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Jefferies Group LLC Reaffirms “Buy” Rating for Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc. (SPB)
Jefferies Group LLC reaffirmed their buy rating on shares of Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:SPB) in a research note released on Thursday morning. Jefferies Group LLC currently has a $142.00 price objective on the stock.
A number of other equities research analysts have also weighed in on the stock. Royal Bank Of Canada set a $155.00 target price on shares of Spectrum Brands Holdings and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Friday, July 28th. KeyCorp set a $130.00 target price on shares of Spectrum Brands Holdings and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Monday, October 16th. Wells Fargo & Company reaffirmed an outperform rating and set a $125.00 target price (down previously from $147.00) on shares of Spectrum Brands Holdings in a research note on Tuesday, October 31st. BidaskClub raised shares of Spectrum Brands Holdings from a strong sell rating to a sell rating in a research note on Saturday, August 26th. Finally, Canaccord Genuity reaffirmed a buy rating on shares of Spectrum Brands Holdings in a research note on Wednesday. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have issued a hold rating and nine have given a buy rating to the stock. The stock presently has a consensus rating of Buy and a consensus target price of $137.25.
Shares of Spectrum Brands Holdings (NYSE:SPB) traded up $2.89 during trading on Thursday, reaching $112.39. 1,058,934 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 666,770. The company has a market cap of $6,476.59, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.58, a PEG ratio of 1.79 and a beta of 0.75. Spectrum Brands Holdings has a 1-year low of $98.11 and a 1-year high of $146.09. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.24, a quick ratio of 0.95 and a current ratio of 1.88.
Spectrum Brands Holdings (NYSE:SPB) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, November 16th. The company reported $1.35 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.47 by ($0.12). The firm had revenue of $1.32 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.30 billion. Spectrum Brands Holdings had a return on equity of 17.51% and a net margin of 5.91%. Spectrum Brands Holdings’s revenue was up 5.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business earned $1.31 EPS. sell-side analysts expect that Spectrum Brands Holdings will post 6.29 earnings per share for the current year.
TRADEMARK VIOLATION WARNING: This article was originally published by The Cerbat Gem and is the property of of The Cerbat Gem. If you are viewing this article on another publication, it was illegally copied and reposted in violation of United States and international copyright & trademark laws. The original version of this article can be read at https://www.thecerbatgem.com/2017/11/19/jefferies-group-llc-reaffirms-buy-rating-for-spectrum-brands-holdings-inc-spb.html.
The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 19th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, November 28th will be issued a $0.42 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, November 27th. This represents a $1.68 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.49%. Spectrum Brands Holdings’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 33.33%.
Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Livforsakringsbolaget Skandia Omsesidigt purchased a new position in Spectrum Brands Holdings in the second quarter worth about $100,000. Daiwa Securities Group Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Spectrum Brands Holdings by 33.3% during the second quarter. Daiwa Securities Group Inc. now owns 800 shares of the company’s stock valued at $100,000 after purchasing an additional 200 shares during the last quarter. Pacad Investment Ltd. purchased a new position in shares of Spectrum Brands Holdings during the second quarter valued at approximately $113,000. Toronto Dominion Bank raised its holdings in shares of Spectrum Brands Holdings by 244.3% during the third quarter. Toronto Dominion Bank now owns 1,119 shares of the company’s stock valued at $119,000 after purchasing an additional 794 shares during the last quarter. Finally, FNY Partners Fund LP purchased a new position in shares of Spectrum Brands Holdings during the second quarter valued at approximately $187,000. 45.25% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Spectrum Brands Holdings Company Profile
Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc (SB Holdings) is a diversified global consumer products company. The Company manufactures, markets and/or distributes its products in approximately 160 countries in the North America (NA); Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA); Latin America (LATAM), and Asia-Pacific (APAC) regions.
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Jeep Grand Wagoneer Returning Sometime After B-Segment Crossover
Whispers of the Jeep Grand Wagoneer’s return have been floating around for some time now, but official confirmation has finally come from Jeep brass, with CEO Mike Manley speaking about the new model in a Detroit Free Press interview.
Discussing future plans for the brand, Manley outlined his vision for a future B-Segment crossover, which he said will initially be more popular outside the United States than within it. But Manley was optimistic that the small crossover segment, which is booming across the globe, would eventually blossom in America.
Manley also discussed a future flagship product, stating
“And then the nameplate that I would also like to bring back where the majority of the market is in the U.S. and some in the Middle East, is Grand Wagoneer,” Manley said. “I see that at the top end sitting above Grand Cherokee.”
Talk of the Grand Wagoneer also coincides with some rumors that the Durango may disappear from Dodge’s lineup, leaving the Grand Wagoneer as the three-row option for buyers of the Grand Cherokee. The Grand Wagoneer has enjoyed a revival in pop culture as a retro-cool vehicle for the East Coast set, with prices for used example on a steady rise over the last few years.
Earlier this year, Jeep staff visited noted Grand Wagoneer restorer Wagonmasters for a research trip regarding the vehicle and how to maintain authenticity through the next generation. The next Grand Wagoneer, along with the B-Segment Jeep, are expected to bow in 2016.

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Common Goods Store in Crosslake Gets a Makeover
Generous community members are overwhelming a local non-profit with hundreds of donations a week. Their thrift store could not keep up with the surplus of items…until now.
“I hopped in my car this morning and headed right down,” said customer Carrie Espeseth.
That was the feeling for a lot of Crosslake residents this morning as the Commons Goods store was flooded with customers for their grand re-opening.
“We were bursting at the seams with our donations and our processing room, so we just needed a little more room to spread out,” said Andrea Martin, the retail manager of the store.
Just two months ago, the store ended in what is now open space, but thanks to community members coming together, they were able to knock down the wall, renovate the space, and now, Common Goods is looking better than ever.
“It looks so clean; during the construction it was really hard to keep things clean, so now hopefully we can do it better. It’s just wonderful, it’s a great place,” said Kay Spizzo, a volunteer who helps run the store.
The renovations included a new floor space for the sales section of the store, and the back was also remodeled with an office, break room, and more storage space.
Common Goods is excited about their extra space, but what’s more important is the work they do for the non-profit group Bridges of Hope.
“Bridges of Hope has always struck a cord with me. I’ve actually been helped by Bridges of Hope from the past, so working in the store is a way I can give back to an organization that has given so much to our community,” Martin said.
“The profits go to help needy people in Crow Wing County. That really makes a difference for me – it’s real easy to donate when you have such great reasons to donate,” Espeseth said.
The Common Goods store could not be possible without the hundreds of donations from community members and the volunteers that helped with the renovation.
“I come in two hours a week and I help sort clothes, I clean, I sometimes tag clothes, and I just enjoy it,” Spizzo said.
The organization depends on many local volunteers to get the work done.
“So, yesterday and the day before it was all hands-on-deck. The store closed down, and everybody just worked hard to get it ready for today,” Martin said.
It was a grand day for customers and store-owners alike.
The Bridges of Hope foundation has been serving local families in times of crisis for over fifteen years.


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News on Milk continually updated from thousands of sources around the net.
Producers can also review historical data or estimate future coverage based on data projections.
The new historical exhibit at the Doubletree Biltmore Hotel narrates the vision of the Biltmore estate as a self-sustainable, working operation.
The European Commission will provide Private Storage Aid for butter, skimmed milk powder , and certain cheeses to "alleviate" the impact of the Russian embargo on European Union food imports.
More than 52 million Americans and nearly 300 thousand children have osteoarthritis, commonly found in the knees.
A Thames farming company has turned its business around after prosecution on four environmental offences led to instructions to stop milking.
Dairy farmers squeezed in recent years by low milk prices and high feed costs can begin signing up next week for a new program replacing old subsidies that didn't factor in the price of corn.
The big mac & cheese showdown took place at Dairy Farmers of took to the stage in an attempt to create the ultimate comfort food using Canadian cheese, pasta and a little imagination.
Fonterra Cooperative Group Ltd., the world's biggest dairy exporter, expects global milk prices to recover from their slump as China re-enters the market, Chief Executive Officer Theo Spierings said.
Marilyn Easter is similar in many ways to the members of the Easley Business & Professional Women she spoke with on July 16 - working hard and taking pride in providing a quality product to customers.
When Rachel Dutton looks at a wheel of cheese, she sees a menagerie. "I fall in love every time I look at a cheese rind.
Upstate Niagara Coop., Buffalo, N.Y. has been named the 2014 "Best Milk" processor by Cornell University's New York State Milk Quality Improvement Program.
After two days in the scenic region of Charlevoix the 67th annual Quebec Produce Marketing Association convention ended with a jam-packed day of meetings, professional development seminars and speeches.
On one side of the Hawaii Milk Act, Big Island Dairy. The company wants to change the law to allow milk producers to sell milk at prices below state set minimums.
Fonterra and Chinese infant food manufacturer Beingmate are forming a global partnership they say will help meet China's growing demand for infant formula.
Milk prices will tumble, with Whole Milk Powder already crashing ~40%+, and with multiple short-term and mid-term catalysts on the horizon.
We have re-imagined our design in a bold new way. Before we roll it out for everyone, we are giving select readers an opportunity to try out the new design.
Updated: Fri Aug 29, 2014 03:08 am
Copyright © 2014 Topix LLC


