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21 September 2016
Inditex Group first half net sales up 11% from a year earlier
- Over the past 12 months, Inditex has created almost 10,000 new jobs, of which 2,421 were in Spain
- Inditex's Chairman and CEO, Pablo Isla, has highlighted "the importance of its model which fully integrates bricks-and-mortar stores and online", emphasising the technological investment by the company in this sphere
- In the first half, total net sales reached €10.47 billion, with net profits of €1.26 billion, up 8% from a year earlier
- Like-for-like sales grew by 11%
- Inditex opened new stores in 38 markets during the period, closing the first half of 2016 with a total of 7,096 stores
- The Group currently has a presence in 92 markets following the launch of Zara in Vietnam on 8 September
- All brands will launch online sales in Turkey in October. The Group currently operates online in 39 markets
- Over the period, Pull&Bear opened its new head office, which features the latest advances in eco-efficient building, while Stradivarius has launched a new global flagship in London
- Between 1 August and 18 September 2016, stores and online sales in local currencies grew by 13%
Inditex's net sales during the first half of 2016 (between 1 February and 31 July) increased by 11% to €10.47 billion, with positive growth in all geographical areas where the Group is present. Sales in local currencies grew 16%. Net profits hit €1.25 billion, up 8% from the same period the previous year. Like-for-like sales grew by 11%, on top of 7% growth over the same period in 2015.
All of the Group's brands increased their international presence during the period, with 83 new stores in 38 countries. This takes the Group's total number of stores to 7,096. Following the launch of Zara in Vietnam in the third quarter, the Group now has a presence in 92 markets, 39 of which also boast online stores.
Inditex's chairman and chief executive, Pablo Isla, highlighted "the importance of its model which fully integrates bricks-and-mortar stores and online", emphasising the technological investment being made by the company in this area. He continued: "Both our online and bricks-and-mortar stores are seamlessly connected, driven by platforms such as mobile payment, and other technological initiatives that we will continue to develop".
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Once more, Inditex has been able to continue significant job creation, with some 9,932 new jobs created over the past 12 months.
Some 2,421 of these jobs were created in Spain, where the Group is headquartered, with new staff to support international growth as well as from investment in operating capacity of the Group's facilities.
BRAND´S INITIATIVES AND EXPANSION
Expansion in all geographic areas
During the first half of 2016, all brands have opened important stores in prime locations, with a total of 83 new stores in 38 different international markets. During the period, the Group ventured into three new markets– Aruba, Nicaragua and Paraguay– and during the third quartered in September it opened its first store in Vietnam meaning that Inditex is now present in a total of 92 markets. Each brand has continued with the Group's strategy of investing in their image both online and in physical stores.
In this regard, it is worth highlighting the new Zara store opened on calle Compostela in A Coruña, Spain on 1 September, located close to the Group's headquarters. The new store includes 2,400 m² of retail space spread over five floors displaying Zara's latest collections – Woman, Man and Kids. The building has been carefully renovated to conserve the architecture that represents the city's heritage and highlights many of building's original features. The store displays, vast windows and glass galleries, and has been put forward for LEED Gold environmental certification as part of the Group's eco-efficient store plan.
This new opening of a landmark store of global importance has been accompanied by other significant new stores, including in Soho, New York, in the United States, or the Group's first stores in Aruba and Nicaragua. Zara has opened stores in a range of markets such as China, Canada, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Germany, Mexico, Indonesia and Japan. There has also been significant expansion work to stores in Puerto Rico, Cologne (Germany) and Antwerp(Belgium), which, in line with the brand strategy, have increased their retail space as well as renewed their image. On September 8th, Zara also added its first store in Vietnam in Ho Chi Minh City. The brand is also set to launch in Auckland, New Zealand during the first week of October.
Meanwhile, Pull&Bear has opened its new headquarters in Narón, Spain, which incorporates the latest eco-efficient building technology. This includes open spaces, reductions in water consumption and emissions, efficient use of energy and air quality measures.
The brand has also sponsored international events including the Pantin Classic Pro world surfing championship and Moto GP championship (as the official sponsor of the Aspar motorcycle team). It has also continued to update its store concept California, starting with the opening of the brand's store on Calle Hermosilla, Madrid, in November of last year. Also noteworthy are the brand's new stores in Russia, Luxembourg and Austria, along with openings in another 20 countries including Mexico, the United Kingdom, Italy, France, Nicaragua, Jordan and China.
Massimo Dutti reached an important milestone with its launch in India with its store in New Delhi's Citywalk shopping centre – this marks the Group's second brand to enter the Indian market. The brand's image has been further enhanced with the photographic work of Mario Testino. It hasalso updated its online website and app, achieving a very fluid, user-friendly browsing experience. Massimo Dutti has also revamped its fortnightly digital publication, Paper, a platform of contents for all of the brand's product lines: Women, Men, Boys&Girls and Personal Tailoring.
One of the most significant initiatives within Massimo Dutti's new store concept is its Tailored Corner; a section that aims to achieve a new take on classic tailoring to offer new pieces in top-quality fabrics along with more relaxed workwear, including jackets, pencil skirts, dresses and layering pieces.
The brand has continued to develop this new store concept, which also introduces more space and the use of marble, leather, and hardwoods as essential elements of its interior decoration. Other new motifs are inspired by the brand's traditional support for international equestrian events, both in its architecture and in its fashion offering. This concept has been implemented not only in the New Delhi store but also in the recently launched stores on Xiangyin Road in Shanghai, China; Buchanan Street in Glasgow, United Kingdom; Pacific Centre in Vancouver, Canada; and Kutuzovsky Prospekt in Moscow, Russia. It has also been used in new stores in France, Switzerland, South Korea, Taiwan (China), Germany and Italy.
Meanwhile, during the same period, Bershka's activity was characterised by efforts to strengthen its links with music. The brand has initiated collaborations with Spotify with the Bershka Festival Tour; a new digital platform inspired by the greatest music festivals as examples of the synergies between fashion and music. This microsite, hosted on Bershka.com, offers weekly charts linked with each of the festivals and personalised for each individual user. The site uses algorithms with contents designed by expert stylists to suggest different fashion looks in line with users' musical tastes.
Alongside these initiatives, the brand has also launched its Young Designers Project, which offers opportunities to young people with talent to display their work in the brand's image stores, introducing two new concepts in its retail offering: Papelería and Bath&Body. The first is a range of office materials, which incorporates the latest fashion trends into the world of illustration. Bath&Body offers a range of high-quality bath and skincare products.
Strong links with music are evident in the new store concept developed by the brand under the title Stage with a focus on technology and sustainability. New devices offer customers more precise information on collections, with additional aspects that improve stores' eco-efficiency: doormats made from recycled tyres, chemical-free paints, efficient air-conditioning systems, LED lighting with low-consumption control, recycled wood, and so on.
This new store concept has been implemented in all store launches during the period, with significant refurbishments to stores on Vittorio Emanuele in Milan, Italy; Hong Kong; and Oxford Street, London, in the United Kingdom. This new image is also present in the store on Nanjing Road in Shanghai, China. Moreover, the brand has opened stores in countries such as Russia, Mexico, Austria, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Indonesia and Japan.
Stradivarius has also held its annual event The Event Paper at its recently opened flagship store at No. 309, Oxford Street, London; a space that has become an international landmark for the brand, with more than 1,500 square metres of retail space. The event was attended by model Hailey Baldwin.
The brand has announced its first menswear collection for the Spring/Summer 2017 season, and has also achieved significant milestones with store openings in Amsterdam, Holland; a flagship store in Tel Aviv, Israel; and other new stores in Mexico, Indonesia, the United Kingdom (two new stores), China, Nicaragua, Hong Kong SAR, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Russia, and more.
Oysho has continued to develop its store image, strongly linked with the concept of a woman's healthy lifestyle, in particular the fusion of sport and women's fashio n. Of note is the support the brand has given to Spain's female Olympic gymnastics team, which achieved a silver medal at the Olympic Games held in Rio de Janeiro in August this year. The brand has also continued with its initiatives Free Yoga by Oysho in different cities around the world. Oysho has recently launched a line of Soft Basics which depicts a wide range of size options and designs in lingerie.
The brand has seen various important new stores launched in Calle Corso Vercelli in Milan, Italy; in the Times Square mall in Hong Kong SAR, China; and Calle de Tetuán in Seville, Spain; with a new store concept that has also launched in countries such as Belgium, Panama, Jordan, Russia and South Korea.
All of these stores have launched their Olympic collection, which has introduced the latest advances in technical fabrics, blended with an original approach to fashion inspired in cities that have hosted the Olympic Games over the years such as Los Angeles, Seoul and London.
Zara Home has also been extremely active following the introduction of its new store image, which combines larger spaces with light wood and more natural light.
The brand has launched a new digital magazine called The Journal, with a new edition every two weeks: another example of the integration of bricks-and-mortar stores and the digital world. It engages in a 360-degree strategy involving all of the brand's departments, including store staff, who play a vital role in the publication. Each edition of the magazine is dedicated to a particular category of products. Store staff receive thorough training on every product, its materials, quality and characteristics, as well as recommendations for use and special features in order to offer enhanced service to customers.
In terms of retail, in September the brand started a new line of products, Laundry, which offers a selection of washing liquids, softeners and ironing liquids that have been specially selected and designed to tie in with the defining characteristics of Zara Home.
All of these new products were offered in new stores opened during the period in question, including the store in Nanning, China; Garosu Street in Seoul, South Korea; and the Mall of Africa in Johannesburg, South Africa; as well as in other countries including Japan, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Austria, Jordan, Serbia, Sweden and Indonesia
Next week, Uterqüe will open its new store concept in Braga, Portugal, while its support for the world of art continues in the form of its collaboration last week with the Madrid Gallery Weekend.
Uterqüe's new store image is closely linked with art, and is inspired by the Mid-Century movement, evoking the aesthetics of the 1950s with a modern twist. Suspended ceilings expand store spaces with the aim of offering a welcoming atmosphere in which sustainability is the central theme, with LED lighting throughout and centralised energy saving programme.
Apart from the inauguration in Portugal next week, this new image is due to be launched in new stores in Spain, Mexico, Poland and Ukraine.
Online sales expansion
At the same time, the group has continued to expand its online retail offering to 11 countries during the first six months of 2016: Bulgaria, Croatia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, and the Czech Republic, meaning that the brand is now present in 39 markets (see Annex). In this respect, it is very much worth mentioning the new sustainability section featured on zara.com, which not only includes descriptions of the Group's environmental and social policies but also offers new customer services such as the collection of customer's unwanted clothing in areas where this option is available.
Inditex´s online stores for all brands are due to launch in Turkey on 5 October.
Payment via mobile phone
In line with this development, in September Inditex launched mobile phone payment in all of the Group's stores in Spain, with the objective of gradually extending the service to other countries. This new service is available to customers both in the form of online apps for eight of Inditex's brands and a specific app for the whole Group called InWallet, which users can download from the platform serving their respective operating system. All of the Inditex Group's apps – Zara, Pull&Bear, Massimo Dutti, Bershka, Stradivarius, Oysho, Zara Home and Uterqüe – appear under the name Wallet. These apps, along with InWallet, allow customers to fully manage their shopping receipts on and offline, doing away with the need for paper receipts.
SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL
Social programmes during the first half of 2016
Activity during the first six months of the year has also included work on the Group's social initiatives. In particular, the period saw openings of various stores in Igualada and Ferrol as part of thefor&from initiative to integrate people with disabilities. These two new stores take the project total to 11 establishments.
One of the project's stores was opened in Igualada in Barcelona, Spain in April under Massimo Dutti and in collaboration with the non-profit organization Moltacte. The store employes 15 people with disabilities. The other store was opened in Ferrol last week, the 11th store to be opened as part of this project. The Ferrol store is under Pull&Bear, and is run in collaboration with the Galician Confederation for People with Disabilities (Confederación Galega de Personas con Discapacidade, COGAMI).
Another highlight is developments in the Salta Mundo programme, which aims to integrate people on the edge of social exclusion into the labour market through the Group's stores. In July, the project added São Paulo, Brazil to the list of cities where this initiative is being developed. The programme has now been established in other 11 cities (Madrid, Barcelona, Athens, Berlin, London, Lisbon, Paris, Milan, Warsaw, Mexico City and New York), facilitating the integration of more than 800 people into the labour market.
During the first six months of the year, the Group has also donated funds to rescue operations and humanitarian aid for victims of the earthquakes in Ecuador and Italy that took place in April and August respectively. The Group has contributed €200,000 and €1 million to these two causes respectively, by means of various organisations including Cáritas and the Red Cross, with funds mainly targeted at medical assistance for the injured, rescue operations involving trained dogs, psychological and social support for the effected population, and mobile kitchens serving people displaced from their homes.
Also over the period, in April, Inditex's Chairman, Pablo Isla, and the Chancellor of the Comillas Pontifical University ICAE-ICADE, Julio L. Martínez, signed a collaboration agreement governing the creation of the Chair of Refugees and Forced Migrants. The Chair will support collaborative programmes involving the University and non-profit organisations working in the sector, promoting academic research in the sphere of migration to be applied in the field to support refugees and also to seek to raise awareness of the issues.
The Chair will focus specifically on the incorporation, shelter and social integration of refugees in Spain and Europe.
Start of the second half of 2016
Between 1 August and 18 September 2016, sales in local currencies in stores and online have grown 13%.
In line with the proposal approved by the Shareholders' Meeting held on 19 July, on 2 November 2016 payment will be made of the ordinary supplementary dividend and extraordinary dividend, to a total gross sum of €0.30 per share. This gives a total dividend of €0.60 per share corresponding to the financial year 2015.


