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On the latest Billboard 200 albums chart (dated Nov. 4), P!nk earns her second No. 1 album as her new effort, Beautiful Trauma, arrives atop the list with 408,000 equivalent album units earned in the week ending Oct. 19, according to Nielsen Music. Of that sum, 384,000 were in traditional album sales — P!nk’s biggest sales week ever.
The Billboard 200 chart ranks the week’s most popular albums based on their overall consumption. That overall unit figure combines pure album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA).
Now, let’s take a closer look at some of the action on the latest Billboard 200 chart:
— Robert Plant, Carry Fire – No. 14 — The rock icon’s latest album, Carry Fire, starts at No. 14 and marks his 15th solo effort on the list. The Led Zeppelin frontman notched his first solo effort on the list a little more than 35 years ago, when Pictures at Eleven arrived on the list dated July 17, 1982 at No. 49 (it later peaked at No. 5 – his first of eight top 10 albums).
The new set launches with 25,000 equivalent album units earned in the week ending Oct. 19, according to Nielsen Music. Of that sum, 24,000 were in traditional album sales.
— NF, Perception – No. 25 — NF’s Perception tumbles from No. 1 to No. 25 in its second week on the list — the 12th album of 2017 to debut at No. 1 and then fall straight out of the top 10 in its second stanza. The rapper’s album declines by 68 percent in units earned (falling from 55,000 to 18,000), while tumbling 86 percent in sales (falling from 38,000 to 5,000).
Here’s a list of the dozen albums that debuted at No. 1 in 2017, and then dropped out of the top 10 in their second week:
Artist, Title — Positional Fall — Chart Date of Second Week
Logic, Everybody — 1-11 — June 3
Linkin Park, One More Light — 1-29 — June 17
Bryson Tiller, True to Self — 1-13 — June 24
Katy Perry, Witness — 1-13 — July 8
Lorde, Melodrama — 1-13 — July 15
Arcade Fire, Everything Now — 1-38 — Aug. 26
Brand New, Science Fiction — 1-97 — Sept. 16
LCD Soundsystem, American Dream — 1-56 — Sept. 30
Foo Fighters, Concrete and Gold — 1-17 — Oct. 14
The Killers, Wonderful Wonderful — 1-59 — Oct. 21
Shania Twain, Now — 1-29 — Oct. 28
NF, Perception — 1-25 — Nov. 4
— Dua Lipa, Dua Lipa – No. 63 — The pop singer-songwriter’s debut album hits a new chart high, as it climbs 75-63 (9,000 units; up 9 percent). The album is mostly driven by streaming equivalent album units (a little more than 6,000), thanks to the continuing growing popularity of its song “New Rules.” The track garnered 6.4 million on-demand audio streams in the latest tracking week (up 8 percent), while also climbing in 8 percent in overall radio audience (22.4 million in the week ending Oct. 22).
— Fleetwood Mac, Greatest Hits – No. 69 — Thanks to a $4.99 sale price in the iTunes Store during the tracking week, Fleetwood Mac’s Greatest Hits re-enters the chart at No. 69 (8,000 units; up 592 percent, with 5,000 copies sold; up 312 percent). It is one of a number of hits albums that see gains thanks to discount pricing in the iTunes Store. Other titles that benefit include: Guns N’ Roses’ Appetite for Destruction (a re-entry at No. 157 with 5,000 units; up 175 percent, with 2,000 sold; up 64 percent) and Lynyrd Skynrd’s All Time Greatest Hits (re-entry at No. 167 with 5,000 units; up 146 percent, with 2,000 sold; up 116 percent).
— Adele, 25 – No. 103 — The diva’s former No. 1 album, 25, spends its 100th consecutive week on the chart, as it rises 106-103 (7,000 units; up 1 percent). The album has yet to depart the tally since its debut at No. 1 (where it spent 10 non-consecutive weeks).
So far, 25 — which was released on Nov. 20, 2015 through XL Recordings/Columbia Records — has earned 10.88 million equivalent album units in the U.S., of which 9.4 million are in traditional album sales. It followed Adele’s second album, 21, which has earned 14.96 million units, with 11.87 million in album sales. (21, which ruled the list for 24 nonconsecutive weeks, has also never left the chart. It’s spending its 348th straight week on the list, dipping 174-181. It continues to extend its record as the longest charting album by a woman. Earlier in 2017, it beat Carole King‘s Tapestry for the most weeks on the chart by a woman.)
21 and 25 are also the Nos. 9 and 29 biggest selling albums since 1991, when Nielsen Music began electronically tracking album sales.
Adele’s first album, 19, has sold 3 million copies.
Collectively, her three studio efforts, along with two live iTunes-exclusive EPs, have sold 24.4 million copies in the U.S.
— Eminem, Recovery – No. 160 — Eminem becomes the first act to see three of his albums each spend at least 300 weeks on the chart, as his 2010 album Recovery collects its 300th week on the list (165-160). Both Curtain Call: The Hits (363 weeks, released in 2005) and The Eminem Show (342 weeks, released in 2002) have also reached the threshold.
— Dolly Parton, I Believe In You – No. 173 — The country legend’s latest album, I Believe In You, is also a children’s music record, and it jumps 11-3 on the Kid Albums chart. Over on the Top Country Albums chart, it debuts at No. 20, giving Parton her 78th entry on the tally.


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Taste and texture important attributes during calorie reduction
December 16, 2016
The industry has recognized that consumers’ food and beverage consumption habits have changed during the past two decades. Trends are showing that consumers want more information about products to help them make informed choices that also fit their health goals. Today, the industry actively is considering the implications of the announcement that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is requiring updates to the Nutrition Facts label by July 26, 2018. Now, more than ever, it’s important that manufacturers and ingredient suppliers work together to create healthier and tastier options for consumers.
Company launches Treo Organic Birch Water Infusion
September 20, 2016
Bob Golden, son of Hyman Golden, one of the three founders of Snapple, has embarked on his own beverage venture. After discovering the benefits of organic birch water during a trip to the Nordic countries of Europe, he developed Treo Organic Birch Water Infusion, a product of Harrison, N.Y.-based Treo Brands.
When the U.S. 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines were released earlier this year, one of the key recommendations for a healthy eating pattern stated that individuals should consume less than 10 percent of calories a day from added sugars.
Whether it’s from their friends and family, doctors or TV personalities, Americans have numerous outlets from which to receive advice on how to live a healthy lifestyle. However, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) are hoping to make it easier for American consumers to make smart food and beverage choices.
The January premiere issue of 2020 kicks off with the Bottler of the Year profile on Refreshment Services Inc. (RSI) Key West. Readers also can clue-in on the latest developments and insight in reusable packaging, tracking technology in distribution, and new, convenient ways antioxidants are shining as ingredients. Readers also can check out new product releases, the latest in packaging, and innovations in the supermarkets space. The year in beverage has much in store, so read up now!
Check back throughout the month for additional content.

domain: news


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LVMH company - An operational and functional model – LVMH. LVMH's Digital Drive Takes Time Despite Apple Hire | News & Analysis | BoF. PARIS, France — When LVMH hired former Apple music executive Ian Rogers to craft a digital strategy, investors may have hoped for some quick results. If so, they are probably disappointed. Almost a year later, aside from drafting in more digitally-savvy people and taking part in a technology start-up fair, his impact on the world's biggest luxury goods group has yet to become visible.
Changing mentalities and priorities at LVMH takes time, according to sources close to the €78 billion ($88 billion) group controlled by France's richest man, Bernard Arnault. LVMH's online strategy appears inconsistent across its more than 70 businesses and brands. Some labels such as Louis Vuitton and Fendi have made great strides along with cosmetics retailer Sephora, but Céline stands out as an apparent laggard. Arnault hired Rogers, a 44-year-old American who once worked with the Beastie Boys hip hop band, to challenge the digital mindset of his executives. Diverging Views Jeans and Sweaters Online Growth. How Instagram's New Feed Will Impact Brands and Influencers | Fashion-Tech | BoF. LONDON, United Kingdom — Back in March, Instagram announced that “in the coming months” it would implement an algorithm that, instead of ordering posts in users’ feeds in reverse-chronological order, will order them based on "the likelihood you’ll be interested in the content," using signals such as likes, comments and searches.
Instagram says that users miss on average 70 percent of their feeds, so the change will ensure they see the content that matters to them. The company also tried to reassure its 400 million users that they would be told when the feed was rolled out and that at least initially, no posts will be removed from feeds — they will just be shown in a different order. Still, the announcement caused Insta-chaos. So, what are the influencers worried about? For many influencers, Instagram has become a valuable revenue stream. Karen Robinovitz, chief creative officer at Digital Brand Architects, says there is “potential” for the changes to affect influencer reach.
Prediction: There will be no more billion dollar brands. | Lean Luxe. American Luxury Companies Remain Cautious as Weak Traffic Weighs on Sales | News & Analysis | BoF. NEW YORK, United States — Luxury-goods sellers are keeping the champagne on ice. Despite posting earnings that topped analysts’ estimates for their most recent quarters, Coach Inc., Ralph Lauren Inc. and Michael Kors Holdings Ltd. all offered less-than-rosy forecasts.
The gloomy outlooks weighed on shares of Coach and Michael Kors, while Ralph Lauren’s stock rose on optimism that a turnaround plan from its new chief executive officer is gaining traction. Executives at the companies — which sell merchandise ranging from $400 handbags to $5,000 pea coats — say decreased tourism to the US and dwindling spending are hurting sales at department stores as well as their own locations. And in a break from recent practice, they are trying to avoid resorting to extreme discounts to move merchandise for fear that the tactic will ruin their brands’ images among consumers. Michael Kors The shares fell 1.1 percent to $49.55 at 9:37 a.m. in New York. Coach Results. Burberry - Iconic British Luxury Brand Est. 1856. Luxury Brands Focus On “Instagram Generation” Ultra Rich Customers.
It’s a brave new world out there, though not the one Aldus Huxley envisioned. Technology is all-pervading in more ways than we actually realize. While browsing the web you always come across headlines with celebs touting the latest and greatest. Whether it’s a reality star, a Hollywood A-lister or a singer, everyone knows what they’re doing, where they are, what they’re wearing – oh, and what they are driving. The paparazzi will soon be a thing of the past. Celebrities use social media themselves to promote…, well, themselves. To automotive company executives, it sounds like a golden opportunity. Give them what they want, that’s the answer. Everyone is getting on the game. Of course they do; the restrained options remind them of their parents’ or grandparents’ cars. A chrome Bentley or Rolls may cause loyal customers a heart attack, but in the end it’s only business. He calls it “The Instagram Effect”. Make no mistake: Gordon Gecko was right.
Story Reference: Autonews Photo Gallery. Luxury brands tap into social media to reach Chinese customer. Luxury brands have hit some bumps on the road to expanding their sales in China, so many are coming up with new ways to reach their customers, especially younger ones, by opening up more social media accounts. CCTV’s Hu Xiaocen reports. Luxury brands tap into social media to reach Chinese customer Luxury brands tap into social media to reach Chinese customer Luxury brands have hit some bumps on the road to expanding their sales in China, so many are coming up with new ways to reach their customers, especially younger ones, by opening up more social media accounts. If you haven’t noticed, an increasing number of luxury brands are showing up somewhere new these days, especially with accounts on new media.
Zhu said the way luxury brands are marketing has changed in recent years. Some of the brands even include an online shop in their social media accounts. “I value the quality and service of luxury brands so if I want to buy something, I will go to offline stores. Related April 8, 2016. Burberry becomes first luxury brand to personalise on Pinterest. Burberry has become the first luxury brand to offer customers a personalised experience on Pinterest, letting them create customised make-up boards to promote its new ‘Cat Lashes Mascara’ product. The personalisation works by asking visitors three questions. Their answers, along with their initials will be combined to create the personal Pinterest board. The partnership allows Burberry to benefit from Pinterest’s features and data to cater its posts to individuals though personalised and monogrammed content. Pinterest is currently the largest beauty platform in the world, with 38.5 million unique viewers of its hair and beauty category.
The move comes after Burberry said it would focus on boosting customer loyalty by expanding its “digital prowess”, after its pre-tax profits fell 10% to £415.6m for the year to 31 March 2016. And it isn’t the first time the company has put the emphasis on personalisation.