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Damage to Connecticut from Superstorm Sandy at $360 million and climbing
Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, Kanye West, more to perform at MSG concert for Sandy aid
JetBlue says Superstorm Sandy cut October revenue by $20M, expects similar impact in November
Obama views Sandy's devastation in tour of New York City more than 2 weeks after the storm
Superstorm Sandy drives US weekly unemployment aid applications up to 439,000
Virginia public health officials are re-opening a portion of the lower James River to shellfishing.
Cautious consumers, Superstorm Sandy push down US retail sales, a sign growth may slow
NY attorney general subpoenas utilities Con Ed, LIPA for preparation, response to superstorm
After Sandy, officials are wondering what it takes to get people to heed evacuation orders
Dave Matthews Band pledges $1 million for Sandy relief; Nov. 30 concert to be benefit show
Atlantic City's poorest endure Superstorm Sandy's hardships with grace, gratitude
US retail sales fall 0.3 percent after auto sales decline; Superstorm Sandy distorts figures
Md. requests federal declaration for major disaster for Superstorm Sandy damage
Cuba says lights back on for 99.8 percent of homes in Santiago 3 weeks after Hurricane Sandy
After storm, NYC police officers, firefighters leave work to find recovery chaos back home
Superstorm Sandy victims in New Jersey will be getting a truckload of supplies thanks to a Washington Nationals infielder and his dad.
All but 2 Maryland state parks open following Superstorm Sandy, 2 others partially open
All but two of Maryland's state parks are now open following cleanup and repairs from Superstorm Sandy.
Review: Online tools make it easier to create fundraising campaign for Sandy storm relief
Hi: 48 °F | Lo: 34 °F


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The 2048 x 1536 pixel count on Apple's tablet dwarfs the Surface's 1366 × 768 screen, but Stevie Bathiche, director of research at Microsoft's Applied Sciences Group, said his company's screen is actually easier to read.
Bathiche is the "co-inventor of the Surface," according to his company profile, and he offered some reasoning behind the markedly smaller resolution during a Reddit IamA Oct. 16.
Although many prospective buyers expressed disappointment when Microsoft announced the lower-res screen, Bathiche wrote there are many other factors that determine how people perceive detail.
He explained the higher resolution display on the iPad actually makes the human eye less sensitive, which in turn means that articifical light sources and reflections can bring down the all-important contrast.
All about the MFT
"The true measure of resolvability of a screen called Modulation Transfer Function (MTF), not pixels," Bathiche wrote. "MTF is a combination of both contrast and resolution.
"There are over a dozen subsystems that affect this MTF number. Most folks just focus on one number out of dozens that affect perceived detail. Without good contrast resolution decreases.
"Basically, as resolution/DPI increases the eye becomes less sensitive. So as a result, the amount of light in a room and the reflections off the screen have a huge effect on the contrast of the display.
"In fact, a small amount of reflection can greatly reduce contrast and thus the perceived resolution of the display."
Bathiche added that in-house tests have shown less light is reflected off the Surface RT's screen, compared with the iPad, and test subjects are indeed perceiving more detail on the tablet.
He added: "While this is not official, our current Cleartype measurements on the amount of light reflected off the screen is around 5.5-6.2 percent, the new IPad has a measurement of 9.9 percent mirror reflections.
"Doing a side by side with the new iPad in a consistently lit room, we have had many people see more detail on Surface RT than on the iPad with more resolution."
The Microsoft Surface RT tablet goes on sale next week, so users will be able to test those claims for themselves.
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eMulya, an intelligent blockchain product to be launched by an AI and blochain-based software product firm, Intain Fintech. This intelligent blockchain would help facilitate efficient, trustworthy and secure asset security transactions for NBFCs in India by the end of this year. According to Mr. Siddharth S., founder and CEO of Intain,if this product was launched in 2007-08 it could have prevented NBFC.
With 10 people in its global AI Lab that Intain has in Pune it is going to hire 15 more staff in Chennai for this purpose.
Mr. Siddharth reportedly said The firm had enough funds to carry its operation till 2019 and that it was about to raise $2 million.


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Prime Minister’s ICT Affairs Adviser Sajeeb Wazed Joy today (November 13, 2022) formally inaugurated “Binimoy” — an interoperable digital transaction platform (IDTP) — at a city hotel.
Binimoy is a platform for establishing digital financial transactions, which is a timely initiative among the far-reaching steps taken by the government to build a digital Bangladesh initiative, said a press release today.
In recent years, the government has taken steps to make all bank, MFS operator and PSP accounts interoperable. It will facilitate transactions between consumers, merchants, PSPs, e-wallets, banks, financial institutions, government agencies and private organizations.
Binimoy will make all forms of financial transactions cost-effective, simple and transparent, including the payment of employee wages, the sending of remittances, the payment of taxes/VAT, the payment of utility bills and e-commerce transactions.
Binimoy is a web-based platform that will be integrated as a service into the apps of banks, mobile financial services and payment system providers. Velwire Limited, Microsoft Bangladesh, and Orion Informatics Limited collaborated on the development of the platform as part of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Academy (IDEA) programme of the ICT Division and Bangladesh Bank. Velwire Limited will uphold the responsibilities of Binimoy platform.
Bangladesh Bank in a notice last Thursday issued guidelines regarding the cost of Interoperable Digital Transaction Platform (IDTP). As mentioned, sending money from bKash to Rocket will cost Tk 5 (per thousand). And sending money from MFS services (bKash, Rocket etc.) to the bank (per thousand) will cost Tk 10. On the other hand, sending money from MFS to Payment Service Provider (PSP) account will cost Tk 5 per thousand.
It further informed that transactions on the platform will be available from tomorrow (November 14, 2022).
State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak and ICT Division Senior Secretary NM Zeaul Alam addressed the event as special guests. Bangladesh Bank Governor Abdur Rouf Talukder presided over the session while its Director Mezbaul Haque gave a presentation explaining the features of the platform.


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Two hanging Pininfarina automobile designs are set to make manufacturing in Vietnam after a novel vote casting procedure that featured virtually 62,000 other folks.
The designs, an SUV and saloon, percentage identical seems to be and have been selected over 20 different examples from rival design homes. They’re due to become number one fashions from a brand new Vietnamese automobile emblem referred to as Vinfast.
Italian design space Pininfarina stated that whilst the designs are set for additional building, they’re heading in the right direction to become the first cars made by means of a Vietnamese producer.
Quang Viet Nguyen, who’s the boss of Vinfast proprietor Vingroup, stated “The direct involvement of Pininfarina, one of the world’s biggest design brands, is expected to bring modern beauty while retaining Vietnamese identity to the first two Vinfast car models”.
Vinfast plans to release its first automobile in September 2019 and has ambitions of establishing 500,000 cars by means of 2025.
Pininfarina’s newest undertaking is the second one in fresh instances to characteristic an Asian automobile maker. It introduced final week that it’s been operating with Hong Kong automobile maker Hybrid Kinetic Group to produce an HK GT efficiency electrical automobile. A unmarried symbol of that automobile used to be launched; it’ll characteristic a range-extending turbine generator.
More content material:
600bhp Pininfarina Fittipaldi EF7 monitor automobile published
Byton electrical SUV to characteristic stage four autonomy with Aurora tech
New Pininfarina SUV and saloon designs to become first Vietnamese cars


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When you read the papers, good news turns bad with a turn of a phrase.
The Wall Street Journal, reporting on a general decrease in private spending, cannot help but mention that old alleged problem of “the paradox of thrift.”
“Usually,” writes Kelley Evans, ”frugality is good for individuals and for the economy. Savings serve as a reservoir of capital that can be used to finance investment, which helps raise a nation’s standard of living. But in a recession, increased saving — or its flip side, decreased spending — can exacerbate the economy’s woes.”
Evans goes on, elaborating about the community-wide effects of cutting back spending: Consumer-oriented businesses going out of business.
So, do you see the paradox? In normal times, we say savings is good. But when things are bad, and people wise up to save more — or pay off debt — businesses relying on previous levels of spending are hurt.
Household debt has gone down for the first time since 1952. That’s good for the future, because this savings will allow future investment. For right now, though, the savings and debt reduction come at a social cost.
But this will go on only as long as the rate of savings shifts. When people’s rates of savings to spending stabilizes at a new level, the economy will be able to stabilize, too.
Not so much a paradox as a painful adjustment period. That’s life.
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.


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Michael Kors’ breezy pieces for the transitional season is every bit as desirable as it is versatile.
We got an exclusive sneak peek into the new sunglasses capsule collection by the luxury Italian brand.
Combining soft florals with modern silhouettes, this collection by Versace is perfect for the woman on the go.
Father’s Day: The day men around the world wonder why mum gets all the nice gifts and kind gestures — and not them.
The Chinese capital plays host to one of fashion’s most anticipated shows.
Top emerging model He Cong shows us that she really is “too cool for the summer” as she fronts the cover of the L’Officiel Malaysia June/July ’16 issue.
From Paris with love, the new Chanel Métiers d’art campaign is seductive while giving us a glimpse of the new collection.
For their iconic loafers’ ten year anniversary, the fashion house has something special planned
Jeremy Scott’s eccentric designer sense comes into play once again with the new flagship store opening in Milan.
Something old and something new; the fashion house brought out its latest designs at an unconventional venue
Here’s something for the boys in Singapore: the French label offers its classic suits, latest ready-to-wear lines and a commemorative limited edition pouch.
Burberry has released the first new images for their autumn collection 2016 starring Edie Campbell and Callum Turner.
Emilio Pucci is honoring the jetset vacation spots of Saint-Tropez, Portofino and Capri with its latest collection of silk summer scarves.
The dress that Pippa Middleton wore to the royal wedding is now on sale… almost.
From Paris to London, the brand has unveiled its latest collection to the world.
The newly-launched app enables you to borrow luxury fashion via your smartphone.
For the new pre-fall season, Coach has unveiled a collection that goes old-school, with varsity jackets and biker jackets.
The animal rights group has brought fresh allegations to light, against the luxury brand.
Up your travel style game with Saint Laurent’s first airport store in the world.
The brand has announced a new ambassador and a new store in London — also its largest— this week.


