for a film that showcased a majority African American cast. “Black Panther” made gold for a Marvel gamble that debuted on […]
Annual “sleepout” raises money and awareness for homeless
By Cade Shultice Medill Reports More than 20 people camped outside Church of Our Saviour in Lincoln Park on Friday night for the fourth annual Sleepout for Homelessness. During the sleepout, participants slept outside in the cold to raise funds for Care For Friends, an organization that provides services for Chicago’s homeless. Participants also got […]