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If you were amongst the millions tuned into the Superbowl, chances are you caught a glimpse of Barbizon Akron alum Kayley Stallings. Kayley appeard in ads for the hit show The Walking Dead in conjuntion with Time Warner Cable. Check out her commercial debut here.
Our 2012 Seventeen Contest winner, Olivia Hamm, was recently selected as Gladys Magazine's April Gladys Girl. She will appear in their Spring Wedding and Couture issue and is currently featured on their Facebook page..
Barbizon alum, Josilyn Williams has landed another fashion spread! She appears in this month's Italian Elle magazine. Check out the shots from her six page spread here.
Barbizon alum, Katrina Hunter, is set to appear next to top celebrities and fashion elite, on the hit show Fashion Star as a featured model. The show now signed on for season two, stars Nicole Richie, Jessica Simpson and John Varvatos. NBC has announced that Fashion Star will be moving to a new night, Friday. The season premier is scheduled for March 8th at 8/7c.


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Approximately one in seven adults across Central Florida could experience food insecurity in 2021 due to the ongoing economic fallout from COVID-19. Neighbors in our community are struggling to put food on the table – many facing this difficult reality for the first time in their lives.
The food bank has been distributing enough food for 300,000 meals a day for the past year – that’s double pre-pandemic hunger relief efforts.
Due to the heightened and sustained need for food assistance caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Second Harvest outgrew its existing kitchen and needed to find an additional location. As a result of CARES Act funding through Orange County and financial support from the community, the food bank expanded into the new 20,000-square-foot facility, two miles from its main warehouse.
Mercy Kitchen includes an expanded production kitchen, a cooler and freezer area, dry storage, and six receiving and distribution bay doors to support Second Harvest’s operations.
Volunteers and staff at this location support hunger relief efforts by producing more than 115,000 meals a week, including:
- 7-Day Breakfast and Lunch Boxes
- Chef-inspired Family Meal Boxes
- Kids meals for the Kids Café Program and Summer Food Service Program
Additionally, Mercy Kitchen is home to Second Harvest’s social entrepreneurial endeavors, such as providing contracted meals for private schools and its signature product line, A Spoon Full of Hope. These programs, along with Drop and Go Catering, and Catering for Good services, have allowed Second Harvest to diversify its funding stream and continue providing necessary resources to help sustain hunger relief efforts in Central Florida.
Fight Hunger. Spark Change. campaign.
Walmart and Sam’s Club are supporting the Feeding America® nationwide network of food banks, including Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida through the Fight Hunger. Spark Change. campaign. Now in its eighth year, the campaign has been a way for Walmart and Sam’s Club to partner with suppliers, customers and members to help provide food to people in need.
The Fight Hunger. Spark Change. campaign will run in store and online from April 5 – May 3, 2021. There are three easy ways for customers and members to participate:
- Donate at check-out in stores and clubs, or at either www.FeedingAmerica.org/Walmart or www.FeedingAmerica.org/SamsClub.
- Round-up at check-out on Walmart.com and the Walmart app.
- For every participating product purchased in store or online at Walmart.com or SamsClub.com, the supplier will donate the monetary equivalent of at least one meal ($0.10) on behalf of a Feeding America member food bank at Walmart and five meals ($0.50) at Sam’s Club, up to applicable limits. See specially marked packages for full details.
“Central Florida has faced a number of challenges this past year and we have worked hard to serve our neighbors in their time of need. Walmart and Sam’s Club have been a true partner in this effort,” said Dave Krepcho, president and CEO. “Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida is grateful for Walmart, Sam’s Club and their suppliers, members and customers for their generous support because it will allow us to continue operating at levels we have not seen for as long as we have been.”
Since March 2020, Second Harvest has been distributing enough food for 300,000 meals a day – double the amount from before the pandemic. In that time, the food bank has provided 96 million meals across Orange, Osceola, Lake, Seminole, Volusia and Brevard counties.
“Fighting hunger means more than just feeding people. It means helping them on a path to fulfill their potential, because nutritious food is the foundation for good health and wellbeing,” said Kathleen McLaughlin, executive vice president and chief sustainability officer for Walmart. “Central to our mission at Walmart is helping people live better and that includes ensuring they have access to nutritious food. In its eighth year, Fight Hunger. Spark Change. continues to provide communities a way to support local food banks alongside their neighbors, trusted brands and their local Walmart and Sam’s Club.”
Each Walmart and Sam’s Club will partner with at least one local Feeding America food bank, and the 27 participating suppliers include: Abbott, Bodyarmor, Bush Brothers & Company, Campbell Soup Company, Clif Bar & Company, Ferrera Candy Company, General Mills, Great Value, Iovate Health Sciences, J.M. Smucker, Kellogg’s, Keurig/Mott’s, Kitu Coffee, Kraft Heinz, Materne North America, Mighty Spark, Monster Energy, PEPSICO, Post Consumer Brands, Purina, Simply Good Foods, Strong Roots, The Coca-Cola Company, The Clorox Company, This Saves Lives, Unilever and United States Nutrition.
To learn more about the campaign visit www.FeedHopeNow.org.


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I applaud this business owner. This takes a lot of courage:
President Obama’s election victory ensured his Affordable Care Act would remain the centerpiece of his first term in power – but that has left some business owners baulking at the extra cost Obamcare will bring.
Florida based restaurant boss John Metz, who runs approximately 40 Denny’s and owns the Hurricane Grill & Wings franchise has decided to offset that by adding a five percent surcharge to customers’ bills and will reduce his employees’ hours.
With Obamacare due to be fully implemented in January 2014, Metz has justified his move by claiming it is ‘the only alternative. I’ve got to pass on the cost to the customer.’
I’m a big fan of businesses being transparent about building the cost of government policies into their prices. That’s a facet of policy debate that often gets lost in the squabbling. Taxes and red tape don’t just hurt the ability of a given business to hire and compensate employees. It also raises the cost of goods and services for their customers.
Businesses don’t build the sales tax into their “on the shelf” prices because businesses want to make clear to customers what portion of the price they pay is tax. But it’s hard to quantify the portion of a price attributable to non-tax policies, but there is a cost. And consumers should be aware of it.
Americans might vote very differently if the knew how large a percentage of their day-to-day expenditures is the result of price-inflating taxes and regulation.


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Activision Blizzard, publisher of such highly successful console video games as Call of Duty and World of Warcraft, revealed Nov. 2 that it will purchase King Digital Entertainment, creator of Candy Crush Saga, for $5.9 billion.
Activision, already the largest and most successful interactive entertainment publisher in the business, fortifies its market position mightily with the move. A major gap in its portfolio was lack of a significant number of successful mobile games, so the addition of King Digital fills that need immediately.
Santa Monica, Calif.-based Activision Blizzard has one notable mobile presence in the U.S.: Hearthstone, a PC and mobile game that the company claims has more than 25 million players. However, that game is nowhere in the ballpark of the Candy Crush player base; King Digital claimed 474 million monthly active users in Q3 2015.
Dublin, Ireland-based King Digital has reported annual revenues of $2.2 billion, of which approximately 80 percent are from mobile games.
Activision Blizzard also created and distributes the Destiny, Guitar Hero, and Skylanders titles. However, the company was slow to market with mobile games for smartphones and tablets. Mobile games spending, according to market researcher IHS Technology, will total $32 billion in 2015; in fact, mobile games are the largest mobile content category and also now comprise the largest games audience worldwide.
The NPD Group has reported that over the past 12 months, mobile games accounted for 19 percent of the total global spend on video game software.
In opting to acquire rather than build, Activision will own the newest $1 billion game, Candy Crush, which enables it to soothe shareholder anxiety over competition to, and performance of, Call of Duty and Skylanders.
Owning King Digital provides Activision access to a new audience of about 340 million gamers across mobile and PC platforms, IHS said. Activision plans to run King in a similar fashion to Blizzard—as a separate division and at arm’s length.
IHS forecasts mobile and tablet game spending to grow from $32 billion in 2015 to $40 billion in 2019. The researcher estimates that about 70 percent of King’s daily active users are still linked to Candy Crush-franchise-related games, and with that audience currently in decline, “King faces an uphill challenge maintaining its commercial scale—even with new games coming to market,” it said in a media advisory.