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TORONTO — Financeit, a point-of-sale consumer financing platform for small businesses, announced that it has launched in the United States. The company said its cloud-based application fills a gap in the existing lending market, as smaller businesses including contractors have traditionally not had access to the same low interest purchase financing options as big box stores.
Financeit noted that it has already processed more than $715 million in customer loan applications across more than 3,500 companies in Canada before its U.S. launch.
“Small and medium sized businesses are now empowered to significantly increase sales through tools and solutions once totally out of their reach,” said Michael Garrity, CEO and co-founder of Financeit. “We work very closely with our partners, who are generally main street merchants in retail, home improvement, and health care, to help them to advance their sales by giving their customers fair and fast payment plans right at the point of sale.”
Financeit also announced that it has partnered with FIS™, one of the world’s largest providers of banking and payments technology solutions, to facilitate its expansion into the U.S. market. FIS will assist with compliance, distribution, and account management, allowing Financeit to capitalize on its banking network in the United States.
“We were impressed with Financeit’s unique point-of-sale financing solution for banks and saw it as a great way to address one of the biggest challenges we see in the financial services industry,” said Ronny Chapman, SVP, general manager of North American Lending, FIS. “FIS’ lending solutions are used to better market, sell, process, and close loans, across all distribution channels and Financeit will help us to further serve our clients across North America.”
From any web-based device, businesses can sign up with Financeit and start offering financing to their customers the next day. Customers making a big ticket purchase, from $500 to as much as $30,000, can apply for a Financeit loan through an online application and get approval on the spot. Once a loan is approved, the cash is sent to the merchant and the customer is provided with a monthly payment plan paid directly to the lender. Unlike a credit card’s merchant fees, the use of Financeit is at no cost to the merchant.
Since Financeit manages the relationship between the customer and lender, there’s minimal risk for merchants, even if a customer defaults on a payment.
Financeit said it will be initially available in California, New York, and Pennsylvania with a steady rollout expected in other states through 2014 and early 2015. Visit www.financeit.io to find out more about local availability and to sign up for updates.
Publication date: 10/13/2014


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In light of recent data breaches, including a December 2010 incident which affected 2.2 million Honda customers, IT managers need to limit what data is actually shared with cloud service providers…There are many benefits of the cloud, but “all that goes out the window when there is a data breach,” Ben Goodman, principal strategist for identity, security, and compliance at Novell, told eWEEK. When the cloud provider gets breached, the company that hired the provider is help responsible, he said. Companies “outsource the job, not the responsibility,” Goodman added.
That was the case when an e-mail marketing firm that Honda partnered with had a data breach in late December. Criminals stole a database containing names, login names to a Honda portal, e-mail addresses, and 17-character Vehicle Identification Numbers for 2.2 million Honda customers, according to a Dec. 28 report in Columbus Dispatch. A separate list of 2.7 million Acura customer e-mail addresses was also stolen from the same marketing firm, but that list did not have any other customer data.


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Iowa pig farmer Mike Paustian shares his journey from science nerd to president of the Iowa Pork Producers Association.
Pork producers to discuss Pork Checkoff successes and future direction in Kansas City on March 4-6.
The scratch-and-sniff product is designed to release the scent of cooked bacon, helping vegetarians and vegans push through meat cravings and stay meat-free.
Research into consumer acceptance of alternative proteins reveals nearly a third of Americans believe fake meat products are simply incomparable to real meat.
More Brazilian fresh beef, pork and poultry is headed to China, thanks to a new partnership announced between JBS S.A. and China's WH Group, a publicly traded Chinese meat and
A new African swine fever vaccine shows promise for the pork industry. Dave Pyburn, DVM, chief veterinarian for the National Pork Board, says it's one of the best vaccine candidates
The Iowa Pork Producers Association crowned Abby Bean as the 2020 Iowa Pork Queen and Alexis Berte and Caleb Hogan as pork ambassadors from a field of 13 contestants last


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If you own Sea of Thieves (or you have it via Xbox Game Pass), you can now download its latest free update entitled "Ships of Fortune". It was released a few hours ago, and features a host of major new additions for the game, including an overhauled arena mode and a new emissary system. Oh, and cats!
You can see a taste of the emissary system in the video above, which promises to have a big impact on the game, and introduces a brand-new trading company in the form of the Reaper's Bones. In an interview with Eurogamer, executive producer Joe Neate described it as "the biggest change-up to our sandbox and to our progression system since we've launched really."
You'll find the full release notes for the latest update over at the official Sea of Thieves website, which includes a selection of gameplay improvements and fixed issues. The update is a 6.8GB download on Xbox One, and 11.42GB on Xbox One X and Windows 10.
Will you be checking out the new Sea of Thieves update? Let us know in the comments.


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Samsung W23 5G will be revealed on October 21. In October 2017, Samsung released the W22 5G; on October 21 at 7 PM local time in China, its successor, the W23 5G, will be revealed. Not much is known about the W23 5G at this time.
Still, given that the W22 5G was a Galaxy Z Fold3 5G variant explicitly designed for the Chinese market, it seems likely that the W23 5G will be a Galaxy Z Fold4 variant tailored to the needs of the biggest smartphone market in the world.
Samsung W23 5G will be revealed on October 21.
According to an online graphic, Samsung will also release the W23 Flip, presumably a Chinese-specific variation of the Galaxy Z Flip4. China Telecom will distribute both the W23 5G and W23 Flip. As of next Friday, we should have a better idea of when and where to find the W23 lineup and how much it will cost. If you’re interested in learning more about foldable smartphones in the interim, check out our reviews of the Galaxy Z Fold4 and the Galaxy Z Flip4.


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Samsung Galaxy Premier GT-I9260 GL Benchmark Test
The Samsung Galaxy Premier has already seen its specifications leaked along with an image of the Sammy smartphone, a handset that is expected to hit the mobile space sometime in the forth quarter, and now it appears that the Samsung Galaxy Premier GT-I9260 has been benchmarked yet again.
The Samsung Galaxy Premier GT-I9260 has been benchmarked before by by AnTuTu gaining a result of 7736 point according to Phone Arena, but has now also been benchmarked by GLBenchmark, who measure graphic performance, and reveals what processor the Android smartphone sports.
Apparently the GPU inside the handset is a PowerVR SGX 544, although apparently the benchmark results are not that impressive, although one does need to remember that the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean build the smartphone is running isn’t a final build. Furthermore if you hit up the GLBenchmark website, you will find that the benchmark of the Samsung Galaxy Premier no longer exists.
As for those specs on the Samsung Galaxy Premier GT-I9260, the handset is said to sport a 4.65-inch Super AMOLED touch screen , an 8 megapixel rear facing auto-focus camera with LED flash, 2 megapixel front facing camera, a 1.5GHz dual core A9 processor, 8GB or 16GB internal storage, NFC, microSD expansion and measure 133.97 x 68.1 x 8.8mm.
Currently there is still no hard and fast word on just when the Samsung Galaxy Premier GT-I9260 is likely to become available in the mobile space, and obviously no concrete pricing on the device, but considering the amount of leakage about the smartphone one can expect old Sammy to go official with an announcement reasonably soon.
Does the Samsung Galaxy Premier GT-I9260 capture your attention enough to want to own one?


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Hyundai Motor India Ltd. (HMIL) has released the booking figures of the newly-launched Hyundai Alcazar. The numbers tell us that the company’s brand-new and premium SUV has been received well by the Indian audience.
The Hyundai Alcazar was launched in India less than a month ago. During this short span, the SUV has received more than 11,000 bookings and over 5,600 units have been sold. The company also states that one-third of the total reservations are for the top-of-the-line Signature variant and diesel powertrains have contributed to 63% of the overall bookings.
Also Read: Mahindra XUV700 Colour Revealed by Biker in Road Rage Incident - VIDEO
Available in 4 powertrain options, the Hyundai Alcazar is indeed a great option in its segment overall. The high booking figures tell the story. However, it would be interesting to see how this premium SUV performs after the launch of the new Mahindra XUV700. Thanks to the several spy shots and teaser images, the XUV700 has become one of the highly awaited cars of the year. It promises to come with a handful of segment-first features and powerful engine options.
Speaking on the remarkable booking performance of the Alcazar, Mr Tarun Garg, Director (Sales, Marketing & Service), Hyundai Motor India Ltd., said, “Hyundai Alcazar has received an overwhelming response from customers with over 11,000 bookings received in less than a month since its launch. This superlative response showcases our customer’s affinity towards a high value, versatile and premium package that Hyundai Alcazar epitomizes perfectly. We are truly humbled and grateful to our customers who have chosen to live the Grand life with the Hyundai Alcazar.
Also Read: JK Tyres Becomes Sole Supplier for Hyundai Alcazar
Mr Garg added, “So far we have already sold over 5,600 units of Hyundai Alcazar in the market and with the addition of this 6- and 7-seater SUV to our line up, we are now offering our valued Indian customers a stellar range of multiple SUVs which will help us to further fortify our SUV leadership in India.”