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Devolver Digital revealed the latest DLC for The Messenger will be coming this July during their E3 2019 press conference.
Devolver Digital is releasing a destructive fruit sidescroller later this month.
Devolver Digital launched today a publisher sale on Switch to celebrate their 10th year anniversay!
OneBitBeyond have rolled out the latest critical patch for The Swords of Ditto: Mormo’s Curse.
For around 20 years, Devolver Digital has been publishing amazing games on consoles from the Hotline Miami to the Serious Sam series with them recently finding big success on the Nintendo Switch.
Katana ZERO fans will have something huge to be excited for by month-end!
Devolver Digital and Onebitbeyond are aware of the issues plaguing the launch version of The Swords of Ditto: Mormo’s Curse and that includes the Switch version.

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PLENTY of cakes, drinks and all things pink will take over a Bognor Regis cafe next Friday in aid of Breast Cancer Awareness.
The West Park Cafe is hosting their own Big Pink day in order to raise as much money for the charity as possible.
Ann Hancock, who runs the cafe, explained why the event is so important. The Aldwick resident, pictured above, said: “It’s such a worthy cause. Breast cancer can affect a lot of people, men can get it as well as women.
“My mum had breast cancer so I’m linked to it on quite a personal level as well.”
For the event, which will take place between 9.30am-3pm on October 20, the cafe will be decorated with a pink colour scheme and customers are encouraged to wear pink items of clothing. Cakes donated by customers will be on sale alongside chances to win raffle prizes with all profits going to charity.
Ann hoped to see many regulars alongside new faces attending the day. “The West Park Cafe is all about community spirit and this day is about getting as many people involved as possible.
“The more the merrier. Dogs are welcome too,” she said.
If you would like to help Ann is welcoming all cake and raffle prize donations.


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Of the 100 locations nationwide where McDonald’s has inverted its Golden Arches on Thursday, only a few can be found in North Carolina and two of those are in the Triangle.
The company flipped the iconic logo on its website and social media accounts and even on the exterior sign at one store Thursday to “recognize the extraordinary contribution of women” on International Women’s Day.
“In the U.S. we take pride in diversity and we are proud to share that today, 6 out of 10 restaurant managers are women,” McDonald’s said in a press release Thursday. “Here’s to our female employees, franchisees, suppliers, community partners and customers for all that you do today, and every day.”
Though the arches on the sign were flipped at only a single restaurant in California, employees at select locations across the country are wearing hats and shirts and handing out cups, bags and sandwich boxes featuring the inverted logo.
Wake County has two of them – the Poole Road location in Raleigh and another in Zebulon – according to Doris Huebner, whose family owns 13 McDonald’s stores in Wake, Johnston and Harnett counties. The third North Carolina location celebrating with inverted-arch swag, Huebner said, is in Hickory.
“For me, it’s a sign of pride in the company I’ve worked in so many years,” said Huebner, who joined McDonald’s as a corporate administrative assistant in 1974.
Heubner always wanted to cross over to the operations side, and the opportunity arose in 1993.
“McDonald’s has always offered great opportunities for women to advance within the company, and I’m very proud of that,” she said.