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Wall Street expert Tom Lee feels that the derailed cryptocurrency market will soon get back on track. He “../bitcoin-price-predictions/”>predicts that Bitcoin price might touch $20000 by mid-year and $25000 by year end. Crypto-related announcements made by big companies and historical price trends serve as the base of his statement. Rakuten, a Japanese e-commerce company revealed on Tuesday that it is planning to proceed with the launch of “Rakuten Coin.”
Lee the head of research and co-founder at Fundstrat Global Advisors feels that:
“The announcement by Rakuten is another example of positive developments in crypto in 2018, suggesting the large sell-off in Bitcoin and others at the start of the year was an overshoot to the downside.”
Rakuten did not comment any further on this announcement. Lee however has announced a mid-year Bitcoin price target of $20000 and year-end target of $25000. A large number of financial firms have recently opened up about the controversial issue of Bitcoin price predictions but Lee is the foremost major Wall Street Moghul to issue a formal price target.
Lee emphasized upon the fact that the Bitcoin price plummeted to record lows during the first two months of 2018 which holds resemblance to previous six out of seven crash histories. On Wednesday Bitcoin was trading at about $10450 which was 2.9% higher than cumulative February figures but 21% down than the 2017 statistics.
The world’s numero-uno cryptocurrency was traveling on a path of rhetoric success till mid-December 2017 from where its price took a down-swing amidst fears of regulatory crackdowns by countries around the globe. Bitcoin price had hit an immense low figure of $6000 in the last few weeks which was its lowest since November before stabilizing around the $10,000 mark. Lee feels that investors should steer clear from “alt-coins” such as Ripple and Zcash until late March given their past statistics.
But cryptocurrency enthusiasts are still hopeful of a market recovery given the recent headlines published in regards to collaborations between big-shot companies and the dynamic cryptocurrencies. Lee says:
“In 2018, we forecast at least 3 major publicly-traded corporations to issue native digital tokens. Already three major companies have announced efforts within cryptocurrencies, which demonstrate that corporations may be moving towards cryptocurrencies before Wall Street has embraced them,”.
He also cited the example of Line, a Japanese messaging app which announced in January the launch of a new version termed Line Financial which will facilitate the exchange of digital tokens amongst its users.
Howard Schultz, the executive chairman of Starbucks has hinted through various statements made in the last two months that his company might implement Blockchain technology for the betterment of consumer payments application. He revealed in an interview conducted by Fox Business on Tuesday that, “I think blockchain technology is probably the rails in which an integrated app at Starbucks will be sitting on top of.” The company bears resemblance to the remarks made by Schultz in January regarding the earnings call of the coffee company.
Lee of Fundstrat had pointed at questionable connections in between cryptos and two technology related giants. He announced that, “Facebook, we believe, likely announces a crypto-strategy this year.” He feels that if such a strategy is announced by the social media company on a public platform in the form of an initial coin offering, then that shall be beneficial to both users and stock investors.
Lee noted that a similar strategy can also be adopted by Amazon.com. None of the companies however responded immediately to the post made by CNBC on Wednesday. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg had earlier revealed through an online post in January that his company shall consider cryptocurrencies in the current fiscal. LendEDU announced on Tuesday that an Amazon-created virtual token shall readily be accepted and used by 51.7% Americans for fostering financial transactions. This data was extracted from an online poll conducted in between 23rd to 24th of February by Pollfish.
What are your views on Bitcoin price for the year 2018? Let us know in the comments section below.
KryptoMoney.com publishes latest news and updates about Bitcoin, Blockchain Technology , Cryptocurrencies and upcoming ICO’s.
Tarunima Ghosh Laha is a Finance Post Grad from St. Xaviers who believes Finance is more than just Balance Sheets and Ledger creation. This filmy bookworm who believes she was a sloth in past life also nourishes a penchant of owning a private zoo someday. Equipped with a laptop and online Lexicon she is all set to give finance a glamorous makeover in the form of exciting writeups with bang on info and flashy new words.


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HTC Acquires Abaxia to Strengthen Smartphone Software Development
HTC is acquiring Abaxia, a mobile software company that has collaborated with a number of HTC competitors, including Nokia, Motorola, LG and Sony Ericsson. As it competes with Apple and others in mobility, HTC says it expects the purchase to help speed its innovation.
Smartphone maker HTC
has acquired Abaxia, a Paris-based mobile software developer. In the past,
Abaxia has worked to create software with HTC
and also with a number of its handset competitors, including Nokia, Motorola,
LG Electronics and Sony Ericsson, as well as wireless carriers such as Orange and France Telecom.
According to a June 7 Wall Street Journal article, the purchase price was approximately $13.2 million.
HTC, based in Taoyuan, Taiwan, currently has a number of popular smartphones being offered through wireless carriers in the United States, many of which-including the Evo 4G and the Droid Incredible-run Google's Android operating system. With the purchase of Abaxia, HTC will have a new tool in its kit to help it solidify its standing near the top of the U.S. handset market and compete more effectively against heavyweights such as Apple.
"The addition of Abaxia [will] deepen and broaden our software development capabilities so that we can innovate at an even faster pace," Peter Chou, CEO of HTC, said in a statement.
"HTC and Abaxia have worked closely together in the past and our businesses complement each other well," Abaxia CEO Cedric Mangaud added. "We're excited to be joining such a significant and emerging mobile brand."
In the worldwide handset market, HTC ranked eighth during the first quarter, with 1.1 percent market share. Apple grabbed 2.9 percent and Motorola, behind it, had 2.8 percent. Worldwide leaders Nokia and Samsung claimed 34 percent and 21.2 percent, respectively-showing just how far, despite recent successes, HTC has to go.
In what some perceive to be another sign of the company's increasing success, HTC was sued by Apple on March 2, with the iPhone maker alleging that HTC violates 20 patents relevant to the iPhone's interface, architecture and hardware. On April 1, the International Trade Commission agreed to investigate Apple's complaint, and on May 12, HTC filed a countersuit alleging that Apple infringes on five HTC patents.
"As an innovator of the original Windows Mobile PocketPC Phone Edition in 2002 and the first Android smartphone in 2008, HTC believes the industry should be driven by healthy competition and innovation that offer consumers the best, most accessible mobile experiences possible," Jason Mackenzie, HTC's vice president for North America, said in a statement at the time. "We are taking this action against Apple to protect our intellectual property, our industry partners and, most importantly, our customers that use HTC phones."
Nothing has yet come of either lawsuit. As for HTC, Chou said in the Abaxia announcement HTC is currently "committed to creating the best possible mobile experience for our customers today, tomorrow and into the future."