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John Schnatter, the former CEO of Papa John's International Inc., has filed a lawsuit against the company in response to a $ 200 million investment made earlier this month by the Starboard Value LP hedge fund.
The amended Schnatter lawsuit, filed under the Chancery Court of Delaware, seeks to overturn the "wolf bag" provision under the poison pill agreement that prevents it from working with potential buyers of the company he founded.
The parties have stated that the amended dispute, which is not currently available to the public, calls for the reversal of a new corporate policy that requires new investors to vote in favor of the public. Privileged directors of Papa John and prevents shareholders from holding "any substantive discussion" about Papa John's.
Schnatter, who remains a member of Papa John's board of directors and is the company's largest shareholder with about 29% of the capital, in an earlier statement on the so-called poison pill, said the "wolfpack" provision does not was not in accordance with Delaware law.
"The former board has taken many steps to retrench and today's action seeks to remedy this irregular conduct," said Schnatter's lawyer Garland A. Kelley.
Despite the fact that Papa John's rejected Schnatter's offer to invest in a similar Starboard offer, led by CEO Jeffrey Smith, Schnatter said he "welcomes" the outside help likely to enhance the reputation of the company:
"Mr. Schnatter welcomes the comments of Mr. Smith and the company over the past few days," said Kelley. "Indeed, today's amended trial demonstrates his support for Mr. Smith and his intention to reinvigorate the company for the benefit of all shareholders. "
Schnatter recently won a decision in the ongoing legal battle with Papa John's when a Delaware judge ordered Papa John's's council in January to release internal documents and communications relating to the departure of the company's founder.
The dispute began last July when Schnatter resigned from his presidential post after learning that he had made racist remarks at a meeting with the press agency of the TV channel. pizza.
Shares of Papa John's fell nearly 3 percent on Tuesday to about $ 44 at the noon trading session following the announcement of the ongoing dispute between Schnatter and its former company.
The pizza chain did not immediately respond to the request for comment.
Papa's John's is the third largest pizza company in the country with 5,247 establishments worldwide in September.
Contact Joanna Fantozzi at [email protected]
Follow her on Twitter: @JoannaFantozzi


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A Chinese CCTV system manufacturer, Hangzhou Xiongmai Technology Company, has admitted that many of its products are insecure and form part of the Mirai botnet that took the Dyn DNS server on Friday, taking down several high-profile websites and services in the process.
The Mirai botnet comprises Internet of Things (IoT) devices that have been compromised by the Mirai malware, which exploits devices running old and insecure versions of the Linux operating system.
In particular, Mirai is believed to have infected hundreds of thousands of digital video recorders (DVRs) that are hooked up to CCTV systems, which are exposed to the internet so that their users can remotely keep tabs on their security systems.
But in an email to Bloomberg, the company admitted that some of its products had been compromised and used in the attack. However, it added, products made by the company since September 2015 ought to be more secure.
"Mirai is a huge disaster for the Internet of Things. Xiongmai have to admit that our products also suffered from hacker's break-in and illegal use," the company admitted in its email to Bloomberg.
The company added, though, that it upgraded the firmware used in the devices that it makes a year ago, and has recalled a number of the older products.
It urged users to update the firmware and change the default user names and passwords. However, because companies like Xiongmai make CCTV systems for a variety of brands, users probably won't know whether their device was made by Xiongmai.
The Mirai source code was published on hacker forums earlier this month to enable anyone to crack the (non-existent) security of the DVR systems, as well as being adapted for use in other malware projects.
Krebbs' investigative work has indicated that the Mirai source code was the work of a DDoS-for-hire service, which would appear to run its own domain registration service.
The malware scans the internet continuously for IoT devices running the old and unpatched Linux operating system, before running a table of common default user names and passwords in order to log-in to the devices. The devices remain uninfected by the malware until rebooted and, if the password is not changed immediately, will infect the device within minutes.
The infected IoT devices will connect to a command and control server, enabling the hackers to use them for their own ends, whether that is conducting DDoS attacks or mining for bitcoin.
Security software company Bullguard has put together a service that can scan a home network against the Shodan database of open IoT ports.
Molybdenum ditelluride is a two-dimensional material that can be easily stacked into multiple layers to create a memory cell
New light-guiding nanoscale device can control and monitor a nanoparticle trapped in a laser beam with high sensitivity
Optical traps are scientific instruments in which a focused laser beam is used to exert an attractive or repulsive force on a microscopic object to hold it in place
Scientists estimate that the exoplanet has already lost up to 35 per cent of its mass over its lifetime
The observations were made using the Atacama Array in the Chilean desert


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PS5 restocking: Argos and Amazon UK reportedly offer the latest drop in PlayStation 5 stocks in June | Games | Entertainment
June could end with the release of thousands more PlayStation 5 consoles for purchase in the UK.
As of yet, nothing big is expected to be announced over the weekend, meaning stock trackers can likely take a break from looking for replenishment between June 26-27.
However, next week is expected to include at least one major drop from a major retailer, with a PS5 restocking expected from Argos and Amazon UK.
There have been several hosted in June from Currys, Argos, GAME, Smyths and GameByte, and it could be the last of the month.
From what has been shared by stock trackers so far, the latest drops will be between June 28 and June 30.
Monday declines are rare, making it more likely that PS5 stocks will drop on Tuesday, June 29.
However, as with all of these predictions, players will need to take it with a pinch of salt until we know more.
The latest news on the subject comes from PS5 Stock Alert UK on Twitter, with the account revealing that 10,000 consoles will arrive from Argos in the next few days.
The full message reads: “As we predicted a month ago, Argos has received 10,000 units of the PlayStation 5 Disc Edition.
“Distribution to hubs and stores has started nationwide. Expect a drop this week. No preview of the digital edition.
The drop in stocks of Argos PS5 is expected to occur very early in the morning, and gamers are warned to be prepared to try and buy a console between 1 a.m. BST and 4 a.m. BST.
During this time, Amazon UK typically abandons stocks between 8am BST and 11am BST on selected dates.
Amazon’s inventory drop dates come from PS5 Instant, another tracking account with a good track record.
It’s unclear why Sony favors disc publishing over the digital PS5, but it seems to be related to meeting demand for the most demanded product.
Knowing when a PS5 restock is happening can be vital, but it’s also worth knowing how each retailer handles their shipments.
And here are some examples of the best way to try and buy a PlayStation 5 console from major UK retailers:
AMAZON UNITED KINGDOM:
ARGOS: Argos website has been known to crash and be unable to complete purchases when site traffic is high. Stock trackers suggest using the Argos mobile app and keeping an eye on local store listings. Argos is expected to receive more stock by the end of June.
GAME: GAME is a UK retailer that offers the most regular stock updates for PS5 consoles. However, console hunters have been warned to use Guest Checkout, as this option is less likely to get stuck when finalizing a purchase.


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Cosmetics titan Jane Lauder knows beauty
Heiress in town
Jane Lauder calls Manhattan home but coming to Miami to spread the gospel about her myriad beauty products isn’t one of her least favorite things. Origins’ Global President/General Manager attended a cocktail reception at the Origins store at The Falls earlier this month to talk about the latest offerings from the lines she oversees at not only Origins, but Ojon and Darphin. “I love being outside and on the water when I am here,” says Lauder, who is the granddaughter of cosmetics founder Estee Lauder and daughter of Ronald S. Lauder, chairman of Clinique Laboratories. “I like eating outdoors at the Standard Hotel: great setting and delicious, healthy food.”
We had to ask, if the businesswoman were on a tropical island what her must-haves would be. “I always protect my skin from the sun so I would definitely need a moisturizer with SPF and anti aging cream,” says the 39-year-old.
How does the Miami woman differ from those across the country? “She is vibrant and confident and knows what she wants – being here is really inspiring for me.”
On Our Radar
- Pitbull isn't just Mr. 305, he's Mr. Florida
- Gabrielle Anwar set to marry this weekend
- William Levy celebrates 35th birthday in Miami
- LeBron James sells his Miami mansion
- World Cup champ Kelley O'Hara at the W
- Wilmer Valderrama in Miami
- Vanilla Ice headed to the Design District?
- Thrive Seminar, Nelson Foundation will award local entrepreneur $10,000 on Thursday on Miami Beach
- Comedian Jo Koy at Magic City Casino
- Want to get gorgeous fast? Glamsquad is one solution


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Even the best laid plans can go up in smoke, but sometimes it's the little adjustments that can make all the difference, especially on days as important as a company's grand opening.
For Anne Hartnett, an entrepreneur on CNBC's reality business show "Cleveland Hustles," who had spent countless hours and nearly $20,000 transforming an abandoned warehouse and rooftop into her GroundSwell yoga studio, her grand opening hinged on one thing no one can possibly control: The weather.
On the day she expected to welcome new yoga clients to the GroundSwell unveiling that had been planned for months, it started to downpour. The only fallback was the unfinished and unsightly second floor of the abandoned warehouse that hadn't been touched — an alternative that show host Bonin Bough was concerned about.
"She's set to open her opening class in this giant unfinished room and I'm just concerned that customers might not think they're getting enough bang for their buck, so I think she's underestimating how much this rain could set GroundSwell back," he said.
Shifting gears, Hartnett instead made the introductory class free and attempted to mop the roof, hoping the rain would hold off and that customers would be able to enjoy the skyline views that separated her outlet from competing Cleveland yoga concepts.
"I'm disappointed by the rain, but I'm not going to let it ruin the opening," she said, admitting that neglecting a "plan B" may have been a mistake, before taking the second step of offering to cut monthly membership prices for customers who braved the rain from $185 to $100.
"First impressions are really, really important, so I'm glad that Anne is going to offer discounted prices," Bough said.
In the end it was just enough to entice customers to patron GroundSwell, who got to enjoy the rooftop after all once rain momentarily subsided, much to Hartnett's chagrin. "My goal was 20 of the 90 memberships, and we've hit that," she said, adding that combined with retail sales her yoga start-up was able to achieve $3,400 in sales on a swampy grand opening. "It's a great start for us."
Fellow contestants on the show, which focuses on revitalizing the economically struggling Gordon Square neighborhood of Cleveland, similarly learned the importance of a backup plan.
Cleveland Bagel Shop owners Geoff Hardman and Dan Herbst failed to secure permits in time due to delayed construction. That left the company, which raised $100,000 from investor Alan Glazen, unable to sell bagels during its planned debut. But the duo optimistically embraced it as a learning opportunity, opting to give out bagels and food concepts for free in exchange for feedback.
"Are we going to sit there and whine? No, you make do and you make the best of the situation," Hardman said.
In rolling with the setbacks and embracing adversity to achieve growth, the four businesses, which garnered investments from mentors on the show, are projected to bring about a total of 45 new jobs to Cleveland.