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When Ford was considering making the dramatic switch to high-strength aluminum from steel, the carmaker knew it had to be strong enough to withstand the beatings that many owners inflict on their pickups, especially in the truck’s bed. So, without letting its secret slip, Ford sent six prototype F-150s to three of its best industrial customers. Little did these companies know that their 2011 trucks had aluminum cargo boxes. Ford provided these aluminum trucks for free and just asked that they be treated as any other truck and to let Ford know how it was working out.
“We go to extreme areas and do extreme work,” said Art Golembiewski, regional equipment manager for Walsh Construction, who was testing one of the aluminum trucks. “We’re hard on all our equipment, we expect to get 110 percent out of it every day, and that’s how we operate. We were told to run it like we wanted to break it, and that’s what we’re doing to ‘em.”
After the testing, everyone came away pleased and Ford made a few changes: thickened the aluminum in the bed, reinforced the sides of the cargo box, and adjusted the aluminum alloy to make it more durable.
Now the 2015 Ford F-150 is ready for the 90th-percentile—the one person out of ten who pushes the truck to its limit.
This fall, you can test out the all-new aluminum-bodied 2015 Ford-150 for yourself when it arrives at Paul Obaugh Ford.


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It is a surprising 28 years since ‘Groundhog Day’ passed into common English usage as shorthand for an apparently endless repetition of events with no escape – though it seems like only yesterday.
I got the same feeling on reading last week’s UK and EU statements about their latest talks on the Northern Ireland Protocol, referring to difficult outstanding issues and the need to intensify efforts in coming weeks. To complete the sense of déjà vu, we are again a matter of days away from an already postponed end-of-April deadline for the European Parliament’s ratification of the wider Trade and Cooperation Agreement, which it has made contingent on the Protocol being made to work.
We are, in addition, still grappling with new EU export health certificate requirements entering into force this week, not to mention preparing for the delayed introduction of UK border controls later this year. My point is that we are still a long way from any semblance of normality – to borrow a term from the Covid recovery lexicon – when it comes to trading with our nearest and biggest partners.
While headline export figures for February do appear to show a significant bounce back from January (a rise of 46.6% compared with an earlier fall of 42%) simple arithmetic tells us this still only 85% of where we were. But most of this rebound was in sectors like machinery, cars and chemicals, none of which face the extra costs, delays and complexities of SPS checks and controls, or their knock-on effects on transport rates. Dairy, meat and fish in particular are nowhere near pre-Brexit levels, even if you allow for the drop-offs from other factors such as the closure of hospitality.
In short, inconsistency and uncertainty have become the hallmarks of moving goods to market, undermining the predictability vital to any business operation. But the missing word for everyone is margin. Getting volumes and values back up may prove to be the easier part of the challenge.
Trade is also a two-way street. For every new export opportunity outside the EU, someone will be seeking reciprocal access to our market. It is not yet clear where that balance of advantage is going to lie for UK food and farming.
One other fictional title that has passed into everyday speech is ‘Utopia’. We are still a long way off that, too.


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The New York-based brand development and licensing company has acquired the brands from Schottenstein Luxury Group for an undisclosed sum. Under the terms of the deal, Schottenstein will retain a minority interest in the brands, according to James Salter, chairman and chief executive officer of Authentic Brands.
“I’ve tried to buy all three brands three times,” Salter told WWD in an exclusive interview at the company’s 33rd Street offices in Manhattan Wednesday morning. “But Jay Schottenstein, chairman of Schottenstein Stores Corp., is an incredibly tough negotiator. We finally came up with a plan that would work by giving him a silent minority share.”
According to Salter and Nick Woodhouse, president and chief marketing officer of Authentic, the company has ambitious growth plans for all three labels, with the Leiber brand seen as the one with the most potential.
“That’s the prize,” said Salter. “The jewel,” Woodhouse agreed.
Judith Leiber founded her firm in 1963. The brand is most famous for its handbags including crystal minaudières, often in animal shapes, that average $5,000 each. Leiber also has a lower-price collection called Overture by Judith Leiber and offers a small selection of accessories, including eyewear and jewelry, as well as a fragrance. There are two full-price stores, in Beverly Hills and Las Vegas, as well as two outlets, in New York and Florida. Leiber sold her company to Time Products, a London watch company, in 1993 and retired five years later. Time sold the firm in September 2000 to Pegasus Apparel Group, which sold a majority stake to Schottenstein in May 2008.
“We really believe in it,” Salter said. “It’s a brand with a huge history in the luxury space. It’s nontarnished, and we are very comfortable that we’ll be able to build on that around the world.”
A “select group” of the current Leiber employees will be retained and will join Authentic to work on the brand. “There’s a lot of intrinsic talent there,” Salter said.
Woodhouse said distribution will continue to be limited and will center around the opening of “controlled” shops-in-shop, stand-alone stores and wholesale distribution in high-end independent specialty stores. Expanding into e-commerce will also be a priority.
“It’s not an Hermès or Chanel yet,” he said of Leiber, “but it can be. We’re in no great rush and will keep the heritage alive through select distribution.” Sources say the brand has volume of around $18 million.
“It’s small compared to the other brands in the portfolio,” Salter said, adding that Authentic acquires brands with retail volume in excess of $100 million that have “highly scalable” models. But growth for Leiber in the U.S., as well as in China, Japan, Hong Kong, the Middle East and Europe, is in the cards. “We feel comfortable we’ll be able to find good strategic partners in retail and wholesale over the next 60 days,” Salter said.
Regarding product, “The goal is to really grow the handbag business,” Salter said, noting that, “down the road,” Authentic would also like to branch out into home products, “elegant, high-end footwear” and bridal. “Apparel will be the last piece — if we decide to go there. We would do amazing wedding dresses before ready-to-wear.” Lower-priced lines such as Judith by Judith Leiber and Leiber by Judith Leiber will be entertained down the road. “But we have to earn that,” Salter said.
Woodhouse said Authentic plans to expand the brand into “personalization” and is “very close” to naming a licensing partner for that part of the business who would work with customers to have their initials or names monogrammed onto the products.
Collaborations are also expected to be explored, the first of which would be with Authentic’s Marilyn Monroe label. “I can see a Marilyn Monroe Judith Leiber ‘It’ bag,” Salter said, “maybe with Harry Winston diamonds that sells for $1 million.”
The largest brand of the three is Adrienne Vittadini, which Schottenstein acquired in 2008. “We looked at it six years ago but were outbid by Jay,” Salter said. “But we like it even more today. Jay did a great job putting it into the licensing business.”
The brand is known for its knitwear, fragrance, luggage, eyewear and women’s apparel produced by Li & Fung. Authentic plans to take the brand to Canada and Europe and expand its offering into careerwear.
“The brand’s been around a long time and it has international acceptance,” Salter said. Taryn Rose, which was founded by an orthopedic surgeon by that name, was acquired by Schottenstein in 2010 and offers “comfortable fashion footwear,” Salter said.
“It’s a small company today but is doing well at retail, and we plan to take it international and to other categories such as athletic footwear,” Salter said. Fashion leggings with compression, knapsacks or shoulder packs that are designed for comfort are also seen as possible product extensions, they said, along with a line that would target women who stand all day and still want comfortable footwear.
They declined to provide a volume figure for Taryn Rose but said that while it is below Authentic’s $100 million threshold, it nonetheless is “sizable, and made the cut to come into our flow. We have big aspirations for it,” Salter said, noting that the company plans to aggressively use omnichannel. “Over 31 percent of its sales are non-brick-and-mortar,” Woodhouse said.
He said that since all three founders are still alive, Authentic plans to reach out to them to be involved in the businesses in some way, although their interest and receptivity is not known at this point.
A representative from Schottenstein Luxury Group declined to comment on the deal, but it is believed that by selling these labels, that business will be shuttered. Mary Gleason, president of SLG, is expected to transition out of the company. She did not return calls seeking comment.
A new Joan Rivers coffee table book, titled “Joan Rivers Confidential,” gives readers never-before-seen photos and letters of the late comedian throughout her life. “Because of her drive to always be fresh, she kept records of every appearance, every performance, all the jokes that were used on TV, all the clothes that were worn,” said Rivers’ daughter Melissa. Here, Rivers poses at the “Tonight Show” in Tracy Mills in 1985. Read more about the book and see more photos at WWD.com. #wwdeye
After a career at New York hot spots like Narcissa, Dovetail and Nix, @chefjfraser has expanded to the West Village with The Loyal, a modernized take on an American brasserie. “And as I’ve gone through my career I’ve felt some departure from that kind of simple, straightforward [cooking]. This is meant to take on the idea of ‘what if the American brasserie was invented today?’” #wwdeye (📷: @chinseephoto)
@bellahadid and @lilyaldridge at @bulgariofficial’s celebration on Friday night, toasting the brand's new Peter Marino-designed flagship on Fifth Avenue. The two-part event included a cocktail party at the store followed by a dinner at a mystery location — the Met Cloisters. #wwdeye
From overseeing America’s fastest-growing speciality retailers to codifying cool, WWD talked to the women who are leading the way for the future of beauty. Check out our Instagram Stories to see how these women built today and are creating tomorrow. (📸: @hannah_khymych) #wwdbeauty
For @laperlalingerie's spring 2018 show, the brand chose to host their event at @thevenetianmacao. With Chinese megastars @bingbing_fan and @hubing in attendance, La Perla debuted a rock ‘n’ roll-inspired collection. The show marked the start of Sands Macao Fashion Week, which runs from October 19 to 24 — the city’s first such event. Pictured here are models backstage with glimmering eyes. #wwdfashion (📷: Cheuk-Yin To)
Trending for spring 2018: top stitch design. Gone are the days of stitch just for seams — designers are using the once-minimal detail to create strong decorative elements. (📷: Paola Testa; Styled by @andrew_shang) #wwdfashion
@tradesy is turning the concept of a showroom upside down with its new space in Santa Monica. Here, the company plans to hold events, art exhibits and a showcase rare fashion pieces like this Louis Vuitton boxing set. Get all the details on Tradesy’s first showroom on WWD.com. #wwdnews