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Net loss during the period was $738,000, or 15 cents per diluted share, for the first quarter compared to a net loss of $939,000, or 20 cents per diluted share, a year ago. This improvement was primarily attributable to an increase in gross margin and a reduction in selling, general and administration expenses.
Net sales for the quarter declined by 2.1% to $24.9 million compared to net sales of $25.4 million in the first quarter of 2013. The company’s sales were adversely impacted by the unusually severe and extended winter weather conditions that persisted throughout the Midwest, Northeast, and Southeast regions of the United States and throughout most of Canada.
Gross profit for the first quarter of 2014 was $4.2 million, reflecting a modest increase of $13,000 from the first-quarter 2013, which resulted in an increase in gross margin to 17.0%, up from 16.5% in the same quarter of 2013. The increases in gross profit and gross margin in the first quarter primarily resulted from a reduction in freight costs, a change in the mix of products sold, and a reduction in warranty expense.
“Although our first quarter net sales figures were below our expectations, we are encouraged by the improvement overall in our financial performance, which resulted from a higher gross margin and lower operating costs,” said Coast CEO Jim Musbach. “The severe winter weather conditions that impacted many regions of the United States and Canada had a detrimental effect on our sales during the quarter.”
Musbach continued, “The 2014 RV retail shows have been favorable. Additionally, the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) is forecasting an approximately 6% increase in wholesale RV shipments for 2014. We expect to see positive industry momentum in the coming quarters based on recent successful retail shows, the RVIA forecast, and improving weather conditions. Going forward, we will continue our strategic focus on customers in our core RV channel, as well as on the expansion of sales of our higher-margin proprietary products.”
To view the full report click here.
The Coast Distribution System Inc., a key aftermarket supplier to the recreational vehicle and outdoor recreation industries, reported a 59% increase in net income for its third quarter, ended Sept. 30, on lower sales.
“We are pleased with our solid balance sheet performance during the third quarter, as well as the positive impact of our strategy to increase sales of our propriety products,” said Jim Musbach, CEO for the Morgan Hill, Calif.-based company. “As a result of these efforts, we saw improved gross margin in this year’s third quarter, despite a decrease in net sales. Our slightly lower net sales reflected the effect of poor weather conditions this summer, which dampened RV usage and resulted in a decrease in our sales of air conditioners as compared to the third quarter of last year.
Net income for the third quarter totaled $487,000, or 10 cents per diluted share, compared to 307,000, or 7 cents per diluted share the year prior. The company reported that operating income increased 86% to $1 million while gross profits increased by $411,000 to $6.1 million.
Sales for the year’s third quarter fell by 4% to $33.1 million from $34.5 million in the third quarter of 2012. SG&A expenses decreased by $69,000, or 1.3%, to $5.1 million in the quarter compared to the previous year.
For the first nine months, Coast reported net earnings of $645,000, or 14 cents per diluted share, compared to a net loss of $534,000, or 12 cents per diluted share, for the first nine months of 2012. The increase was due to a $1.3 million rise in net sales to $94.1 million from $92.8 million, coupled with a $2.7 million, or 18.6%, increase in gross profits to $17.4 million.
Coast said the increase in gross profits resulted primarily from a change in the mix of products sold, which included a higher percentage of proprietary products on which it realized higher gross margin, as well as the implementation of selected price increases in the first quarter of 2013. As a result of these factors, Coast reported operating income of $1.9 million in the first nine months of 2013, compared to an operating loss of $198,000 for the first nine months of 2012.
On the balance sheet, inventory decreased $2.6 million to $28.1 million at Sept. 30 compared to $30.7 million a year ago. Long-term debt decreased to $8.8 million from $11.7 million.
To view the entire report click here.
The Coast Distribution System Inc., a leading supplier to the RV and outdoor aftermarket industries, reported a reduction in its net loss for the first quarter on stronger sales, ended March 31.
Morgan Hill, Calif.-based Coast said its net loss was reduced by 30% to $0.9 million, or 20 cents per diluted share, from a net loss of $1.3 million, or 30 cents per diluted share, in the first quarter of 2012. This improvement was due primarily to increases in net sales and gross margin in this year’s first quarter as compared to the same quarter of 2012.
Net sales for the quarter increased 4.7% to $25.4 million compared to $24.2 million a year ago, primarily as a result of a strengthening of economic conditions as well as an increase in consumer confidence, ultimately leading to increases in the purchases of Coast’s products. This increase was accomplished despite unusually severe weather conditions in this year’s first quarter which the company believes adversely affected sales in Canada and in the northeastern and midwestern regions of the United States.
Coast also initiated new marketing programs in the second half of 2012 which served to increase sales of the company’s proprietary products to specialty retailers and mass merchandisers. These represent relatively new channels for the company and continue to be an area of investment.
Gross profit in the first quarter of 2013 increased by $0.8 million to $4.2 million, resulting in an increase in gross margin to 16.5%, from 14.1% in the same quarter of 2012.
Selling, general and administrative expenses (SG&A) increased by $0.4 million, or 7.7%, to $5.4 million in this year’s first quarter, compared to $5 million in the same quarter of 2012. Inventories at March 31, 2013 were $34.6 million, an increase of $4.6 million compared with $30 million at March 31, 2012.
“We made considerable progress in the first quarter, as we generated improved sales and margins resulting in a 30% reduction in our loss in this year’s first quarter as compared to both the first quarter of 2012 and the immediately preceding quarter ended December 31, 2012,” said Coast’s CEO Jim Musbach. “We have seen encouraging signs in our core markets, including a strengthening RV market and improving consumer confidence that give us reason to be optimistic for the remainder of 2013.”
To view the entire report click here.
The Coast Distribution System Inc. reported a net loss for its fiscal fourth quarter, ended Dec. 31, on an increase in sales.
The Morgan Hill, Calif.-based aftermarket supplier incurred a net loss of $1.5 million, or 32 cents per diluted share, for the fourth quarter compared to a net loss of $1.4 million, or 32 cents per diluted share, in the same quarter of 2011. For the full year, Coast recorded a net loss of $2 million, or 44 cents per diluted share, compared with a net loss of $886,000, or 20 cents per diluted share, for 2011.
The company said the increase in net loss in this year’s fourth quarter and full year 2012 were primarily attributable to declines in gross profit, along with increases in selling, general and administrative expenses in both periods.
Net sales for the fourth quarter increased by 10.6% to $20.7 million compared to net sales of $18.7 million in the fourth quarter of 2011. For the full year, net sales increased by 4.9%, to $113.5 million, from $108.2 million in 2011.
Coast said those increases were the result of increased sales of the company’s products to large mass merchandisers, which represents a new distribution channel, as well as an increase in the purchase and usage of RVs, which translated into increased purchases of Coast’s products.
“The combination of a number of market challenges in 2012 and continued investments in our proprietary products resulted in our loss for the year,” said Coast CEO Jim Musbach. “Recent improvements in wholesale shipments of RVs have not resulted in a steady improvement in demand for RV products as consumers remain concerned about the strength and duration of the economic recovery, changes in domestic fiscal policy and recent increases in the price of gasoline.
“Despite these challenges, our strategic goal for 2013 is to achieve a return to profitability by capturing additional market share, increasing sales to specialty retailers and expanding sales of higher margin proprietary products. With the help of improved conditions in the broad economy and our markets specifically, we expect to achieve our strategic goals for the year.”
In this year’s fourth quarter, gross margin increased to 12.6% from 11.4% in the same quarter of 2011. In the full year, 2012, gross profits fell by $727,000 to $17.3 million, resulting in a decline in gross margin to 15.2% from 16.7% in 2011.
To view the entire report click here.
Aftermarket supplier Coast Distribution System Inc. announced the expansion of its Canadian products line to include Dometic replacement parts.
According to a press release, Coast dealer partners throughout Canada will have greater access to Dometic OEM parts for these systems, which are used extensively in today’s RVs. In addition, consumers will benefit from quicker repairs and less time waiting for Dometic parts because Coast Canada has stocking warehouses located near their local dealerships.
“Our dealer partners will enjoy giving a positive answer when asked how long it will take to complete a repair or to get Dometic parts for their RV,” says Sly Lussier, senior vice president and general manager of Coast Canada. “We believe this extension of our RV replacement parts program will better serve the dealers and retail customers in the Canadian market by offering greater availability and accessibility to Dometic branded parts.”
Coast is a leading supplier to RV, marine, towing and outdoor power equipment retailers across North America. For additional information visit http://www.coastdistribution.com/.
The Coast Distribution System Inc. reported it has been informed by Thomas R. McGuire, the company’s chairman, that he has established a plan, pursuant to Securities Exchange Commission Rule 10b5-1, to sell up to a total of 62,500 of the more than 495,000 shares of Coast common stock that he owns.
According to a news release, it is expected that those 62,500 shares will be sold in brokerage transactions over a period of approximately five quarters.
McGuire is the Morgan Hill, Calif.-based company’s largest stockholder, owning 10.8% of its outstanding shares. This does not include an additional 40,000 shares that he has a right to purchase on exercise of stock options.
Rule 10b5-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 allows officers and directors to adopt written plans for trading securities in a non-discretionary, pre-scheduled manner in order to avoid concerns about initiating stock transactions when the officer or director may be aware of non-public information. Such plans also allow officers and directors to diversify their holdings and minimize the potential market effect of stock sales by spreading them out over time.
McGuire stated, “I have decided to implement this plan primarily to diversify my investment portfolio. I remain confident about Coast’s future prospects, and I have no plans at this time to sell any additional Coast shares and will continue to own more than 400,000 shares even after completing the sale of the 62,500 shares under this Rule 10b5-1 plan.”
Aftermarket supplier Coast Distribution System Inc. reported mixed results for its third quarter, ended Sept. 30, showing a drop in earnings on a 9.2% increase in sales.
Morgan Hill, Calif.-based Coast reported net income of $307,000, or 7 cents per diluted share, for the third quarter of 2012, compared to net income of $612,000, or 13 cents per diluted share, in the same quarter of 2011. For the nine months ended, Coast recorded a net loss of $534,000, or 12 cents per diluted share, compared with net income of $553,000, or 12 cents per diluted share, for the first nine months of 2011. The decline in net income in this year’s third quarter and the loss for the first nine months of 2012 were primarily attributable to declines in gross profits, along with increases in selling, general and administrative expenses in both periods.
Net sales for the third quarter increased by to $34.5 million compared to $31.6 million a year ago. In the nine months, net sales increased by 3.7% to $92.8 million from $89.5 million in the same nine-month period of 2011. Those increases were primarily the result of increased sales in new distribution channels of the company’s Powerhouse generators and other RV products to large mass merchandisers, which is a new distribution channel for Coast.
“We continued to face challenging conditions in our markets throughout the year to date, but we have reason for optimism surrounding the future of our business,” said Coast CEO Jim Musbach. “Sales of our proprietary products into new distribution channels positively impacted our net sales during the quarter, and we will continue to foster this early success as we build these channels and explore new opportunities. We are also continuing to work on balancing pricing and product costs to improve our overall margins, including fostering the growth of our proprietary products.
“In looking at the broader recreational industry, recent consumer confidence surveys suggest improvement among consumers in the United States, which we should provide more favorable conditions as consumers become more comfortable with discretionary spending associated with the purchase and usage of RVs and boats.”
Third-quarter gross margin declined to 16.5% from 18.1% in the same quarter of 2011, due primarily to an 11.3% increase in costs of sales which more than offset the beneficial effect on gross margin of the increase in net sales during this year’s third quarter. In the nine months, gross profits fell by $1.2 million to $14.7 million resulting in a decline in gross margin to 15.8% from 17.8% in the same nine months of 2011. These declines in gross margin were the result of price reductions on selected products that Coast implemented in response to aggressive price competition in the market, as well as a weakening of the Canadian dollar, as compared to the U.S. dollar. In addition, the company incurred additional costs primarily attributable to quality control testing of new models of proprietary products introduced into the market place in this year’s third quarter and an increase in the warranty reserve for proprietary products as a result of increases in sales of those products.
On the balance sheet, accounts receivable increased $72,000, to $9 million at Sept. 30 from $8.9 million last year. Inventories were $30.7 million, an increase of $2.5 million compare with a year ago. The increase in inventory levels from the prior year was a result of Coast’s efforts to increase sales and its market share of the company’s proprietary products.
To view the entire report click here.
Husky Towing Products, a division of Morgan Hill, Calif.-based COAST Distribution System Inc., hosted its first editorial conference Wednesday (June 13), bringing together magazine editors and writers from around the country to the company’s expansive R & D Center in Elkhart, Ind., for an intensive one-day workshop with Husky executives and engineers.
“We are considering continuing this conference on an annual basis,” said Steve Holt, director of brand and corporate marketing for Coast. “Whether we do the same thing next year isn’t certain, but we definitely want to expand on this relationship with the editorial community.”
The “Towing Tech ’12” program provided an overview of Husky towing products — including its weight-distribution and fifth-wheel hitches, brake controls and assemblies and RV power jacks — followed by a tour of the R&D facility. Also on the agenda were hands-on demonstrations of Husky’s Center Line weight-distribution and sway control system and an installation of the company’s new Husky 10 fifth-wheel hitch base assembly.
Scheduled for release in July, the Husky 10 slider assembly replaces traditional rollers with innovate composite-design nylon pads to provide the hitch base 10 inches of travel, allowing use of short-bed pickups when towing fifth-wheel trailers. Designed to be used with Husky 16K and 26K fifth-wheel hitches, the Husky 10 also incorporates a patent-pending “no bind” latching mechanism that eliminates tension on the handle, allowing the flip lever to release and automatically lock in the next position.
Attendees also toured the Technical Center, including an overview of the company’s salt/fog testing equipment, and witnessed failure-testing of a Husky 26K fifth-wheel hitch.
Following the day-long event, Husky arranged for a dinner at the RV/MH Hall of Fame, followed by a private tour of the displays by Hall historian Al Hesselbart.
Aftermarket supplier Coast Distribution System Inc. reported a net loss on lower sales for its first quarter ended March 31.
Net sales for the quarter fell 1.8% to $24.2 million compared to net sales of $24.7 million in the first quarter of 2011. According to the company, the decrease was primarily the result of continuing consumer uncertainties about the strength of the overall economy, persistently high unemployment rates and the adverse effect of recent increases in gasoline prices on consumer discretionary spending.
The Morgan Hill, Calif.-based company reported a net loss of $1.3 million, or $0.30 per diluted share, for the first quarter of 2012, compared to a net loss of $1.0 million, or $0.23 per diluted share, in the same quarter of 2011.
Gross profits declined by $489,000, to $3.4 million, resulting in a decrease in gross margin to 14.1% in the 2012 first quarter from 15.8% in the same quarter of 2011. That decrease was the result of selected price reductions that Coast implemented in response to aggressive price competition in the market, as well as an increase in shipping costs related to fuel prices.
“The first quarter was challenging in terms of both revenues and margins as we faced an increasingly competitive market environment,” said Coast CEO Jim Musbach. “Our sales were impacted by soft consumer demand as well as increased promotional pricing on a variety of products, and the more competitive pricing translated into compressed gross margins. These factors are also affecting the broader RV industry as manufacturers and dealers have faced increased discounting in the market, although recent projections from RVIA suggest growth in RV unit shipments may improve over the course of 2012.
Until we see a pick up in sales and usage of RVs that will drive increased demand for our products, we will continue to balance defending our market share with continued tight management of operating expenses.”
To read the entire report click here.
Morgan Hill, Calif.-based Coast Distribution System Inc., one of North America’s largest aftermarket suppliers of replacement parts, accessories and supplies for the recreational vehicle, boating and outdoor recreation industries, reported a slight dip in income and sales for its third quarter, ended Sept. 30.
Coast reported net income of $0.6 million, or $0.13 per diluted share for the third quarter of 2011, compared to $0.7 million, or $0.14 per diluted share in the same quarter of 2010. Sales for the quarter fell 2% to $31.6 million compared to sales of $32.2 million the previous year. The decrease in sales during the quarter was the result of the continued weakness in the economy and in consumer spending.
Gross profits declined by $200,000, resulting in a decrease in gross margin to 18.1% in the 2011 third quarter from 18.2% in the same quarter of 2010. Coast said the decrease in gross margin was the result of slightly higher shipping costs. Selling, general and administrative expenses decreased by $31,000, or 0.7%, to $4,703,000, compared to $4,734,000 in the same quarter in 2010. This slight improvement was primarily the result of several cost reductions, including a reduction in rent expense for the company’s headquarters, which was renegotiated in the first quarter of 2011.
On the balance sheet, accounts receivable totaled $8.9 million, which was flat compared with the balance at the end of the third quarter of 2010. Inventories at Sept. 30 were $28.2 million, an increase of $1.0 million compared with $27.2 million last year. The increase in inventory levels from the prior year was due primarily to an increase in inventory of the company’s proprietary branded products. Long-term debt increased to $10.9 million, from $9.4 million a year ago, reflecting increased investments in working capital.
“We are pleased with our performance in the third quarter despite the continued softness in our industry, which resulted in a small decrease in the top line,” said Coast’s CEO Jim Musbach. “Even with these broader market challenges, we made progress in increasing the penetration of our branded products, and we began making inroads into a number of large retailers in the United States and Canada, which is a new area for us. We continue to take steps to increase sales, particularly through new supply relationships that should allow us to source from lower cost, high quality overseas suppliers. Overall, despite the adverse conditions, Coast performed well in the quarter, as our earnings held up in the face of industry weakness and our book value per diluted share increased to $6.77, which is more than double our current market value.”
For the nine-month period, Coast reported net earnings of $553,000, or $0.12 per diluted share, on net sales of $89.5 million, compared with net earnings of $1,865,000, or $0.41 per diluted share, on net sales of $91.0 million in the same nine-month period of 2010. The decrease in net income was attributable to the decrease in net sales as a result of weaker economic conditions, combined with severe weather conditions affecting the northeastern United States and Canada in the first half of 2011, which led to decreased usage of RVs and boats by consumers in those areas.
To view the complete report click here.