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LAS VEGAS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Diamond Resorts International®, a global leader in the hospitality and
vacation ownership industries, recently delivered an exciting Events of
a Lifetime® experience to members, letting them test their culinary
skills in a private cooking class with a top chef from Maggiano’s Little
Italy in Scottsdale, Ariz.
The class – only available to Diamond Resorts members – also provided
them an opportunity to taste new dishes and relax with fellow members.
They were first greeted at the restaurant with a glass of wine, an apron
and a chef’s hat. Members then met the chef, who helped them create
three classic Italian dishes, before serving dessert and signing each
member’s apron for them to take home as a keepsake.
“This event really takes the everyday activity of cooking dinner and
turns it into an unforgettable experience for our members,” said Michael
Flaskey, Chief Executive Officer of Diamond Resorts International®.
By the end of the class, provided through Events of a Lifetime®, Diamond
Resorts’ experiential vacation program, several members said they had
made new lasting friendships, and a few learned they will be on an
upcoming Alaskan cruise together. The members made plans to meet again
during the cruise to check it off their travel bucket lists together.
To learn more about Diamond Resorts, visit DiamondResorts.com.
Diamond Resorts International® (Diamond Resorts) is a worldwide leader
in the hospitality and vacation ownership industries, with a network of
more than 370 vacation destinations located in 35 countries throughout
the continental United States, Hawaii, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean,
South America, Central America, Europe, Asia, Australasia and Africa.
Diamond Resorts offers its members the opportunity to create priceless
memories through innovative vacation choices, including
once-in-a-lifetime excursions to world-renowned landmarks, unforgettable
guided tours to dream destinations, and access to exclusive VIP concert
experiences, high-energy sporting events and exciting shows. With
high-quality resorts in desirable destinations, we provide the kind of
vacation experiences that help our members, owners and guests reconnect
with loved ones, collect a lifetime of meaningful memories and keep that
Stay Vacationed® feeling all year long.
Diamond Resorts International® manages vacation ownership resorts and
sells vacation ownership points that provide members and owners with
Vacations for Life® at over 370 managed and affiliated properties and
Diamond Resorts International®
Stevi Wara, 702-823-7534


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PARIS—Mall king David Simon's plan to build a retail real-estate empire in Europe similar to the one his family built in the U.S. took a big step with the planned €7.2 billion ($9.68 billion) merger between France's Klépierre SA and Dutch rival Corio NV.
Mr. Simon's Indianapolis-based Simon Property Group Inc., SPG 0.13 % bought a hefty stake in Klépierre in March 2012 when it looked as though the sky over Europe was falling. He spent two years pruning the company's portfolio and implementing American-style leasing practices.
Now, the company he bought into as a fixer-upper is poised to become one of the biggest retail landlords in Europe. Mr. Simon, chairman of Klépierre's supervisory board, said in an interview Tuesday that his prediction of Europe's recovery has been vindicated.
"In 2012, the world was talking about the euro breaking up and whether the [European Central Bank] was going to create the same kind of environment that the Fed created here" in the U.S., Mr. Simon said. "I just had a feeling it would, and that the recovery would play out very similarly as it did here."
Under the deal announced Tuesday, Klépierre is offering Corio's shareholders 1.14 Klépierre shares for each Corio share they own. The offer values Corio at €7.2 billion based on Klépierre's share price on July 28, the companies said in a joint statement.
Not all of Klépierre's shareholders shared Mr. Simon's enthusiasm for the deal. The company's shares fell 2.8% Tuesday in Paris after the proposed merger was announced. Corio's stock rose 10% in Amsterdam.
If the deal is approved by shareholders, it would represent the largest transaction in Europe's retail real-estate sector since France's Unibail Holding took over Dutch rival Rodamco Europe NV for €11.2 billion in 2007.
The Klépierre deal would allow the French company to expand its footprint across Europe, most notably in Germany and Italy. The combined entity, with assets valued at more than €21 billion, would operate 182 shopping centers in 16 European countries.
Mr. Simon's push into Europe was fueled in part by his recognition that the European shopping center business was less mature and more fragmented than in the U.S. Retail assets owned by European real-estate investment trusts were valued at less than €20 billion in 2000. Since then, the figure has doubled, according to Green Street Advisors, a real-estate advisory firm.
"Not so long ago, companies like Klépierre were not so exclusively focused on retail, not so big, and they've been on this expedition to become more focused and larger," said John Lutzius, a Green Street managing director. "I think David Simon is a master chess player in the game of shopping center consolidation."
Discussions between Klépierre and Corio's largest single shareholder, Dutch pension fund APG, began about six months ago, according to a person familiar with the matter. Klépierre approached Corio after it received the green light from APG.
According to the joint announcement, APG has agreed to irrevocably tender its 30.6% stake to Klépierre. BNP Paribas also has said it would back the merger.
"With the support of BNP, we were able to create the Klépierre of the future, and what's even more rare is that an American was able to bring all these people together," Mr. Simon said. "I don't even speak French."
—Shayndi Raice contributed to this article.


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NZMP, the dairy ingredients brand from Fonterra, has launched a range of non-GMO ingredients for North American food and drink manufacturers.
The new line-up will help companies to meet demand for food without genetically modified ingredients – particularly in the US. The number of product launches with a non-GMO claim has increased in recent years, as consumers become more concerned about the origins and practices that go into making their food.
This is in spite of a lack of evidence that GMOs have any effect on the quality or safety of a product. In a survey last July, researchers from the University of Wisconsin found that consumers were unaware of the scientific consensus that genetically modified foods are safe to consume.
NZMP, which makes a broad range of ingredients from milk and whey powders to protein isolates, will benefit from adding the non-GMO claim to its position on pasture-raised farming. It will also be able to leverage strong consumer perception of New Zealand-reared milk.
Joe Coote, regional president of ingredients for the Americas for Fonterra NZMP, said: “New Zealand is well recognised for its unique pasture-raised farming practices and regulatory control of GMOs. This new NZMP product range allows food and beverage manufacturers to leverage both the Non-GMO Project claim and the New Zealand grass-fed advantage in a way that’s highly relevant to US consumers.
“Research shows that over half of US protein consumers and more than a third of US dairy product consumers are ‘very interested’ in a non-GMO claim. 40% of consumers are also willing to pay a premium for dairy products with a non-GMO claim.”
NZMP worked with the Non-GMO Project because it is recognised by consumers and provides robust standards. The seal is the fastest growing label in the natural products industry, representing $19.2 billion in annual sales and appearing on 43,000 verified products.
Coote continued: “North American food and beverage manufacturers have been using NZMP ingredients for decades and value our deep dairy expertise. This expertise, coupled with a widely recognized non-GMO product claim, is a powerful offering for manufacturers, helping them to differentiate from competitors, and help to increase market share and margins.”
© FoodBev Media Ltd 2022
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National Housing Survey
High Home Prices, Mortgage Rates Weighing on Housing Sentiment
Year-over-Year Jump in Interest Rates Amplifying Perceptions of Unaffordability for Buyers and ‘Lock-in Effect’ for Sellers
September 7, 2022
The Fannie Mae Home Purchase Sentiment Index® (HPSI) decreased 0.8 points in August to 62.0, its sixth consecutive monthly decline, as high home prices and elevated mortgage rates continue to weigh on consumer sentiment, particularly home-selling sentiment. Despite the relatively small aggregate change, the HPSI experienced significant volatility among four of its six components, including those measuring consumer perceptions of homebuying and home-selling conditions, as well as expectations regarding the future direction of home prices and mortgage rates.
Month over month, consumers reported that home-selling conditions have worsened – although that component remains strongly positive on net. Consumers also reported that homebuying conditions have improved, but 73% continue to report that it’s a “bad time to buy.” For the first time since the start of the pandemic, consumers are neutral, on net, about the future path of home prices, with an increasing share this month reporting that prices will decline. Meanwhile, a greater share reported the expectation that mortgage rates will decline, even though a majority continue to believe that mortgage rates will go up over the next 12 months. Year over year, the full index is down 13.7 points.
“The share of consumers expecting home prices to go down over the next year increased substantially in August. Accompanying this, HPSI respondents reported a significant decrease in home-selling sentiment,” said Doug Duncan, Fannie Mae Senior Vice President and Chief Economist. “We also observed a large decline in consumers reporting high home prices as the primary reason for it being a good time to sell a home, suggesting that expectations of slowing or declining home prices have begun to negatively affect selling sentiment. Conversely, lower home prices would obviously be welcome news for potential first-time homebuyers, who are likely feeling the combined affordability constraints of the high home price and high mortgage rate environment. In fact, the survey’s ‘ease of getting a mortgage’ component dropped to an all-time low among this typically younger demographic (i.e., 18- to 34-year-olds). With home prices expected to moderate over the forecast horizon and economic uncertainty heightened, both homebuyers and home-sellers may be incentivized to remain on the sidelines – homebuyers anticipating home price declines and potential home-sellers not keen to give up their lower, fixed mortgage rate – contributing to a further cooling in home sales through the end of the year.”
On the right rail of this webpage, you will find a news release with highlights from the HPSI and National Housing Survey results, the latest Data Release highlighting the consumer attitudinal indicators, month-over-month key indicator data, an overview and white paper about the HPSI, technical notes providing in-depth information about the National Housing Survey methodology, the questionnaire used for the survey, and a comparative assessment of Fannie Mae’s National Housing Survey and other consumer surveys.
National Housing Survey Monthly Indicators Archive
Click here for an archived list of Fannie Mae's National Housing Survey Monthly Indicators.
Opinions, analyses, estimates, forecasts, and other views of Fannie Mae's Economic & Strategic Research (ESR) Group or survey respondents included in these materials should not be construed as indicating Fannie Mae's business prospects or expected results, are based on a number of assumptions, and are subject to change without notice. How this information affects Fannie Mae will depend on many factors. Although the ESR Group bases its opinions, analyses, estimates, forecasts, and other views on information it considers reliable, it does not guarantee that the information provided in these materials is accurate, current, or suitable for any particular purpose. Changes in the assumptions or the information underlying these views could produce materially different results. The analyses, opinions, estimates, forecasts, and other views published by the ESR Group represent the views of that group or survey respondents as of the date indicated and do not necessarily represent the views of Fannie Mae or its management.