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New York — The Anti-Defamation League’s National Consumer Technology Industry divisio
Irvine, Calif. – A new nationwide survey by premium majap maker Thermador shows that 93 percent of homeowners looking to remodel their kitchens are interested in purchasing an induction cooktop.
Thermador, which was among the first manufacturers to introduce induction cooking to the U.S., surveyed homeowners ages 35 to 54 who are planning to undertake a kitchen remodel over the next 12 months.
This TWICE webinar, hosted by senior editor Alan Wolf, will take a look at what may be the hottest CE products at retail that will be sold during the all-important fourth quarter. Top technologies, market strategies and industry trends will be discussed with industry analysts and executives.
Louisville, Ky. – GE Appliances has introduced a new majap finish designed to challenge stainless steel’s grip on the premium market.
Its new slate finish is a low-gloss, warm metallic gray that hits retail this month on two French door refrigerator models, two free-standing gas range models, two freestanding electric range models, two built-in dishwasher models and an over-the-range microwave oven.
Anderson, S.C. – Electrolux has opened a $6.3 million research and development center at its refrigerator plant here.
The 43,000-square-foot lab, which is capable of testing 40 refrigerators at once, is part a five-year, $45 million investment to ensure that the fridge factory remains competitive in the global marketplace, the manufacturer said.
CHICAGO — This week’s 47th annual Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) was expected to draw 30,000 attendees to McCormick Place, here, where dozens of major appliance manufacturers from Jenn-Air to GE and seemingly every niche vendor in between showed their wares.
The following is an overview of spring majap introductions based on pre-show announcements. A complete K/BIS wrap-up report will appear in the next issue of TWICE.
The dramatic and extended downturn in the major appliance business has taken a toll on next week’s Kitchen/Bath Industry Show (K/BIS), which has long been the premier event for the white-goods trade.
Given the state of the industry, the economic climate and the prohibitive cost of exhibiting, most majap manufacturers will have a limited profile at the show, with only a handful of vendors actually represented on the show floor.
With the effects of the recession and depressed housing market now impacting even super-premium appliances, luxury majap maker Bosch is emphasizing affordability and energy savings in its consumer communications.
To underscore the point, the company is getting out the message that a full Bosch stainless-steel kitchen can be had for less than $4,000 with its competitively priced 300-series appliances, which can also help consumers save on their energy and water bills while adding value to their homes.
At this past weekend's Kitchen/Bath Industry Show (K/BIS), held here at McCormick Place, GE unveiled two new bottom mount refrigerators under its premium Monogram monicker, and introduced a GE-branded dishwasher that is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), reportedly the first offered by a major domestic majap maker.


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Just before war hero honored, he saves woman in danger
February is Heart Health Month and Lorri Ann Code from Mama Bootcamp is here to cook up a Heart Healthy Valentines meal.
We hope Leonardo DiCaprio's an Apple fan. The actor is reportedly a favorite pick for the role of Steve Jobs in an upcoming biopic about the deceased Apple co-founder that's coming from Sony Pictures.


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Given the situation of our earth's global warming issue and every other news that we come across, reducing the use of electronics products has become Read More.
It's a fundamental and entirely non-profit movement of people who are giving (and getting) stuff for free in their own towns and neighborhoods. It's all Read More.
Global warming is increasing at an alarming rate and we often wonder what we can do to reduce it. Minimizing the use of electronics products Read More.


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After being shuttered for nearly two months due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, some retail stores and businesses will reopen in the Greater Montreal area on May 25.
Quebec Premier François Legault confirmed the move on Monday, saying the public health conditions had been met for the government to move forward with its plan after delays.
“I am really happy to announce today that we have the green light to open retail businesses in the Montreal region in one week as planned,” he said.
Community Interviews with Moose FM
Quebec saw 34 new deaths attributable to COVID-19 on Monday — the province’s lowest rise in deaths since mid-April, according to Legault. The death toll is at 3,596.
There are 43,627 cases as of Monday, an increase of 707 from the previous day.
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“I also want to ask Quebecers to be very careful,” said Legault.
“If we don’t want to go back and put the brakes on the reopening, we need to follow public health’s instructions.


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There will be a proposal from the European Commission soon for legislation to establish a digital currency central bank.
Digital currencies are currently being studied by the European Commission in order to determine whether they can be developed.
Christine Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank, stated that the European Commission would “soon” present a legislative proposal for a digital currency. She made this statement in a video statement to the conference “Towards a legal framework enabling a virtual euro for citizens and business”.
Lagarde stated that “the timely adoption of a legal structure for the digital euro would provide all stakeholders with the legal certainty they need to prepare for its eventual introduction and send a strong message of support.”
She added that she was looking forward to the European Commission’s legislative proposal to establish a digital euro.
The European Central Bank’s digital euros project focuses on making central bank money available digitally. The bank launched a study into the development of a digital currency central bank in 2021. It also sought outside opinions through public consultations from April to June.
In September 2023, the two-year digital euro examination will be completed. The European Central Bank will also announce whether it will launch a digital currency central bank.


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December 7, 2013
Your search for Software in Dartmouth College returned 2 articles
A Dartmouth computer scientist and a former Adobe executive have created a start-up company that aims to determine whether photographic images have been altered.September 18, 2012, Tuesday
Hany Farid, a 41-year-old engineer, is a founder of a subdiscipline within computer science: digital forensics.October 02, 2007, Tuesday
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3 Ways to Watch the Hudson Valley Eclipse if You Can’t Find Glasses
If you're hoping to catch a glimpse of the eclipse on August 21 you're not completely out of luck.
A rare solar eclipse will be hitting the Hudson Valley just after lunch on Monday, August 21. Health professionals warn potential sun gazers that doing so without proper protective eye-ware could be dangerous.
We visited and called several local retailers only to find that all of them were completely sold out of eclipse glasses. Toys R Us in Poughkeepsie had an empty display this weekend, Lowe's was also completely out of the glasses. Walmart locations in Newburgh, Fishkill and Middletown also informed us that they no longer have the glasses in stock.
Because of a flood of bogus glasses, online retailers have been working overtime to keep legitimate eclipse eye-ware in stock. The demand has made prices skyrocket. Amazon currently shows most of their certified glasses to be out of stock. Third-party sellers are offering them at ridiculous markups. A 10-pack of Soluna Solar Glasses is currently going for $99.95.
So how can you still safely catch a glimpse of the solar eclipse in the Hudson Valley?
Make a pinhole projector at home
Honestly, the eclipse glasses are so dark that all you're going to see is a dot of light being covered up by a dark circle. You can view the same phenomenon making a simple pinhole projector. And the best part is you won't have to wear those silly looking glasses. We made a video to show you just how easy it is to make one.
Borrow a welding mask
If you know someone who's a welder and can lend you a mask for the afternoon, the lenses in those masks are the same as the ones used to safely view the eclipse. Tech Air in Wappingers Falls sells them, but they start at $50.
Try your luck at a local event
There are many local organizations that will be hosting eclipse viewing parties. One of them is the National Parks Service. Vanderbuilt Mansion in Hyde Park will be opening their doors to eclipse viewers and will be supplying glasses for a $1 donation. A representative told us that they were selling glasses in advance, but would have 200 available on the day of the eclipse on a first-come-first-served basis.