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KARACHI: Pakistan Customs on Friday directed shipping companies and shipping agents to extend waiver of delay and detention charges during lockdown to contain coronavirus.
Model Customs Collectorate (Enforcement &Compliance) Karachi issued instructions to chairman All Pakistan Shipping Association and chairman Pakistan Ship Agents Association to allow free time to importers.
The customs authorities said that Pakistan is currently facing a great challenge to address the issue of spread of coronavirus outbreak.
As a result of lockdown and restriction of movement of people / vehicle, the time duration of lifting the cargo from ports is exceeding the free-time as allowed to the importers under normal course of business.
The FBR has already issued similar instructions to container terminal operators on March 31, 2020 to waive demurrage and detention charges in order to facilitate importers and trade community in difficult times.
The collectorate said that considering the challenging scenario for importers and trade community the shipping lines and their agents should extend free-days in respect of container detention and not charge container detention charges and other charges in connection of late delivery of goods for the period from March 25, 2020 to April 16, 2020 in addition to free days already allowed by shipping lines and their agents.


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SAN JOSE, Calif. — Seeking to propel new designs and product cycle times, Fujitsu Ltd.'s chip unit has introduced a new process design kit (PDK) for its 90- and 65-nm radio-frequency (RF) CMOS technology.
At present, Japan's Fujitsu offers a PDK for its previously-announced 90- and 65-nm RF CMOS processes, based around BSIM transistor models. For some time, Fujitsu has offered a 90- and 65-nm RF CMOS process, which is designed for its own products as well as foundry customers.
In addition to the BSIM offering, the company is now rolling out a PDK, based on PSP transistor models. The PSP model, jointly developed by Pennsylvania State University and Royal Philips Electronics, is said to be the next-generation CMOS transistor model.
The PSP model was selected as the new industry standard CMOS transistor model by the Compact Model Council in 2005. The model succeeds BSIM3 and BSIM4, which had been the industry standard for years.
With its new and current PDK offerings, Fujitsu's RF CMOS processes are said to enable ''first-pass silicon success,'' said David Fung, director of strategic marketing of the Semiconductor Manufacturing Services Business Group within Fujitsu Microelectronics America Inc. (Sunnyvale, Calif.).
The result for customers is reduced development time and faster time-to-market, Fung said.
The PSP-based PDK offering provides ''much better accuracy'' for current and future RF designs, thereby enabling single-chip solutions, he said. In addition, this type of PDK is not offered by competitive foundries, such as TSMC, UMC and others, he added.
Fujitsu is an integrated device manufacturer (IDM), but the company also competes in the ASIC and foundry businesses. It claims to offer both 65- and 45-nm CMOS processes. The company's most advanced processes, including RF CMOS, are handled within its 300-mm fab in Mie, located in central Japan.
In January, Fujitsu (Tokyo) moved to spin-off its semiconductor unit. The new spin-off, Fujitsu Microelectronics Ltd., was incorporated on March 21.
Late last month, Fujitsu Microelectronics Ltd. announced that Tsuneaki Ohara has been assigned as a corporate senior executive vice president of Fujitsu Microelectronics. He will also hold the position of president and CEO of Fujitsu Electronics Inc., which is a subsidiary of Fujitsu Microelectronics Ltd.
On the ASIC and foundry front, Fujitsu is making a big push with RF CMOS. Its new PDKs are aimed for developing high-performance, low-power system-on-a-chip (SoC) designs that integrate RF functions for Bluetooth, GPS, cellular, wireless audio/video, wireless LAN and optical communications.
Fujitsu's PDKs include a set of parameterized cells and toolkits for active and passive devices. The inductor synthesis toolkit generates scalable inductor layout and models for analog and RF circuits. The statistical simulation environment is aimed for yield analysis, process sensitivity and design space exploration.
Both the 90nm CS100A-LL and 65nm CS200L PDKs are available now.


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IDEX preparing for volume shipments of biometric cards in Q2
IDEX is rapidly progressing toward commercialization of its contact-based biometric payment cards, with volume shipments expected following the completion of the certification process which is anticipated in Q2 2018, the company announced.
As the certification process takes place, IDEX has been making commercial launch preparations with its previously announced partners and carrying out commercial trials with other end customers. Biometric cards are gaining momentum from innovation in the space, IDEX says, including its self-enrol solution, matcher algorithm and 13×13 sensor.
IDEX expects its previously-launched sensor for dual-interface cards to be integrated into ISO cards in the first half of 2018. The company also sees market opportunities independent from the certification process, including from the partnership previously announced with Feitian Technologies and other Asian partners, and expects to receive product orders from them in the first half of 2018.
As previously reported, IDEX will host an investor presentation at CES on Wednesday.