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December 20, 2013 |
While this is the time of year where food can be a plenty, it’s important to keep your kidney diet restrictions in mind. It doesn’t mean you can’t partake – it just means some small adjustments to the holiday menu.
Main dish: Roasted turkey or chicken, goose, duck or fresh pork, or other wild game is a great main dish. Try to avoid ham, or other meat or poultry that is “seasoned”, which means salt and likely phosphorus are added. Stew made with moose or elk is also a great traditional dish. Pre-soak or partially boil carrots and potatoes before throwing them in the stew, so that some of the potassium leaches out first.
See the rest of this article by clicking here.
December 5, 2019 | News Staff News
Newly released national data shows Manitoba once again leads the country in rates of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD).
October 14, 2019 | News Staff News
UPDATE: As of October 21 normal dialysis schedules have resumed in Hodgson. We have two notices: one for those who…


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It is once again time for the annual Athletic Boosters Auction. The auction will be held on Friday, February 27th, during the boy's basketball games. If anyone is interested in donating an item, they can contact Paula Potter, 989-545-0182 or firstname.lastname@example.org. Please come out and support this event, there will be great items to bid on and help out our athletic programs.
By popular demand, the Cass City Fight Song has been published to our website. Find it under Red Hawk Activities.


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Westin Hotels thinks that what really inspires a globe-trotting executive is not the CEO of an even bigger company or even a cool trendsetter. Rather, it is, say, an overwhelmed hospital nurse who treats the victims of a natural disaster.
That’s why more than 200 New York nurses who cared for those displaced by Hurricane Sandy are getting two free nights at a Westin location as part of the chain’s promotion of its new weekend services.
The $7.5 million multimedia campaign, which breaks April 8, seeks to convince Westin’s core audience of hard-charging business travelers to book rooms on the weekend—and spend time recharging. One way to win over those Type A’s is to celebrate average people who work even harder, like nurses, teachers and volunteer firefighters, said Bob Jacobs, Westin’s vp of brand management.
“These dedicated working people are seen as inspirational and deserving figures by the executives and professionals who are loyal to our brand,” he said. “A free weekend stay reinforces our campaign message that everyone deserves a chance to relax and rejuvenate.”
While Starwood-owned Westin, which operates 193 hotels and resorts worldwide, and other hotel brands offer incremental room discounts to teachers and nurses, this is Westin’s first such giveaway. Free rooms and other gifts will also be given to selected teachers at high-risk schools as well as volunteer firefighters.
The giveaways will be widely publicized, along with information about Westin’s “Make Monday Better” weekend program, which includes late checkout and extended breakfast hours.
The campaign from BBH New York includes print and digital ads and on-site promotions. Taglines include “A day in the pool will help you swim with the sharks” and “A weekend at the U.S. Open means Monday has met its match.”
Allen Adamson, managing director at brand consultancy Landor, said, “The giveaway is a simple, smart way for Westin to be a good citizen by rewarding unsung heroes. It may also take advantage of an underutilized asset: empty rooms.” (Westin, like other chains that cater to the business traveler, tends to be busier during the work week than on weekends.)
Westin has marketed itself as a leisure destination before, but this is the first time it has focused exclusively on weekends.
“Our research shows consumers are craving more leisure time but taking less vacation, so we are trying to offer weekend breaks that are seamless and stress free,” said Brian Povinelli, Westin’s global brand leader.
Other weekend-only features at Westin include casual staff uniforms, more lively lighting and music, and information about local weekend activities.


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New Oculus Rift S Headset to be Unveiled at the GDC 2019
An email blast to Oculus developers seems to suggest the Rift S will be unveiled during this year’s Game Developer’s Conference. The email sent to multiple developers mentions the “Rift S” alongside existing Oculus Quest and Oculus Go headsets. The implication of this is that the community should expect a formal release announcement of the much vaunted PC-based virtual reality headset which is billed as a “refresh” of the Oculus Rift.
The first Rift was released in early 2016 and the stocks have been running low with major global retailers worldwide prompting speculation that Oculus might be inching closer to releasing an update to its hardware. The headsets are no longer available on Amazon and they have been pulled entirely from Newegg listings. Rumors have also been stoked by the January price drop of the original Oculus Rift headset from $400 to $350. These, along with the spurious stock availability of the original Rift headset, have sent strong signals that ‘Rift S’ might be hitting the markets soon even though the company has been tight-lipped regarding its launch.
The Oculus Rift S
The existence of a development project for the Rift S first came to light in a TechCrunch report released in October 2018 that hinted at a leadership shakeup at Oculus which coincided with a change in the company’s product plans. The report had said that Oculus/Facebook was cancelling its bigger Rift 2 overhaul and shifting towards a more modest iterative update with an increase in the resolution and the inside-out tracking system similar to the one to be included in Oculus’ upcoming Oculus Quest virtual reality console. The inside-out tracking system is used by the headset to track its position and the new innovation will do away with the external sensors found in the current Rift headsets. In the standalone VR headset Quest, the inside-out tracking technology is called ‘Insight’.
This year’s annual Game Developers Conference will be hosted in San Francisco. While Oculus has confirmed attendance, it has not divulged any information about a potential new headset release.
Last month, Oculus included references to ‘Rift S’ with onboard cameras in its Oculus PC software tools which further fueled speculation that its modest headset update might be in the offing. These on-board cameras would perform the same functions as before but they will simplify the usage and setup of the headset. Reports on tech websites have also hinted that Oculus Rift S will have a software-based IPD handling which is different from the lens separation adjustment in its current Rift headset.
The Original Rift is Still Going Strong
Even though we are at the cusp of new hardware changes, the original Rift is still showing a strong performance in the market. The original Rift is now 3 years old and has not seen a successor over that duration of time. However, it still remains the leading consumer VR headset in the market. It remains the most popular headset on Steam. Oculus has reduced the Rift price over the years from a high of $800 when it was launched to the current $350 as at January 2019. Its industrial design has fared on well but in the interlude, other headset brands and models have come up with headsets that have better resolutions and wider fields of view.
Oculus Rift S Expectations
The original Oculus Rift headsets needed USB-powered sensors that were positioned around the room and then wired back to a PC. The Rift S on the other hand will utilize on-board cameras as well as the “Oculus Insight” tracking system thereby eliminating the need for using a convoluted wired system.
The Rift S is a “refresh” or a modest update to the original Rift rather than a sequel. On top of its inside-out “Insight” tracking, it will also have better resolution and new optics that might be similar to those used in Oculus Go or Oculus Quest headsets.
In terms of resolution, the Rift S is expected to have similar display as the Quest (with 1600 x 1440), a nice improvement that will put this headset at par with some of the newer high-performing models such as the Vive Pro and Samsung Odyssey headsets.
Oculus might also step ahead of the competition and equip the Rift S with even better resolution displays at par with the 2160 x 2160 panels used in HP’s upcoming “Copper” headsets, a move that might necessitate shifting from OLED to LCD displays. Oculus has mostly stuck to LED displays in all its high-end headsets.
Price-wise, Oculus price has dropped from a high $800 at launch to $350 this year (bundled with the touch hand controllers). The new Rift S price point might be set to further low the Rift price.https://virtualrealitytimes.com/2019/03/16/new-oculus-rift-s-headset-to-be-unveiled-at-the-gdc-2019/https://virtualrealitytimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Oculus-Rift-S-May-Look-Similar-to-Oculus-Quest-600x338.jpghttps://virtualrealitytimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Oculus-Rift-S-May-Look-Similar-to-Oculus-Quest-150x90.jpgHardwareOculus RiftVR HeadsetsAn email blast to Oculus developers seems to suggest the Rift S will be unveiled during this year's Game Developer's Conference. The email sent to multiple developers mentions the “Rift S” alongside existing Oculus Quest and Oculus Go headsets. The implication of this is that the community should expect...Sam OchanjiSam Ochanji[email protected]SubscriberVirtual Reality Times - Metaverse & VR


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Eastman Kodak Co. is opening a second production line in China to meet growing demand for its printing plates in that nation and the Asia Pacific region.
The company said Friday it is adding the line to its printing plate manufacturing facility in the city of Xiamen. The expanded plant will boost Kodak’s manufacturing capacity for offset printing products, officials said.
“China and the Asia Pacific region are key markets, and the expanded Xiamen plant gives us closer proximity and enhanced capability in serving our customers in this part of the world,” said Douglas Edwards, general manager and vice president for prepress solutions, in a statement.
The manufacturing line will produce computer to plate, or CTP, plates for the Greater Asia Region and will supply other regions with certain types of plates, Kodak said. The plant will support the development of current and new products.
Kodak previously announced expansion of its Center of Operations and Support in Xiamen. The center provides order processing, business procedures and other services, as well as human resources and financial support.
Last August, Kodak relocated its Southeast Asia-based Logistics Center to Xiamen.
“By combining the expanded manufacturing facility with the Center of Operations and Support, as well as the Asia Pacific Logistic Center, Kodak is making Xiamen both an operational and strategic hub for the Asia Pacific region,” said Robert Price, general manager of the Kodak Xiamen plant.
Kodak’s plate portfolio includes flexographic, sheet-fed and web offset printing products for commercial, newspaper, and packaging printers.
(c) 2010 Rochester Business Journal. To obtain permission to reprint this article, call 585-546-8303 or e-mail firstname.lastname@example.org.