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Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is adding another job to his already pages-long resume — he is now also the founder of creative ad agency called Seven Bucks Creative.
In an interview with AdAge, Johnson and his producing partner Dany Garcia explained that the new company will be run by Chief Marketing Officer Chet Gulland, a former head of strategy at Droga5. The launch of the company was inspired by what Seven Bucks Productions, a production company founded by Johnson and Garcia, has been doing with its own productions.
“When we were working on major projects, we were taking steps that producers don’t usually take,” said Garcia. “We had taken an approach to eventize and start the marketing process so early.”
Garcia added, “We’re taking our tools and point of view, our relationship with the audience, our creative skills, to help clients translate what they have and connect to their audience.”
Seven Bucks Productions has been behind Johnson’s HBO show “Ballers” and his movie “Baywatch” and will be the production company behind his upcoming films “Jumanji,” “Fighting With My Family” and “Rampage,” just to name a few.
Although the ad agency is Johnson’s latest move, it definitely won’t be his last. Will The Rock actually run for president?
“It’s on the board, it has to be,” he said. “When there’s that many people saying, ‘I want you to consider it,’ then you consider it.”
Garcia added, “I haven’t really wrapped my head around it just yet. When the time comes, if that comes, I’ll get ready.”


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Missoma has revealed plans to launch its first-ever Men’s Edit this month.
Gone are the days of men’s accessories being limited to rings and watches. The Missoma men’s capsule collection features a mix of chunky chains, bold flat-link bracelets, and classic finer chain necklaces – designed to wear solo or layer up to create a unique look. All pieces are 18-carat gold vermeil on sterling silver or 18-carat gold plated on brass.
“Men have been wearing our jewellery for years as our designs are so universal, so we already have a very captive audience,” said Marisa Hordern, founder and creative director of Missoma. “Recently we’ve noticed a stark rise in demand for chains and bracelets due to the likes of Ryan Gosling, and Paul Mescal in Normal People, gracing our screens (and who wouldn’t want to look like them!?). This felt like the perfect time to launch our first men’s capsule edit. It’s just the start for Missoma Men’s collections.”
To launch the collection, Missoma is celebrating the unifying power of creativity by teaming up with Isaac Waddington, a singer and pianist who rose to fame at just 15 years old, and model and actor Yannick Konan, who is making his Netflix debut this year in upcoming show Agent.
The new Men’s Edit from Missoma, which retails between $97 and $515, is now available.


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- Halo Top is a low-calorie, low-sugar ice cream that has developed a cult-like following.
- It soared to fame after a number of people started trying the "Halo Top Diet," eating nothing but the ice cream for up to 10 days.
- The company's President and COO warns against the extreme diet, but admits he eats Halo Top every day.
It's no understatement to say Halo Top has disrupted the ice cream market.
The low-calorie, low-sugar ice cream has an almost cult-like following, with health-conscious foodies obsessed with the fact that they can demolish a whole tub of sweet, creamy goodness for a mere 280 calories.
Halo Top, founded in 2012, is now available in 12 countries across the world, and became the best-selling ice cream in America in 2017. After launching in the UK last year, it has also swiftly become the country's fastes-growing luxury ice cream brand, according to IRI data cited by the company.
Spearheaded by two former lawyers, Justin Woolverton and Doug Bouton, Halo Top rose to even bigger fame in January 2016 when a GQ journalist decided to eat nothing but the ice cream for 10 days and write about it.
But as brilliant as the Halo Top Diet has been in terms of spreading the word about the brand, the founders warn against it.
"One the one hand, these articles are great publicity for us, on the other hand, it's not recommended," Halo Top's President and COO Doug Bouton told Business Insider.
Indeed, despite Halo Top being low-calorie and low-sugar, some nutrition experts have expressed concerns around it.
One professor of nutrition, Barry Popkin from the University of North Carolina, questioned the company's use of erythritol, the sugar-alcohol additive that Halo Top uses to replace sugar.
Too much erythritol could cause diarrhea and bloating, Popkin said, but Halo Top responded by saying that you'd have to eat three pints at once to be at risk.
"Nutritionally you're going to need more than Halo Top in your diet," Bouton added. "We think it's a great part of your diet and what you eat every day but we absolutely do not recommend that you go on the Halo Top Diet."
The difference is in the sugar and calories, not the protein
The brand promotes itself as "high protein," and indeed weighs in at around 20g of protein per tub, which is around the same amount as a protein shake or bar — but the idea is that a pint of ice cream is far more enjoyable to eat.
However, a full-fat ice cream such as Ben & Jerry's actually contains about the same amount of protein. The difference is that as Halo Top is so low in calories and sugar (about 32g of sugar and 300 calories per tub compared to around 100g and 1,150 calories in a pint of Ben & Jerry's), you can realistically eat a whole tub pretty regularly as part of a balanced diet.
"Nobody's going to eat 1,200 calories of Ben & Jerry's for the 20g of protein," Bouton said. "We've maintained the protein while bringing the calories and sugar sugar down. Ice cream has milk and milk has protein. We don’t add protein powder. It's from milk, eggs, and cream, just like Ben & Jerry's."
The Halo Top founders originally launched the brand because they wanted to create a product that would reflect how people actually eat — a serving size of more than a scoop or two.
"Nutritionally it can become a staple for you, whether that means you eat a whole pint or half a pint every day," Bouton explained.
"It's one of those treats that, after dinner, if you're still a bit hungry, and you want something sweet, rather than killing your diet with Ben & Jerry's or Häagen-Dazs, you can have Halo Top instead and not feel terrible about it. And be satiated."
While Halo Top fans tend to consume it differently to other ice creams, with many eating it every day, that doesn't mean they never buy higher-calorie brands.
"The Ben & Jerry's, Häagen-Dazs, full-calorie customer, they're a customer of both brands, it's just that Halo Top becomes that everyday ice cream," Bouton explains. "Once every few weeks I'm still going to take down a pint of Ben & Jerry's.
"They still indulge every month or so, but for people who love ice cream, it gives them this every day or every week option, which they didn't have beforehand."
Bouton himself eats the ice cream every day.
"We're in constant flavour development so I eat way too much Halo Top," he said. "Every day. My favourite is peanut butter and jelly, it's amazing."


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Lidl has called on the British public for support in identifying sites for new stores.
The discount retailer, which has invested £1.3 billion in its expansion in 2021 and 2022, has revealed that it is offering a finder’s fee to members of the public who successfully identify suitable sites for new Lidl stores.
The fee is either 1.5% of the total freehold purchase price or 10% of the first year’s rent for leaseholds, which would equate to £22,500 for a completed £1.5 million site purchase.
The news comes after Lidl published its annual list of locations across the country where it is interested in acquiring sites for potential store developments.
Since the beginning of 2022, the discount retailer has opened 23 new stores, including in Warwick, Hounslow and Straiton.
In March 2022, the grocer became the 6th largest supermarket in the UK, according to data released by Kantar for the 52 weeks to 20th February 2022.
“We’re opening an average of one new store a week, which is incredible, and our teams have done a phenomenal job of keeping that pace going over the last couple of years,” Lidl GB chief development officer Richard Taylor said.
“But there are still communities up and down the country that are telling us how much they want – and need – a Lidl store.
“Our finder’s fees are, therefore, available to absolutely anyone that can identify a viable option for a new store that we’re not already aware of, and we welcome any suitable suggestions that will help up us to meet our ambitious target of 1,100 stores by the end of 2025.”