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Jump e-Scooters will return to the capital tomorrow - but now owned by Lime rather than Uber.
A convoluted US$170m deal in June saw Uber sell its Jump e-bike and e-scooter division to Lime - but with a provision for Uber, which is already one of the largest investors in Lime (stay with me) to buy Lime outright in 2022. Its a brain-bender, but whichever way it ends up, Uber will be invested in one e-scooter brand rather than two within a couple of years.
The short story is that Jump by Uber is now Jump by Lime. The pandemic saw all e-scooters off Wellington streets in March.
The home-grown Flamingo returned in May under Level 2.
Jump's return has been delayed by the Uber-Lime deal, then tinkering with software.
The Jump by Lime e-scooters can be wrangled using either Lime's app or Uber's app, Lime government relations manager Lauren Mentjox says.
Mentjox said earlier that her company is angling to get both Lime and Jump by Lime e-scooters included in Auckland Council's next licensing period.
A six-month licence to June covered Singapore's Beam and Neuron, Flamingo, plus Jump by Uber.
Jump by Uber was sidelined from a three-month Covid-extension because of the Lime deal.
Auckland Council will announce by August 19 which contenders will be included in the next licensing period.
Lime gets a serve from Aussie regulator
Lime got the hard word from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission yesterday, with the Aussie regulator saying: "Lime misrepresented to consumers that its Gen 2 (Generation 2) e-scooters were safe to use when in fact it did not disclose to consumers a safety issue it was aware of."
Lime failed to report an excessive braking issue, caused by a software bug, that caused at least 50 injuries, the ACCC said.
Like other operators, Lime is off Aussie streets as a pandemic precaution.
"If Lime recommences its operations in Australia, it has also undertaken to supply only Gen 3 or other later models," the ACCC said.
The braking issue saw Auckland Council order Lime scooters off the city's streets for a month in early 2019.
Are there still second-generation Lime scooters in NZ?
"We currently operate generation 2.5 scooters in New Zealand and recently launched Generation 3 scooters in Christchurch," Mentjox says.
"The sudden stopping issue that affected generation 2.5 scooters under very rare circumstances over a year ago, which is referenced in the ACCC undertaking, was resolved with firmware upgrades in March 2019."
"Since that time, we have observed no additional incidents or firmware bugs of this kind and generation 2.5 scooters continued to operate safely in New Zealand and Australia."
Since Lime lost its licence in November 2019, all of the operators have upgraded to the Segway Max or equivalent super-sized e-scooters - which also have longer range, better suspension and more stability than their predecessors.
Lime designs its models in-house, but the Gen 3 is similar in size and features to the Segway Max.


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P.F. Chang's launch boosts Unilever in quarter
April 30, 2010
by Jeff Gelski
LONDON — First-quarter revenues and operating profit in the Americas increased for London-based Unilever as the P.F. Chang’s range of frozen Asian restaurant-quality cuisine, recently launched in the United States, received an initial positive reception, the company said April 29.
Revenues in the Americas for the quarter ended March 31 were €3,340 million ($4,417 million), which were up from €3,156 million in the previous year’s first quarter. First-quarter operating profit in the Americas of €504 million was up from €442 million.
Companywide, Unilever had first-quarter net profit of €1,055 million, which was up 31% in current rates and 29% in constant rates from €803 million in the previous year’s first quarter. Revenues in the first quarter of €10,143 million were up 6.7% in current rates and 4.4% in constant rates from €9,505 million in the previous year’s first quarter.


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There's nothing quite like getting cosy in a cafe with a cup of coffee, but the reality is we're often to busy to stop and sit -–which is why Costa is catering to us all, creating coffee in a can to drink on-the-go.
The new Costa Coffee 'Ready-To-Drink' will be available in three flavours that are in-store favourites – classic latté, caramel latté and black Americano.
Each 250ml can contains between 15-108 calories and, according to Costa, has 30% less sugar than most other ready-to-drink products.
The range is brewed from the same Mocha Italia Signature Blend coffee beans used in all Costa Coffee, and all the coffee beans are Rainforest Alliance Certified.
The launch is the first major product since Coca-Cola acquired Costa earlier this year. Dominic Paul, CEO of Costa Coffee said: 'Through this collaboration we've been able to work together to offer consumers the great taste of Costa Coffee in a can for the first time. We are committed to working together to give consumers more opportunities to enjoy the Costa Coffee they know and love, whenever they want, wherever they are.
'We're really proud to have bought this product to market at such speed while still ensuring the range has proper coffee at its heart.'
There's no word on how much the cans will cost, or which supermarket will stock them yet – but we'll be keeping our eyes peeled to find out.
Like this article? Sign up to our newsletter to get more articles like this delivered straight to your inbox.


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Funding will support women-led small- and micro businesses in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Nigeria, and Uganda
CHICAGO, October 17, 2022 – Opportunity International, a longstanding global leader in providing financial services, training and support that lifts people out of poverty, has been awarded a $2 million grant from Visa Foundation to provide micro and small business loans, digital tools and specialized technical training to women-led small- and micro businesses in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda.
By employing innovative digital tools that are powered by machine learning and credit scoring algorithms, and utilizing innovative finance instruments such as collateral and interest rate buy-downs, the grant will help unlock an additional $14 million in capital through small business loans to women-led businesses.
“Opportunity International and Visa Foundation share the vision of increasing women’s participation in the local African economies. Our partnership over the next two years in the DRC, Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda will focus on accelerating the growth of women-owned businesses by removing barriers that women face, such as lack of collateral to qualify for finance or lack of digital literacy skills compared to men,” said Simona Haiduc, Managing Director of Strategic Partnerships at Opportunity International.
Opportunity International will continue the progress it achieved through a previous grant from Visa Foundation and expand the work into a new market. In June 2020, Visa Foundation awarded Opportunity International $1 million to support gender-diverse small- and micro businesses in DRC, Ghana and Uganda as they recover and rebuild after the Covid-19 market lockdowns and economic downturns. Opportunity International was able to help its local partner financial institutions by providing additional capital, guarantee funds, and technical support services. By May 2022, Opportunity International had disbursed over 13,000 loans to women-owned small- and micro businesses and deployed $11 in additional capital for every $1 grant funding provided by Visa Foundation.
“Despite recent setbacks in fighting extreme poverty due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Africa is home to some of the fastest-growing economies and will continue to experience significant economic growth and digital transformation,” said Atul Tandon, CEO of Opportunity International. “Our partnership with Visa Foundation is rooted in our joint commitment to giving small- and micro businesses access to the capital they need to thrive and create employment.”
“Opportunity International’s work supporting gender-diverse small- and micro businesses supports Visa Foundation’s mission to enable individuals, businesses and economies to thrive,” said Graham Macmillan, President, Visa Foundation. “We’re proud to continue our partnership with this new grant that will focus on providing loans, digital tools and specialized technical training to women-led and small- and micro businesses in the DRC, Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda, powering long-term economic inclusion and advancement in the region.”
ABOUT OPPORTUNITY INTERNATIONAL
Opportunity International is a global non-profit celebrating 51 years of equipping people with tools and business solutions to work their way out of poverty. Opportunity provides 18.7 million families with innovative financial resources, training, and support to grow their small businesses and send their children to school. In 2021, Opportunity International and its partners released $2 billion in capital across 30 countries and helped fund 8,400 schools that reached 2 million children. Since its founding in 1971, Opportunity International has loaned over $19 billion, and 95 percent of the organization’s clients are women.
Opportunity International Awarded $2 Million Grant From Visa Foundation To Remove Barriers And Unlock Capital To Women-Led Business
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AOL to buy Huffington Post in $315m media merger
US internet firm AOL has agreed to a buyout of the Huffington Post online newspaper.
The $315m (£196m) deal will create an internet media group with 270 million users, including 117 million in the US.
The purchase price - $300m of which will be in cash - will be paid to co-founders Arianna Huffington and Kenneth Lerer and a few minority shareholders.
Ms Huffington - currently editor of her namesake news service - will head the combined firm's content division.
This means she will take on responsibility for AOL sites such as Engadget and Techcrunch, as well as retaining her current role at the intellectual centre-left website she helped set up in 2005.
"I want to stay forever," said Ms Huffington. "This will be my last act. The opportunities here are really endless.
"Far from changing our editorial approach, our culture, or our mission, this moment will be for HuffPost like stepping off a fast-moving train and onto a supersonic jet."
AOL expects the purchase to help boost its flagging advertising revenues in a year that chief executive Tim Armstrong maintains will mark a turnaround for the company that divorced from Time Warner in 2009.
The Huffington Post is expected to contribute an additional 25 million users to the internet giant.
"The combination of AOL's infrastructure and scale with the Huffington Post's pioneering approach to news and innovative community-building among a broad and sophisticated audience will mark a seminal moment in the evolution of digital journalism and online engagement," said the two companies in their statement.
The transaction is expected to be completed in March or April and will need regulatory approval in the US.
AOL has endured a turbulent time since the onset of the global financial crisis.
As well as parting ways with Time Warner, last summer AOL sold Bebo for a fraction of the $850m (£417m at the time) it paid for the social networking site in 2008.


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De La Rue, the world’s leading security and anti-counterfeiting solution provider, is pleased to announce that it has signed a £3.5million contract with Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC), to implement a track and trace system for all tobacco products sold in the UK.
The five-year contract will see De La Rue implement a digital solution to track and trace the c1.7 billion cigarette and hand rolling tobacco packs sold in the UK each year through a unique identifier. Ensuring the traceability of all tobacco products is now a legal requirement under the EU Tobacco Products Directive, Article 15, with the specific aim of preventing the illicit trade of tobacco products throughout the EU and protecting citizens from counterfeit products which could be damaging to their health.
As part of the contract De La Rue will also manage the service for HMRC with all tobacco manufacturers, importers and relevant economic operators serving the UK tobacco products sector.
De La Rue has been helping governments and tax authorities around the world to fight illicit trade and protect tax revenue for decades. De La Rue launched its track and trace digital solution DLR Certify™ in 2015 as part of its strategy to bolster its software and services offerings. In 2018, it won a five-year contract to implement a full track and trace solution for the Federal Tax Authority in the UAE to be initially applied on tobacco products.
Martin Sutherland, Chief Executive Officer of De La Rue, said:
“As a result of our continued investment in the Product Authentication & Traceability market, we are delighted to be working with HMRC here in the UK to provide this track and trace service and to partner with them on rolling this out to the wider industry.”
De La Rue plc +44 (0)1256 605000
Sinead Keller Head of Media
Lili Huang Head of Investor Relations
Brunswick +44 (0)207 404 5959
Notes to editors
EU Tobacco Products Directive is a directive of the European Union that aims to improve the functioning of the internal market for tobacco and related products, while ensuring a high level of health protection for EU citizens. It entered into force in May 2014 and became applicable in the EU Member States on 20 May 2016. Articles 15 and 16 of the Directive specify the purposes and requirements for the systems of traceability and security features for tobacco products to address the issue of illicit trade.
About De La Rue
De La Rue’s purpose is to enable every citizen to participate securely in the global economy. As a trusted partner of governments, central banks and commercial organisations, De La Rue provides products and services that underpin the integrity of trade, personal identity and the movement of goods.
As the world’s largest designer and commercial printer of banknotes, De La Rue designs, manufactures and delivers banknotes, banknote substrates and security features to customers in a world where currency will continue to be a key part of the developing payments eco-system. De La Rue is the only integrated supplier of both paper and polymer banknotes, and creates security features that ensure banknotes are protected against counterfeiting.
De La Rue is the world’s largest commercial designer and printer of passports, delivering national and international identity tokens and software solutions for governments in a world that is increasingly focused on the importance of a legal and secure identity for every individual.
De La Rue also creates and delivers secure product identifiers and ‘track and trace’ software for governments and commercial customers alike to help to tackle the challenge of illicit or counterfeit goods and the collection of revenue and excise duties.
De La Rue is listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE:DLAR). For further information visit www.delarue.com