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New SEC rules could help create 1,500 jobs in Seminole County
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Previously, all solicitations for investments had to be done on a one-on-one basis. Now companies, hedge funds and buyout firms can advertise for investments through social media, advertisements and more.
That could mean more companies getting private equity, which can create jobs and boost the economy. It also could help companies in the advertising and media world with a new potential advertising revenue stream.
Locally, the new rule could help create up to 1,500 jobs. Izon LLC, which got approval Sept. 10 for $400,000 in incentives to help create 400 jobs in Seminole County, is on the verge of doing a Rule 506 Regulation D fundraising campaign, Joey DiFrancesco told Orlando Business Journal in an interview Sept. 27.
DiFrancesco said Izon, which plans to manufacture 3-D televisions that don’t require glasses, plans to raise between $5 million and $25 million.
“As soon as we get the first $5 million, Seminole County is in business,” DiFrancesco said. “That’s what it costs to set up the assembly plant and start hiring people.”
The plan is to start with 400 employees, with many of the jobs not requiring specialized training and still paying an average $33,000 per year. From there, the company plans to have 1,500 jobs in two to three years.
Where exactly the facility will be located is still to be determined,
“Longwood is the strongest possibility,” DiFrancesco said.
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National identity and pride is important to us all. Canadians are especially sensitive in this regard, since American culture has been slowly (and not so slowly) making its way north for decades. When I was a child, we had few American chains and name-brands in our towns and cities. Today, our retail centers are filled with American Big Box stores and restaurants, making it impossible to distinguish which country you are in.
The Canadian Thanksgiving Day continues to be celebrated in a more low key style in October. But, we have now inherited the madness that is Black Friday. Our own stores are promoting mega sales today in an attempt to keep Canadians from flocking across the border to snap up pre-Christmas bargains in the US.
The blogosphere is filled with commentaries denouncing the excesses and consumerism of Black Friday, even asking shoppers to boycott this day…and rightly so. Workers are being called in earlier and earlier from their Thanksgiving festivities to open stores and face the madness. Long lines of consumers camp outside for the prize of first grab at the bargains.
Our own Boxing Day has morphed into the same madness. No sooner has the wrapping been cleared up from the Christmas gluttony of giving, then folks are preparing for the December 26th sales. To call it madness is an understatement.
Now that our children are adults, I relish having them all around the table. It is a rare and much appreciated moment. I have children who work in essential services, and understand the commitment required by their chosen profession. Having to work on holidays is a reality that must be accepted. I also have children who worked in retail positions. Few employees are given the luxury of time off on Christmas Eve or Boxing Day. Traveling long distances to be home with family is a challenge or impossible.
I feel sorry for nurses, fire-fighters and police officers who must work on holidays. I get mad and disgusted when store clerks are forced to do the same. When did shopping become an essential service?
What if all stores agreed to stay closed on Black Friday and Boxing Day? If we must have the madness, couldn’t we simply postpone the post-holiday sales by one day? Can’t we allow time for families to just BE?


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Globe Telecom, a major carrier in the Philippines, has partnered with selected retailers to bring some exclusive offers to prospective prepaid BlackBerry users. The offer is available to those who purchases a new BlackBerry from participating retailers. Prepaid customers will then be able to get one to two month extra free BlackBerry data, depending on their prepaid BlackBerry data plan they go on.
If customers subscribe to the BB Chat plan for P99 for 30 days ,they will get two months extra free, giving them unlimited BBM messaging, photo sharing and group chats for a total of three months. If customers subscribe to the BB Social Plan for P299 for 30 days, the will get one month extra free. This plan gives them access to social networking apps/websites, instant messaging and BBM for a total of 60 days.
Everything will be set up in store when you make your new BlackBerry purchase. The exclusive is running from now until October 22, 2012.
Source: Manila Standard Today


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When sizing up the state of the industrial real estate market, which has been moving in the right direction for an extended period and spurred on in large due to e-commerce activity, the sector’s future continues to look bright in 2018, according to research issued today by industrial real estate firm CBRE.
In its 2018 U.S. Real Estate Market Outlook, CBRE highlighted myriad factors that support its thesis for continued U.S. industrial real estate growth.
Looking at net absorption, which CBRE views as a “proxy for demand,” the average quarterly net absorption 2017 was 52.9 million square-feet, which CBRE said was down from an above average run from 2013-2016, but consistent with the quarterly average over the cycle that kicked off in 2010.
“Consistent demand for all types of warehouse space, steadily declining availability and a steady rise in rates have been this cycle’s hallmarks, resulting in some impressive milestones,” CBRE said in its outlook, adding that there have been “30 consecutive quarters of positive net absorption availability at its lowest since 2001, and 24 consecutive quarters of rent growth.”
With pricing at what CBRE said were “record highs across the board,” for both users and occupiers, it noted that over the course of the next year, new market entrants can expect rates to continue to head up at around the same rate it has seen in recent years.
“My chief feeling is that there is not a lot of reason to think much is going to change in 2018 from 2017,” said David Egan, CBRE’s Global Head of Industrial & Logistics Research, in an interview. “The net absorption figure declined from 2016 to 2017 and is likely to do so again from 2017 to 2018 as well at about the same level. There is a difference between demand leaving the market and tenants not looking for space anymore, which is one story. And the other story is tenants are still in the market looking for space but they are not finding much as there is such little space available. As a result, deals are not getting done as quickly as they have been.”
With net absorption serving as a measure of the reduction in vacant space, Egan explained that what CBRE is seeing now in several markets is that tenants are not looking for space. Instead, what they are doing is swapping space, as there are rising rents and increased competition for spaces, as opposed to a reduction in vacant space.
“Demand has not left the market,” he said. “Even though vacancy rates might pick up a little bit, due to some construction growth and rental rates remaining strong, it is not an indication of demand leaving the market. There is tons of activity in the market, and users are really active. I expect this year to be good. It is incredible how many people are looking for space. There are lots of request for additional space from users.”
From a supply chain and freight transportation perspective, CBRE’s research pointed out how with tight market conditions comes a lack of quality choices in many markets that has put users looking to expand their supply chains in a difficult spot.
What’s more, it explained how while record-level rents remain a concern, compromises tenants make on location decisions, at the market or submarket level, are an issue, with these decisions having a major impact on overall supply chain costs that are heavily influenced by inbound and outbound transportation and labor costs.
“That is a major issue right now,” said Egan. “Users in this space have become extremely sophisticated. And the way in which inventory and [other] aspects of the supply chain are handled are different compared to ten years ago, with more pressure on costs and delivery and service promises. There is more transportation happening, leading to users understanding the importance of location on their overall cost structure…and what the right location is. Right now, there is not a lot of space left.”
About the Author
Jeff Berman, Group News Editor
Jeff Berman is Group News Editor for Logistics Management, Modern Materials Handling, and Supply Chain Management Review. Jeff works and lives in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, where he covers all aspects of the supply chain, logistics, freight transportation, and materials handling sectors on a daily basis. Contact Jeff Berman
Importing and managing the logistics of your precious freight is no easy task. Compliance to U.S. Customs & Border Patrol is essential to your cargo clearing customs. Use a freight forwarder to lower your chances of having shipment delays and to oversee all of your international freight logistics. Contact a customs broker to file your ISF and issue any pre-alerts to avoid penalties and delays, and arrange your ocean freight and imports customs clearance.


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IRVING, Texas (BUSINESS WIRE), October 01, 2020 - Vizient, Inc. today announced that its annual Innovative Technology Exchange will be held virtually Oct.20-22, with staffed hours on the 20 and 21. During this virtual event, 40 products from 34 suppliers will be featured with product specialists on hand at designated times to answer attendee questions. Additionally, all content will be made available on demand during the duration of the exchange.
“The Innovative Technology Exchange is a cornerstone annual event at Vizient that enables suppliers to showcase ground-breaking solutions to Vizient member hospitals that can improve patient care or reduce the risk of harm to patients or providers, while simultaneously raising the standard of patient care and safety. We are excited to continue the long and successful tradition of this event in a virtual format this year,” said Cathy Denning, RN, MSN, group senior vice president, sourcing operations, analytics and center of excellence for Vizient.
The virtual booths at the Innovative Technology Exchange will include materials such as brochures, product-use information, clinical studies or posters, videos of the product in use and supplier contact information. The booths will be staffed by suppliers at the following times:
- Tuesday, Oct. 20 from 8 to 11 a.m. CST
- Wednesday, Oct. 21 from noon to 3 p.m. CST
During hours when the booths are staffed, attendees will be able to ask questions answered by suppliers’ experts. The booths will be available on demand but unstaffed anytime outside of the above hours from 12:00 a.m. CST on Oct. 20 to 11:59 p.m. CST on Oct. 22.
Registration is open to Vizient members through Oct. 9 with limited spots remaining. Contact firstname.lastname@example.org for more information.
About Vizient, Inc.
Vizient, Inc. provides solutions and services that improve the delivery of high-value care by aligning cost, quality and market performance for more than 50% of the nation’s acute care providers, which includes 95% of the nation’s academic medical centers, and more than 20% of ambulatory providers. Vizient provides expertise, analytics and advisory services, as well as a contract portfolio that represents more than $100 billion in annual purchasing volume, to improve patient outcomes and lower costs. Vizient has earned a World’s Most Ethical Company designation from the Ethisphere Institute every year since its inception. Headquartered in Irving, Texas, Vizient has offices throughout the United States. Learn more at www.vizientinc.com.