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Monaco, the payments and cryptocurrency platform has revealed further details about its crypto credit and investment products soon scheduled for release as part of Monaco’s 2018 roadmap – Monaco Credit and Monaco Auto Invest.
Further, the Monaco wallet app is now available to Monaco community members as a part of a closed beta, its noted that V1 of the Monaco app will hold user’s private keys. The application features both fiat and cryptocurrency wallets, ability to manage the upcoming Monaco Visa card, a live coin tracking dashboard, and Monaco University – a beginner’s guide to cryptocurrency.
The team is completing final preparations for the launch of the Monaco wallet app and Monaco Visa card that will further support everyday adoption of cryptocurrency.
Monaco Auto Invest
Auto Invest, Monaco’s new automated cryptocurrency investment feature, allows anyone to easily start their cryptocurrency portfolio with as little or as much investment as they prefer, with no setup or withdrawal fees. Ideal for beginners who don’t want to handpick from hundreds of digital assets – Monaco’s proprietary technology will build a personalized portfolio that can be managed based on users’ preferences and investment goals. Users can cash out at any time and Monaco will never take money from deposits or losses.
Seeking a modern way to allow customers to deposit their cryptocurrency and get credit to spend, Monaco Credit will offer credit lines based on the deposited collateral of either Monaco (MCO) tokens or bitcoin (BTC). Indicative levels of collateral value have been set at 60% for MCO and 40% for BTC respectively. With no monthly payment statements and a 30-day grace period unlockable with tokens, users can now enjoy the benefits of holding onto their cryptocurrencies, while having instant access to cash whenever they need it – the ultimate way to have your cake and eat it, too.
Kris Marszalek, Co-Founder, and CEO of Monaco said:
“Monaco Auto Invest and Monaco Credit are the perfect extension of the Monaco Card and Monaco Wallet app. Together, they form a complete suite of revolutionary financial products and position Monaco as the first global financial institution built on blockchain, as well as a destination platform for anyone interested in cryptocurrency.”
A new update from Monaco before CEO Kris Marszalek discussed the Monaco Visa card on the Money 20/20 panel was that it joined the Enterprise Ethereum Alliance (EEA), the world’s largest open source blockchain initiative with over 400 member companies. Monaco joined EEA to further bolster its commitment to the security and efficiency of blockchain technology and to support the adoption of the Ethereum blockchain.


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The Internet is running out of real estate, and Donuts, a 4 year old domain name registry located in Bellevue, Washington, has bet over $100 million that soon people will no longer look just for websites that end in .com — they’ll be visiting sites that end in .app, .bike, and even .sex.
To relieve the scarcity of available website names, ICANN, the LA-based nonprofit in charge of domain names and web addresses, has made available hundreds of alternatives to .com, known formally as generic top level domains or gTLDs. Interested in creating a website that sells sneakers for girls? Someone owns girlssneakers.com and has put it up for for sale for $11,000. But with the new gTLDs, girls.sneakers, sneakers.girls, and girlssneakers.cool are all possibilities.
Although relatively unknown to the public, this huge expansion in the set of possible domain names is the constant topic of conversation in the domain name industry. Some tout it as the biggest change in Internet history — a claim obviously given some credence by the investors who gave Donuts over $100 million to dominate this new digital real estate.
Donuts exists because ICANN entrusts private companies to run gTLDs as private businesses. The companies make money by selling specific domain names. So Verisign, for example, the registry for .com, sells facebook.com, whitehouse.com, travel.com, and so on.
Running a new registry is a sizable investment; the application fee alone is $185,000. And no one has invested more in new gTLDs than Donuts, which has already spent $57 million for 300 domains like .guru and .bike.
If the founders and investors behind Donuts are right, domain names will begin to look very different over the next 5-10 years, and Donuts will own a substantial chunk of profitable, digital real estate. If they are wrong, a lot of money will have been spent on useless domain names, and we’ll continue to see Internet companies choose oddball names to ensure that they can find an available dot com website.
Crowded Real Estate
The average Internet user typing facebook.com into his or her address bar may not give a second thought to domain names. But finding an available domain name is more difficult than finding an affordable two bedroom in San Francisco.
As Priceonomics has covered before, domain names are very valuable real estate. “Real word” domains like candy.com and giftcards.com have sold for several million dollars. A number of early speculators who bought thousands of domain names at a time to sell later at a premium made tens to hundreds of millions of dollars by controlling the limited supply of intuitive dot com names.
Domain name speculation remains a thriving industry, and efforts to avoid buying from speculators has led to weirdness including all the Internet companies with “ly” tacked onto their names (Summly, Optomizely, etc) and the country of Colombia’s ‘.co’ domain becoming a profitable enterprise for selling domain names to startups like Twitter (t.co) and AngelList (angel.co). The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), which may be the most important organization most people have never heard of, introduced the new gTLDs in response to this perceived scarcity.
In addition to .com, six other top level domains — .edu, .gov, .int, .mil, .net, and .org — date back to the 1980s. In the early 2000s, ICANN introduced 13 new gTLDS including .biz, .info, .jobs, and .museum. In 2012, ICANN began accepting applications to create an unlimited number of new gTLDs, and it has now approved hundreds including .bike, .app, and the first gTLDs in chinese and other non-latin alphabets.
“With .com and .net, if you wanted a nice name, it’s all taken,” president of ICANN’s Global Domains Division Akram Atallah told The New York Times in 2013. “The idea is to provide real-estate availability in the market.”
The reactions to ICANN’s push to create new digital real estate has been mixed.
“You are creating a business, like derivatives on Wall Street, that has no value,” former ICANN chairwoman Esther Dyson told the Times in the aforementioned article, stating the opinion that additional gTLDS are unnecessary. As a writer for PC Mag points out, people increasingly find websites by Googling a company’s name or typing a website’s name into toolbars that remember or anticipate the desired site. This means that Internet users type out full domain names less and less frequently, making the domain name problem less pressing.
He also cites the disappointing results of TLDs added in the early 2000s, with relevant sites like the San Francisco Airport, Smithsonian Museum, and Kayak ignoring their relevant .aero, .museum, and .travel domains — or only buying them defensively. One domain investor we spoke with expressed skepticism, noting past buzz about new domains overtaking dot com that ultimately took years to achieve positions well behind .com: “At one point, registrars were practically giving away .info domains.” He’d like to see competitors to dot com, but more easily imagines new domains confusing Internet users.
The top TLDs by zone size. Source: Verisign Domain Industry Brief
Another critique — one we’ve postulated ourselves — is that the new domains will only serve to enrich speculators. Domain name investors who buy and sell domain names (usually without using the site for much other than hosting a few ads while waiting for a buyer), attend ICANN conferences and represent much of the minority of people that actually know about the new gTLDs. That said, Michael Mann — a speculator who once registered 14,962 domains in a single day — has expressed his opinion that “.com is king, people will be disappointed with all other tlds.” Moreover, while the new gTLDs could be a boon to speculators, it could also threaten their holdings of current domains.
Chairman of the ICANN board Peter Thrush has expressed his hope that the new gTLDS will “lead to innovation in ways we can’t imagine.” On NPR, one marketer speculates what this could look like:
Canon could acquire dot-Canon, and even the generic dot-camera, and could create photo-sharing Web sites grouped within those domains… [Canon could] embed a chip in their cameras that link that camera owner to their ID so that as they’re taking photos they could just be automatically uploading photos to a photo-sharing site. That’s just one possibility.
Where some see innovation, others see the possibility for big companies to monopolize valuable real estate. Should Canon decide who can have a .camera site? Should L’Oreal, as it once planned, be able to reserve .beauty domain names for itself and its partners? Existing generic TLDs have an open-use policy, and the possibility of closed gTLDs inspired furious debate within the domain name community.
There’s also the small matter of the money. ICANN’s latest financials estimate that it will garner $300 million in revenue from the new gTLD program. The nonprofit charges a fee of 18 cents for every domain name registered as a dot com, meaning someone paid ICANN 18 cents for almost every website that exists worldwide. Its fiscal year 2014 budget is $200 million with operating expenses of $146 million.
Many domain name speculators look at all this money and see ICANN as corrupt or greedy. Although ICANN’s financials are public, what exactly ICANN does with all the money — besides throw lavish conferences around the world as part of its mission to solicit dialogue and feedback — is a source of constant speculation. Many critics say they see the new gTLDs as a money grab.
Launching a large, expensive project allows ICANN administrators to justify large salaries, like current president Fadi Chehadé’s $560,000 base salary and $240,000 of potential additional compensation. It isn’t Cayman Islands bank account type corruption; it’s more similar to college administrators who demand more resources for more programs to increase their own prestige and justify higher salaries — after all, they are administering larger programs.
Others point out that as many ICANN leaders are highly involved in the domain name business, they have an incentive to create more digital real estate for companies to work with. At Donuts, for example, two of the cofounders had significant roles at ICANN. (A Donuts spokesperson replied to this concern that the gTLDs are highly regulated and came about through years of debate with a wide variety of interested parties.)
So why does Donuts, the world’s largest investor in new gTLDs, feel bullish about the new domains?
A Strong Bet
Richard Tindal, co-founder and COO of Donuts, does not have any problem with us characterizing his company’s business model as a bet.
“We have absolutely made a very large bet,” Tindal tells us over the phone. “It’s based on a strong belief that the product we’re offering is a superior product.”
Donuts applied to administer over 300 gTLDs, three times more than their closest competitor. The process is still ongoing, so Donuts controls 150 domains that no one else applied for, while auctions will take place over the rest of the year to decide control on names for which multiple companies applied. At the same time, 60 or so of Donuts’s domains have gone live. (Donuts doesn’t sell domain names directly, but directs customers to buy a name from third-party registrars like GoDaddy — a standard practice in the industry.)
One of the twists of the new gTLD process is that the tricks used by domain speculators to decide which website names to buy are being used by companies to decide which domains to apply for. With the list of possible domains limited only by a company’s willingness to pay the six figure application fee, Donuts created a list of names to apply for over a year and a half by looking at a large amount of data: the use of different words in advertisements, the revenue they generate as search keywords, and so on.
Responding to critics of new gTLDs, Tindal exudes optimism about their value. “Dot com is not human intuitive,” he tells us. “All it really says is that you’re online, like the www that no one uses anymore. It’s a vestigial thing from the past.” He encourages us to compare the name of an early customer, Republic Bike, as a dot com versus with a new gTLD:
“See how much faster you understand what the second one does?” he asks. “Over time, technology moves toward being more natural and human.” Tindal says that most buyers of Donuts domain names are small to medium businesses looking for a memorable web presence. “Our business play doesn’t seek to convert major websites because there is a lot of friction,” he explains.
Charges that previously introduced domains fell flat are news to the Donuts team. Tindal used to run a registry responsible for .biz and .US, and he says that the domains introduced in the early 2000s “are strong, profitable businesses, with renewal rates sometimes higher than .com.”
The most successful new gTLD to date is .guru, which Donuts owns. It reached over 50,000 domain names registered in a few months, a feat other Donuts domains .photography and .email will soon reach. Guru is also the most successful domain so far, although two chinese domain names (“online” and “chinesewebsite”) recently had very impressive launch numbers and the registration numbers are influenced by which domains happen to go live first.
It took .info about a year and half to reach 800,000 registered sites, and it now has 5.8 million. It’s hard to make any direct comparisons though. That is partly because the new gTLDs are simply so new. But it is also an apples to oranges comparison.
Internet traffic and savvy has developed a lot since .info launched in 2001. In addition, the launch of hundreds of new gTLDs is very different from the prior release of a set group of 12 domains. Richard Tindal concedes that previously released domains failed to “capture the public imagination,” but he believes that the marketing message will be much stronger this time.
“Previously all you could say was, ‘If you’re a museum, you have a choice,’” he says, alluding to the .museum domain released in 2001. “But now we have hundreds of specifically tailored names based on data of what people have the strongest opinions about.” Tindal expects it will be much easier to get the word out about the new domains now that they offer people meaningful choice, and it helps that some of the world’s largest companies, including Google and Amazon, have applied for domains. While they represent competition to Donuts, they also provide validation for the new gTLDS. This time, Tindal says, “It’s a lot more comprehensive and powerful message.”
Tindal and the Donuts founders believe it will be many years before they see hundreds of millions of registered names. But they are already all-in. Donuts raised additional capital to its initial $100 million, and it has made clear that its investors are prepared to provide even more funding. Donuts has staked a large claim on soil where it expects to see a huge land rush; time will tell if Internet users migrate over to join them.
This post was written by Alex Mayyasi. Follow him on Twitter here or Google Plus. To get occasional notifications when we write blog posts, sign up for our email list. The number of registered .info websites has been updated with better information.