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Archive for "Xbox Game Pass" Tag
Retailers contemplating not stocking Xbox products as a result.
Phil Spencer talks about the huge recent announcement.
"If you want to do business alone, you should do the work alone.”
Major Nelson clarifies any doubts about exclusives being removed later.
Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter says it's a "clever way" to provide content for a "reasonable price".
Xbox Game Pass subscribers will no longer have to wait for Microsoft Studios titles to hit the service later.
First time Xbox players have a rather sweet deal tailored just for them.
The new business model could be just one way to solve the discovery problem for Indie games.
Unfortunately, Metal Gear Solid 5 will only be in the Game Pass library till January 31st 2018.
First six new games for Xbox Game Pass have been announced.
"They're not leaving tomorrow."
This service sounds better and better.
Xbox boss talks about the future of Xbox on PC.
Danny McBride says more is better or something.
Microsoft's subscription service has started positive enough.
Also discusses how games will be added and removed from the service going forward.
Full list of games revealed.
Xbox One's game subscription service is out next week.
Coming this Spring.
Wedbush analyst says there's "no chance".


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Like many other brands, Opening Ceremony has been skipping a traditional runway show for the past few seasons. But now, the New York-based designers are going where no other fashion house has gone before: Disneyland.
Posting a video montage starring none other than Mickey Mouse, the brand took to Instagram to reveal its next runway show will be held on March 7th at the happiest place on Earth.
Notably, this will mark the first time that Disneyland's California location has hosted a fashion show in 40 years. Opening Ceremony has yet to reveal any more details about the show, but it will reportedly feature current season merchandise in a see-now, buy-now format.
Of course, the brand's decision to once again skip New York Fashion Week comes as no surprise. Founders Carol Lim and Humberto Leon have been experimenting with different fashion show formats over the past two years. The brand has staged a ballet performance show and a political pageant in lieu of a traditional runway show for some of its past few collections.
It's unclear whether Opening Ceremony's Disneyland show will be inspired by Disney characters (or perhaps even feature them as models on the runway), but either way, the show is guaranteed to bring a much-needed dose of fun into the traditional Fashion Month calendar.


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CA Immo sells Dunacenter to Indotek Group
CA Immo has announced the sale of its 16,500 square-meter Dunacenter shopping mall development in Győr to the Indotek Group, according to a press release sent to the Budapest Business Journal.
The Dunacenter shopping mall (photo by caimmo.hu)
Dunacenter, which has an A+ energy rating, is located in the western part of Győr, close to the M1 motorway exit. The mall hosts some 20 commercial units, with a constantly high occupancy rate. CA Immo was represented by Colliers International during the deal.
"Selling the Dunacenter is the last step of focusing our investment portfolio on office properties, a process that has been going on for years also in Hungary," said Ede Gulyás, managing director of CA Immo. "Working closely with our tenants, we took advantage of the improving economic indicators in the last years to stabilize the operation of the shopping center by signing new contracts and extending existing ones. We are sure that this is a good basis for Indotek for successful operation and business development in the future, for which we wish every success."
"Our company is becoming an increasingly significant member of the Hungarian retail real estate market," said Dániel Jellinek, CEO and majority owner of Indotek Group. "During our transactions we put a great deal of emphasis on properties where we saw a good opportunity to create value with sufficient expenses. We endeavor to upgrade the shopping centers in our portfolio to up-to-date market trends, also repositioning them to effectively serve the local community."
In this spirit, Jellinek added, Indotek finished the modernization of the Csepel Plaza in May 2018, while starting similar development projects in Zalaegerszeg and Sopron in recent months. Subsequent renewal projects are set for shopping centers in Debrecen, Szeged, Székesfehérvár and other cities.
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Laing Edinburgh is preparing to invest £1.3m in a new boutique on George Street in the city – a move that represents the culmination of a lifelong dream for chairman Michael Laing OBE.
The prestigious street in the heart of Edinburgh is prime real estate for the company, which has long harboured a dream to move to the area.
Laing Edinburgh, which is celebrating its 175th anniversary this year, has agreed terms to move into the corner site at 72 George Street, formerly occupied by Barclays Bank.
A re-fit of the premises is expected to cost in the region of £1.3m, and the work is expected to start in August. The new premises will also see Laing Edinburgh leave its existing site at 29 Frederick Street.
The second Laing Edinburgh showroom at 25 Frederick Street – which offers luxury brands including Omega, Longines and Chopard – will remain in its current location following the move.
Michael Laing OBE, chairman and owner of Laing the Jeweller Ltd, launched the existing diamond and luxury watch store at 29 Frederick Street back in 1978. Commenting on the move, he said: “Opening our new flagship showroom on the corner of George Street and Frederick Street is the fulfilment of a dream.
“This property is the perfect setting for us. We have been looking for the right location for Laing on George Street for many years now, but suitable properties don’t often come onto the market.
“Most of the Georgian buildings have narrow shop fronts, while we needed a property with more presence, greater window space to display our luxury brands and diamond collections and give our customers more opportunity to browse. We are the specialist Edinburgh retailers of brands including Rolex, Cartier, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Breitling, TAG Heuer and Panerai amongst others with acknowledged expertise in diamonds and design.
“This is one of the most significant corner sites in the city – we see huge potential for this property as it’s very much a blank canvas at the moment. It also gives us the opportunity to bring back some of the Georgian grandeur that you would expect in a World Heritage Site.”
He added: “This isn’t just a step forward for Laing Edinburgh but also for the city. We are opening a luxury store in a key location that will appeal to both international visitors and local customers, reinforcing Edinburgh’s reputation as a leading shopping destination.
“We are making a significant investment in the new store and our collections. At the heart of our business is a focus on delivering exceptional customer service, our foundations are based on our history and generations of expertise. However, we’re a business that continually looks forward, we have a dynamic and innovative culture and our new store better reflects where we want to be.”
The new showroom will fuse modern technology with neutral-toned furnishings, including a palette of mink and soft cream. The boutique will cover two floors, connected by a sweeping cast iron and glass staircase with contemporary details and textiles throughout.
The space will also feature an in-house workshop with a team of craftsmen and specialist designers, as well as the company’s “thriving service department”.
In addition to its two branches in Edinburgh, the Laing family also owns two stores under the established Parkhouse brand, one in Cardiff and one in Southampton.
Laing added that the company is currently looking at further expansion possibilities throughout the UK as well across its digital store presence.
In 2013, Laing reported a 42% increase in profit breaking the £1m barrier. The growth of the business has continued, predominately driven by watch and diamond sales. A new e-commerce website was launched last year and there has been a continued investment in people, training and IT.
PICTURE: ichard Laing director with Michael Laing OBE with new store layouts