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The deliberation vessel wants to guarantee the United Kingdom keeps gait with the developments successful the emerging integer landscape.
The Digital Pound Foundation (DPF), a radical of technology, innovation, and regulatory experts, has announced its motorboat arsenic an autarkic non-profit enactment successful the U.K.
According to a merchandise issued connected Thursday, the DPF volition enactment to beforehand the implementation of a cardinal slope integer currency (CBDC) successful the country.
Indeed, as antecedently reported by Cointelegraph, the U.K. authorities successful April established a CBDC task unit to research preliminary matters related to the instauration of a nationalist integer currency.
The DPF, arsenic portion of its stated mandate, volition transportation retired probe and prosecute successful collaboration with stakeholders to enactment the U.K.’s CBDC project.
In summation to supporting developmental efforts, the instauration volition besides reportedly advocator for robust regulations for the U.K.’s CBDC task arsenic good arsenic favorable ineligible provisions for privately issued integer currencies.
According to Jeremy Wilson, president of the DPF, the societal and technological ramifications of a CBDC for the U.K. are profound, hence the request for creating the radical to supply the indispensable enactment to each stakeholders.
The DPF whitethorn apt articulation the formed of payment and fintech experts already lined up by the Bank of England to lend to the U.K’s CBDC improvement efforts.
Recently, celebrated whistle-blower and erstwhile United States Central Intelligence Agency cause Edward Snowden described CBDCs arsenic a perversion of cryptocurrencies.
In a written enactment to Cointelegraph, Wilson offered a antithetic opinion, stating, “Our presumption is that CBDCs should not beryllium considered connected the aforesaid spectrum arsenic cryptocurrencies. The 2 are fundamentally antithetic successful their conceptualization, and successful the usage cases to which they would respectively beryllium applied.”
According to the announcement, Wilson and the different originating members of the DPF are joined by subordinate members including Ripple, Quant, Electroneum and The Realization Group.
Electroneum CEO Richard Ells volition besides service arsenic a subordinate of the committee of directors of the DPF. According to Ells, CBDCs person the imaginable to lend meaningfully to promoting greater fiscal inclusion crossed the globe.
In a survey of 2,500 adults successful the U.K. published backmost successful August, 30% of participants stated their content that a CBDC could origin much harm than bully successful the country.


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Moto blogFri, 19 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0700
Bombardier Recreational Products has filed a preliminary prospectus with the necessary securities regulatory bodies in Canada for a proposed initial public offering of subordinate voting shares. Should things go according to plan, non-controlling shares of the company will be available on the Toronto Stock Exchange. The Financial Post reports BRP hopes to raise CN$250 million (US$243 million).Mon, 28 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0700
Two weeks ago, I took a break from my regular duties gathering news for Motorcycle.com to fly to Germany to cover the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show for our sister site AutoGuide.com. For two hectic days, AutoGuide editor Colum Wood and I scrambled across the massive 6.2 million square foot Messe Frankfurt trade fair compound, running from press conference to press conference to get the latest on exotic sport cars, futuristic concept models and international unveilings from the automotive world. It was heaven for car lovers, but for me, it meant fighting my way through hordes of photogs, auto-journalists and car show models to get the first photos of four-wheeled goodies from MINI, Ferrari and Lotus.Mon, 19 May 2014 00:00:00 -0700
Danica Patrick. Mark Messier. Drew Brees. Apart from being star athletes in their respective sports, what else do these three have in common?
Can-Am SPYDER RT-S by State
Can-Am SPYDER RT-S by City
Can-Am SPYDER RT-S by Color


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Woe is us! Car dealers suffer from slack demand
Chen Peng invested 7 million yuan (US$1.02 million) to open a dealership selling Korean Kia cars in 2013. He said he earned 2.9 million yuan in 2017. Last year, the business lost 2.8 million yuan.
Peng ruefully said he still remembers the heyday when car dealerships posted rapid profit growth before 2011.
“The good days have passed,” said a car dealer surnamed Feng, who operates more than 10 sites selling vehicles under a US car brand that he declined to identify. “I can still earn money, but the situation is far worse than the years before 2018.”
Liu Jing, a friend of mine, wants to buy an Audi A4L sedan. She told me that she and others in the same position consider this a good year to buy a car because prices keep dropping.
No rush. She said she’s holding off a bit, waiting to see what kind of off-season discounts come available in August.
The signs are everywhere. Car dealers in China are suffering amid a stalled auto market. They are forced to cut prices on clearance models and taking a hit on the bottom line. Some are even packing up and leaving the sector.
The slowdown in the first half of this year was capped by the 12th consecutive month of decline in auto sales. It is blamed on weak consumer demand amid a slowing Chinese economy and on the Sino-US trade tension. Some also point the figure at stringent new car-emissions standards.
Some Chinese provinces have implemented the tougher standards early, ahead of nationwide standards due to come into effect next year as part of the fight against pollution. That has created uncertainty among manufacturers, dealers and consumers.
Consumers thinking that the government may step in with incentive measures are sitting tight.
The slowdown is a bucket of cold water splashed in the face of an industry that for so long enjoyed the double-digit growth that catapulted China into its ranking as the world’s biggest auto market by sales.
The relationship of car dealers and auto manufacturers has exacerbated the slowdown.
In that relationship, manufacturers have the upper hand, and dealers are reluctant to talk to the media for fear of repercussions.
Carmakers set sales targets, and if consumer demand wanes, they still push their vehicles onto dealers. Inventories build up, prices drop and dealers get caught in a cash-flow squeeze.
Nearly 40 percent of car dealers in China lost money last year, according to the China Automobile Dealers Association, and forecasts predict further losses this year. The association also said the average gross margin on each new vehicle sale slipped to 0.4 percent from 5.5 percent last year.
The dour outlook for car dealers wasn’t helped by the news that Pangda Automobile Trade Co, a major Chinese dealer located in Hebei Province, filed for bankruptcy in May, after the company reported more than a 6.1-billion-yuan loss in net profit last year.
Pangda blamed the loss on the decline in car prices due to high inventory and lawsuits related to lease-financing, sales and loan contracts.
“The top 100 dealer groups entered a period of structural adjustment in 2018,” said Song Tao, deputy secretary general of China Automobile Dealers Association. “Revenue, profit margins and return on net assets all fell in 2018, compared with the previous year.”
The China Auto Dealers Chamber of Commerce said in April that 85 percent of car dealers failed to meet carmakers’ sales targets last year. The only exceptions were dealers for Mercedes-Benz, GAC Toyota, BMW, Lexus, Chevrolet and Cadillac achieved the sales targets set by the car manufacturers.
About 58 percent of dealers reported that prices of the cars they sold were actually lower than the wholesale prices of car manufacturers, the chamber said. About 12 percent of dealers lost more than 5 million yuan in 2018, and only 12 percent of dealers earned more than 5 million yuan.
Car manufacturers try to counter the slowdown by expanding their dealer networks, which only increases competition. Dealers also face fierce competition from car sales on e-commerce websites, mobility service providers and used-car websites.
“Smaller car dealers may suffer more than the bigger ones that have more experience and the ability to handle risk,” said Zhang Xiaofeng, an independent market analyst. “Consumers who live in smaller cities and rural areas are taking a wait-and-see stance before buying their first vehicles.”
Dealers selling luxury care have been somewhat immune to the slowdown. A Shanghai car dealer, surnamed Pan, who sells a German luxury car brand, said that he saw some dealers of mass-market car models offering big discounts to consumers, even slashing some prices by half.
“There is little impact on luxury car brands like us,” he said of the current market conditions. “We sell cars valued at 500,000 yuan or more. Our target consumers are very stable. We don’t offer discounts that would reduce the value of the car brand.”
The China Auto Dealers Chamber of Commerce urged automakers and car dealers to work together to address the problem, suggesting mechanisms for formulating reasonable price, controlling inventory levels and listening to dealer feedback.
Some dealers are trying to lift business by providing more diversified services for car buyers. Shanghai-based automaker SAIC-GM upgraded its traditional 4S stores to 7S stores this year, adding used-car servicing, sharing services and financial support. SAIC Volkswagen also added smart and sharing services at its 7S stores.
“For dealers, it’s wise to consider providing customers with more services, including used-car services and insurance in order to make profits beyond just selling new cars,” said market analyst Zhang. “But they need to balance cost with income when developing new businesses.”


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So I'm sure that many of you have heard about the upcoming mobile-friendly ranking algorithm that launches on April 21st. Zineb Ait Bahajji, a Googler from the Webmaster Trends team said that this new update will have greater impact on Google's search results than the Google Panda and Google Penguin updates did. This new mobile-friendly ranking algorithm is [...]
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