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Scandal-hit payment processor Wirecard has agreed to sell assets in the UK, Brazil and Germany, while a Munich court has accepted its parent’s administration filing and insolvency proceedings continue in Australia and New Zealand.
01 September 2020
German payment processor and DAX-listed company Wirecard has filed for insolvency in Munich, days after German authorities arrested its former CEO over allegations he presided over one of Europe’s largest ever accounting frauds.
26 June 2020
A Silicon Valley-backed retail start-up in Singapore has announced it will pursue a scheme of arrangement for its S$248 million debt, and appointed Oon & Bazul and DHC Capital for advice.
05 August 2019
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- Mahindra & Mahindra stock hits 52-week high as brokerages bullish on counter post Scorpio-N launch; check target prices
- GST Council meet begins today: Know agendas of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's led two-day meeting
- Security deposit on commercial LPG connection goes up by Rs 1050 for 19-kg cylinder; check new rates
- Cash-starved Sri Lanka to end fuel duopoly to ease fuel shortages
- Xiaomi 12S series set to launch with Leica cameras on July 4: Check key details here
Renault to alert prosecutors over ex-CEO Ghosn's wedding costs
Renault has found evidence that it paid part of Carlos Ghosn`s wedding costs and is preparing to turn the investigation over to prosecutors, two weeks after the French carmaker`s scandal-hit chairman and chief executive was forced out.
An internal probe established that a 2016 sponsorship deal with the Chateau de Versailles included a 50,000 euro ($57,000) personal benefit to Ghosn, the carmaker said on Thursday, confirming a report in Le Figaro.
The carmaker replaced Ghosn on January 24, more than two months after his arrest in Japan over allegations of financial misconduct uncovered by Renault`s Japanese affiliate Nissan, which he also chaired.
Renault began its own examination of payments to Ghosn within days of his detention but had not flagged any irregularities until now.
Renault has discovered that "Mr Ghosn was accorded a personal benefit valued at 50,000 euros under the terms of a sponsorship contract with the Chateau de Versailles", the company said in a statement on Thursday.
"Renault has decided to bring these findings to the attention of the judicial authorities."
The office of Ghosn`s Japanese lawyer Motonari Otsuru did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Ghosn remains in detention in Tokyo with limited opportunity to respond publicly to allegations against him.
Renault had agreed before the wedding to sponsor 2.3 million euros of Versailles renovations in return for a credit granting the carmaker services from the chateau worth 25 percent of that amount, or 575,000 euros, a person with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.
The rental fee was deducted from Renault`s credit for use of the Grand Trianon at Versailles on October 8, 2016, when Ghosn and his second wife Carole hosted their wedding reception at the 17th-century palace, the source said. The event had already attracted public attention for its opulence and Marie Antoinette-themed costumes.
The Renault board was informed about the discovery on Wednesday, as reported by Le Figaro, the source added.
($1 = 0.8813 euros)
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Appalachian Businesses to Seek Export Sales Boost through Shanghai Trade Fair
Home-furnishings and wood-products businesses seeking to expand export sales to Asia and the Pacific Rim can apply to join an Appalachia USA delegation traveling to the September 11-14 Furniture Manufacturing and Supply China 2012 trade fair in Shanghai. Qualified Appalachian businesses can take advantage of discounted exhibit costs by joining the delegation. The delegation is being coordinated for ARC by the International Trade Division of the North Carolina Department of Commerce, a member of the ARC Export Trade Advisory Council
. The 2011 Appalachia USA delegation generated $36 million in new export sales.
For applications and more information, contact Mike Padjen, director of North Carolina's Furniture Export Office, at 336.884.8170 or firstname.lastname@example.org
. Applications must be submitted by February 21, 2012. For information on the trade fair, visit expo.fmcchina.com.cn/


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For the first time in modern society, the use of cashless payments has surpassed the use of cash by consumers, businesses and financial institutions.
The Payments Council, an organization of financial institutions in the UK that oversees all payment mechanisms, reported the use of cash fell to 48% last year.
This left 52% to all other transactions including electronic payments, debit, credit, mobile, cheques and more.
By 2024, 35% of consumer payments in the UK are expected to be in cash.
This 30% decrease in cash spending over the next 10 years will be caused by the move towards credit, debit and mobile payments.
Interestingly enough, cash still remained the most common payment method for consumers and businesses in 2014.
The types of businesses where cash was used most frequently were bars, clubs and newsstands. This contrasts gas stations where over 70% of transactions were cashless.
We should expect the same trend in Canada but at a slower rate since adoption of new payments technology in North America has been slower than in Europe.
Regardless, payments technology continues to expand in Canada with the adoption of mobile payments by the major banks and telecommunications companies.
Most recently, MTS and Sasktel introduced mobile payments to their networks. Canada now has five mobile carriers that provide Canadians with the ability to make purchases with their smartphone.
Rogers, Telus, Bell, MTS and Sasktel now all support mobile payments in Canada. Collectively, these carriers provide mobile cell service to over 94% of Canadians.
In addition to the wireless carriers, the major Canadian banks are providing mobile payments through their own smartphone applications.
Our adoption to new technology is gradually making it easier for Canadians to make payments without the need to carry cards or cash.