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Nexira with solid financial position
Nexira, world leader in acacia and pioneer in scientific research on the nutritional and health benefits of acacia, presented its results for the 2021/22 financial year, verifying its solid financial position.
Kerry opens Southern Europe Innovation Centre
Kerry officially opened its Southern Europe Innovation Centre in Barcelona/Spain, as part of the ongoing expansion of its presence in the region serving Spain, Portugal, Italy and France.
Hochdorf reports significant operational progress
Hochdorf Group focused on its technology expertise in 2022 and made steady operational progress with improved earnings quality.
The company result for 2022, which is affected by legacy burdens, amounted to CHF –15.8 m. A binding financing confirmation has been received from the existing bank consortium with regard to a two-year extension of the financing agreement that expires in September 2023. Hochdorf considers itself to be on track with the implementation of its strategy, establishing the basis for financial recovery in the medium term. The goal for 2023 is to achieve a positive Ebitda.
Barry Callebaut, Nestlé collaborate on large scale agroforestry project
The international cocoa and chocolate giants Barry Callebaut AG, Zürich, and Nestlé SA, Vevey, are partnering on large scale agroforestry project in Côte d’Ivoire.
The long-term agreement will roll out 11,500 ha of agroforestry, including payments for ecosystem services (PES) to more than 6,000 farmers in Côte d’Ivoire. The implementation of the agroforestry project is underway, with three cooperatives in the South-Western parts of Côte d’Ivoire already engaged in the project, scaling to ten cooperatives and reaching full scale after five years of planting.
The project is fully aligned with the Nestlé Cocoa Plan, which aims to make Nestlé’s cocoa supply chain more sustainable, Nestlé’s overarching Net Zero Roadmap and commitment to regenerative agriculture. This joint partnership supports Nestlé’s and Barry Callebaut’s climate-smart cocoa ambitions, by aiming to remove up to 1.3 million tonnes of CO2e over 25 years. This project also aligns with the Science-based Target initiative (SBTi), as well SustainCert verification and the Gold Standard Foundation.
“As part of Nestlé’s Net Zero roadmap, we are committed to reducing our business' climate impact all the way to the farms we source from. A trusted partner like Barry Callebaut is essential to achieving success. Over 21,000 football fields are covered by our joint agroforestry project to support farmers who are part of the Nestlé Cocoa Plan,” said Darrell High, Cocoa Manager at Nestlé
Ten companies from the identification industry join forces
Possehl Identification Solutions (PID) is an alliance of Possehl companies in the field of print and apply, labelling, coding, software and label production.
Through the acquisition of new companies, the identification solutions division at Possehl has grown strongly in recent years. Currently, there are these ten companies: Logopak, LSS, Novexx Solutions, Eidos, Etipack, Datakamp, Labelcraft, and Nordvalls Label Group with Kölle Etiketten and Watermill. By uniting as Possehl Identification Solutions (PID), these independent brands are joining forces and bring together the expertise and experience of all companies. They are now a strong one-stop provider for identification solutions, from hardware to software and labels, also working together on customer projects.
Symrise sales and profits rise
Symrise reports that it closed the 2022 fiscal year with another strong increase in sales and good profitability despite challenging economic conditions.
The group’s sales increased by 20.7 % to EUR 4.6 bn. Concerning the Taste, Nutrition & Health segment, sales increased by 24.8 % to EUR 2.9 bn. The German flavour and fragrance company reaffirms its long-term profitable growth path with its thirteenth dividend increase. However, the company expects energy and raw material costs to keep rising.
Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (Ebitda), before deducting a one-off impairment loss on the associated company Swedencare booked in the fourth quarter, increased to EUR 922 m, also significantly higher than last year’s figure of EUR 814 m.
Sparkalis invests in foodtech company Fooditive
Foodtech venture fund Sparkalis has taken a minority stake in Fooditive BV, a next-gen food technology business specializing in sustainable plant-based ingredients.
Following the investment, Sparkalis Managing Director Filip Arnaut has joined Fooditive’s advisory board. There are now eleven foodtech experts sitting on the board. They will provide advice and insights to support Fooditive’s mission to create plant-based ingredients that are healthier for consumers, better for the planet and kinder to animals. The company, based in the Netherlands, has risen to prominence for successfully harnessing its precision fermentation technology to produce ground-breaking innovations such as vegan casein and bee-free honey.
Vitafoods Europe 2023: CarobWay brings the ancient carob to the modern table
FoodTech start-up CarobWay brings the nutritional treasures of the ancient carob fruit to the modern table (Vitafoods Europe 2023, 9 to 11 May, Geneva/Switzerland, booth L49).
One formulation under development is a prebiotic powder enriched with fibres and polyphenols that possess anti-inflammatory properties and support a healthy gut microbiome. The company creates a clean-label, natural sweetener with a low glycaemic index. This single ingredient replaces sugar as a one-to-one drop-in. At the CarobWay booth, visitors can taste chocolate gummy bears and confectionery fortified with prebiotic carob powder.
Puratos switches to more sustainable packaging solutions
Puratos, a leading global provider of bakery, patisserie and chocolate ingredients, announces its commitment to switching to more sustainable packaging solutions.
In addition to the sweeping sustainability improvements, the company will enhance the functionality of several packaging types for its customers’ convenience, including easier recycling, simpler opening and closing and better pallet stacking properties. With these developments, Puratos is moving closer to reaching its goal of being carbon-neutral across operations by 2025 and a zero-waste-to-landfill company by 2030 – while simultaneously helping to lower customers’ environmental footprints worldwide.
Ulrick & Short launches clean label egg white replacer for meringues
Ingredient specialist Ulrick & Short launched a new clean label ingredient aimed at replacing the functionality of egg whites in meringues.


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Orion Expedition Cruises has announced their 2013 expedition voyage calendar. It contains an incredible assortment of cruises exploring from the polar reaches of the Antarctic Continent to the tropical climes of Borneo, including popular expeditions to the Kimberley, Papua New Guinea, Melanesia, New Zealand and the sub Antarctic Islands. Noticeably absent from the calendar are expeditions aboard the Orion II.
The Orion II will return to its owners at the end of the current charter term in December of this year. In a statement released this week Sarina Bratton, Founder and Managing Director of Orion Expedition Cruises, cited performance aspects such as fuel efficiency as the reason for the change. 2012 cruises aboard Orion II will continue to operate as scheduled and currently booked guests will not be affected.
The Orion II joined the fleet in 2012 and is currently operating cruises focused on Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, the Russian Far East, Borneo, Papua New Guinea and Malaysia. Feedback from travelers who have taken the early expeditions has been outstanding with consistently high ratings for hotel services, crew, food and expedition experiences.
The company has accumulated a great deal of local knowledge and pioneered some remarkable remote destinations across Asia. “None of this will be wasted” says Bratton. “We will return as soon as possible and I hope to make an announcement regarding another vessel soon.” However it is unlikely a new ship will be in place for early 2013.


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Jubilant Foodworks: Strong cost control & aggressive store additions makes the stock a hot pick, says Bonanza
Updated: 12 Oct 2022, 09:23 AM IST
TL;DR.JBL is the largest food service brand in the QSR industry, with the benefit of being the first mover. The company leads far ahead of its competitors in terms of the number of stores (1,625 in Q1 FY23). The company reported a 63.01% increase in its consolidated net profit.
The company makes a mark in its international markets in Sri Lanka with the highest ever system sales growth of 80.9% as on FY22, which increased to 83% in Q1 FY23 despite inflationary and political headwinds.


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Stakeholders using the Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) are calling for rationalising tariff to attract more consumers on to the railway network. Container train operators and port players say while the DFC has lowered the time taken for moving goods and ensures predictability, the cost is an impediment to adoption.
APM Terminals, a unit of Danish shipping giant Maersk, is seeking the rationalisation. Their Pipavav terminal on the Gujarat coast has immediate access to key markets in northwest India and the largest sea food export belt in India through road and rail, including direct electrified access to the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor.
“Today, our trains from Khatuwas (close to Haryana-Rajasthan border), arrive at our port in less than 24 hours. It used to take 3-4 days earlier,” Girish Aggarwal, managing director at APM Terminals Pipavav said. He added that the Western DFC has significantly lowered the time taken for commodities to travel between north India and the western coast.
But despite the added convenience, consumers still shy from exclusively using the rail link.
“From our perspective, the money now needs to be passed on to the customer. When you start doing that, a lot of road traffic gets diverted to rail,” Agarwal said while calling for lowering the tariffs charged on the DFC. According to him, people from Delhi, Sonipat and Panipat are coming through trucks when it should be rail.
Commenting on the need to rationalise rail tariffs, Manish Puri, president, Association of Container Train Operators (ACTO) said, “Rail is more expensive than road in the light cargo category. This is because charging is done directionally in road. So light cargo in export direction on road is cheaper than the rail route.”
Responding to a query on these calls for rationalising tariff on DFC, Nanduri Srinivas, director, operations and business development at Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India (DFCCIL) said, “Right now, DFC is following the same tariff of Indian Railways for conventional traffic”.
Double stacking solution
Puri said that double stacking reduces the unit cost across containers by about 25%. “Double stacking makes rail much more competitive than road. Today, there is a restriction on how much double stacking is possible because of certain weight categories not being permitted,” he said, noting that this needs to be smoothened out.


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NEW YORK (MarketWatch) — These stocks are making notable moves on Monday:
: The bank said it would pay $7 billion to settle claims regarding sales of mortgages before the financial crisis. The company also beat consensus forecasts for second-quarter earnings and revenues.
: Aecom Technology Corp.
said it is buying the construction and engineering company for $4 billion in cash and stock.
Tesla Motors Inc.
: China will require at least 30% of government vehicles to be electric, according to Barron’s.
Whiting Petroleum Corp.
: The energy company plans to buy Kodiak Oil & Gas Corp.
in a deal worth $3.8 billion.
:Shares in the personal-camera maker continue to fall after doubling in value in the first four days on the stock market from its $24 IPO price. A weekend article in Barron’s said GoPro faces the same risks other tech devices face — of being “subsumed by our phones.”
Newmont Mining Corp.
:Gold prices tumbled after notching their sixth straight weekly gain, dragging down miners.
Tickers to watch
: Barclays upgraded its view of the tech giant’s shares to overweight. Meanwhile, Morgan Stanley raised its price target to $110 from $99, citing potential gains from the expected rollout of the iWatch.
: The pharmaceuticals company entered into a deal with the developed markets branded generics business of Abbott Laboratories
in a transaction worth $5.3 billion.
Manchester United PLC
: The U.K. soccer team struck a 10-year sponsorship deal with sports equipment company Adidas AG
that will guarantee it a minimum payment of 750 million pounds, or about $1.3 billion.
: Shire PLC
said it received a new takeover offer from AbbVie that it is willing to recommend to shareholders.
More must-reads from MarketWatch:
Follow U.S. market action on the live blog
Chinese man builds his own Tesla-charging network
Reeves: Avoid a U.S. stock market meltdown and go global


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McDonald’s iconic Happy Meals and their ilk don’t cut it the way they did in the past, according to the NPD Group.
The research firm reports that orders for kids’ meals with toys have been declining for several years. Last year alone, they dropped by 6 percent.
NPD says flat traffic from families with kids in tow is one reason behind the decline. In 2006, 21 billion parties brought kids with them; last year, there were 1


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Cybercriminals may be shifting their focus from Windows-based PCs to non-Windows platforms and mobile devices, according to a new report from Cisco. The Cisco 2010 Annual Security Report takes a look at the year in cybercrime and computer security.
The major finding was that the years of cybercriminal exploitation of PC operating systems has lead vendors and companies to shore up their systems with security, as well as spurring companies such as Microsoft to become more aggressive in patching any vulnerabilities. Cybercriminals are thus being forced to turn elsewhere to make money.
Cisco refers to this as a "tipping point" that cybercriminals have reached in Windows systems. Consequently, attacks are rising on other devices such as Apple platforms like iPhones and iPads, as well as on other smart phones. Cisco also attributes the trend to increased public acceptance and use of such devices.
Among other notable findings in the report was the fact that 2010 marked the first year that spam had declined in the history of the Internet. However, spam still remains a problem and actually increased in certain developed economies (such as France and the United Kingdom) where broadband Internet is improving.
Cisco also reports an increase in money muling, which is the recruitment of people to set up bank accounts for scammers to use for money laundering.
The report also highlights "seven deadly weaknesses" that cybercriminals exploit. The weaknesses are sex appeal, greed, vanity, trust, sloth, compassion, and urgency.
♦ Photo by Yagan Kiely/Flickr