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- Fifty winning retailers, state by state
- 2012 Hardware Store All-Stars
- Marvin's plans store at former Walmart site
- Home channel sales outpace retail in April
- Ace addresses 2011 strategy, supply chain
- Worldwide Wholesale Floor Coverings celebrates 20 years
- Labor of Luxe: High-end items for the well-heeled market
Flooring America and Flooring Canada, two of the carpet and flooring retail divisions of CCA Global Partners, has launched a new “Shop at Home” service, with the aim of better meeting what the company called “booming demand” from customers.
Customers will be able to view samples at home from a Flooring America representative. Each Shop at Home service will be backed by a local store – the company currently has about 580 member-owned retail locations in the United States and Canada.
The at-home program will feature the company’s full-range of carpet and hard flooring surfaces.
“This approach represents an important expansion of our business,” said Flooring America president Vinnie Virga. “We’re very excited to offer this new program, which will give customers a better way to shop at home.”


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Photos of a mysterious minivan with roof-mounted cameras in Concord, Calif., confirmed to be leased to Apple, were posted online Tuesday, raising suspicions that Apple might be testing its own driverless car, CBS reported.
Google has taken the spotlight with public tests of its driverless car prototypes, while Uber’s recent investment in robotics has sparked rumors of driverless taxis. Several top carmakers in the U.S. including Audi, Mercedes-Benz and Tesla also showed off plans for autonomous vehicle technology last month at the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada.
According to The Verge, the cameras appear to be LIDAR cameras (Light Detection and Ranging System), the same cameras Google uses to power its driverless cars.
The presence of roof-mounted cameras also has raised questions about whether Apple Maps wants to add on a street view function, similar to that of Google Maps.
Apple has declined to comment on the speculation.
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- Colin Powell Reflects on His Mistakes in Unpublished TIME Interview
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text: The Swedish hardware chain stores Clas Ohlson is going to open its first franchise store in Dubai on April 30, which is the company's first step outside Europe, announced the company in a statement on Wednesday. "We very much look forward to the opening of the first Clas Ohlson store outside of Europe. In addition to growing our business into a new market, the store in Dubai also enables us to expand via franchising for the first time," said Klas Balkow, President and CEO Clas Ohlson in the statement. Clas Ohlson has earlier signed a franchising agreement with SYH Retail to establish the Clas Ohlson's retail concept in the GCC region (Gulf Cooperation Council), with a first store to open in Mirdif City Centre in Dubai, one of the largest shopping centers in the region. "We very much look forward to work with the strong team at SYH Retail to help and inspire the Dubai consumers by offering solutions to practical problems in their everyday life," Balkow added. "Clas Ohlson offers a new concept in the region, making shopping convenient and fun," Seda Bayarlar, Managing Director of SYH Retail was quoted as saying in the statement. The "Grand Opening Event" will include elements from a traditional Clas Ohlson opening ceremony such as Swedish folk music and traditional Dalecarlian horses. Two stores are planned to be established in the region in 2014 and the ambition is to establish at least 20 stores across the region over a five-year period, following an evaluation of the initial stores. Clas Ohlson was founded in Sweden in 1918 and has opened over 180 stores in Sweden, Finland, Norway and the United Kingdom.


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Corning, NY- Corning's Gaffer District is very excited to share that the Buy Now, Shop Later promotion launched a few weeks ago is about to get a tremendous boost! Corning Enterprises announced that they will match all gift card purchases to participating businesses dollar for dollar through the end of April, including those already made.
Corning Enterprises President Chris Sharkey said, "Supporting downtown businesses through these extraordinary times is a vital part of the work of Enterprises and our commitment to this community. We believe in the resiliency of this business community and are very pleased to help the Buy Now, Shop Later program thrive in the weeks to come."
The Buy Now, Shop Later program was launched to help Gaffer District businesses with cash flow in this unprecedented time of uncertainty and financial stress. Every dollar purchased in gift cards and certificates goes directly and rapidly to the businesses participating.
The response to the program from throughout the region and beyond has been wonderful, according to Coleen Fabrizi, executive director of Corning's Gaffer District. "The consumer's response to our Buy Now, Shop Later program has been a bright spot in these turbulent times," said Fabrizi. "The business owners are overwhelmed with appreciation when the future is so difficult to define. Every purchase is an investment in our downtown economy and a reminder of why we are known as a beloved #Shoplocal destination."
Email address: firstname.lastname@example.org
July 22, 2021
Marich Music Named to Top 100 NAMM Dealers
CORNING - The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) has named Marich Music of...
ReDiscover Corning July 1–6
Throughout this special weekend, we will be closing Market Street to vehicles and inviting pedestrian-only access. Northside will remain open to vehicles and pedestrians.
We invite businesses to join in the fun by coming out...
Corning's Gaffer District announces GlassFest Fusion 2021
A week-long celebration in the Crystal City
CORNING - Corning's Gaffer District is pleased to announce GlassFest Fusion 2021 will take place May 24-30.
"Like everyone in this continued pandemic...


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French based supermarket chain Carrefour today (Thursday) announced that it has sold its assets in Mexico to food retailer Chedraui.
The sale includes 29 hypermarkets plus two hypermarket projects due to open in 2005. Carrefour’s sales in Mexico in 2004 were €519m (US$698m). Chedraui is a leading Mexican food retailer, Carrefour said. It trades currently from 64 hypermarkets in the south of the country.


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Just as care packages once lifted the spirits of soldiers deployed overseas, parcels of goodies are helping people battle the stay-at-home blues.
The image of grandma’s flour-dusted hands has become a potent symbol of authenticity in home cooking, but who has time for that these days?
Restaurateurs say they can’t survive the latest round of lockdowns without passing on some costs.
Australia’s passion for French cuisine has been reignited by a new breed of chefs dropping the fine dining for classic comfort foods.
She won her third Michelin star turning humble ingredients into a luxury at her London restaurant. Now she’s bringing her version of fine dining to Australia.
Welcome to the modern Antipodean version of the French “cave à manger” – a wine shop for eating in that is more casual, accessible and affordable than full-service restaurants.
A catch of fish-focused events at the Tasting Australia festival proclaims the city’s growing reputation as a destination for piscatorial lovers.
- Life & Leisure
Magnus Nilsson’s magnum opus could be the most riveting book about contemporary restaurant culture since Anthony Bourdain’s ‘Kitchen Confidential’.
Lockdown and border dramas may have played havoc with your travel plans lately, but regional Victoria is ready to welcome you.
Flying in the face of dire predictions of terminal decline following pandemic lockdowns, the CBD is poised for a flood of openings.
Pandemic deprivations have re-invigorated the picnic from egg sandwiches and fizzy water to fully-catered meals from concierges touting crystal and rosé.
The hospitality industry has suffered many blows this year, so how will people from across the industry let their hair down for the festive season?
No matter how clever the product, how perfect the produce, that all-important sense of connection can be found only by going out and mixing with real people.
The message is clear: Since you can’t come to Flemington this year, everything bar the horses will just have to come to you.
'Interconnectedness' is this year's buzzword but 'The Ethical Omnivore', written before the pandemic, explains why our food choices matter more than we thought.
Around the country, custom bakers are seeing an unexpected spike in demand for their buttercream-filled little luxuries.
A new food-delivery platform is serving up the best of Melbourne's restaurants – including their chefs – right to your kitchen.
Chris Lucas owns some of Australia's most successful fine diners, but as the jewel in his crown, Chin Chin, returns, he says the industry has to change.


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Only the hype associated with Pokemon Go, began to subside, Apple has once again turned its attention to the game, presenting a game for the Apple Watch. Now the owners of “Apple” hours can combine to catch pokemon and sports.
The launch of the popular project about the virtual monsters on the Apple Watch was announced by the head of Niantic’s John Hanke. The user through the wearable computer, Apple will be able to search for pokemon, to carry eggs and perform other actions, as in the original version. On the screen the smart watch will display information about the number of steps taken and calories expended.
Judging by the presented materials, the game design will be more minimalist than the version Pokemon Go on iOS and Android. However, basic functionality, including catch pokemon during Hiking and visiting pokescope will remain.
According to Hanke, since the launch of the game in July of this year Pokemon Go downloaded 500 million times, and players were 4.6 billion km Top Manager added that before the end of the month will be app Pokemon Go Plus, which will allow players to “break away from the screen and immerse yourself in the real world.
Recall that in addition to Pokemon Go on a smartwatch, Apple announced the forthcoming release of the Super Mario games Run on iPhone and iPad.


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The Extreme Pita franchise recently announced the opening of a new restaurant in Wetaskiwin last month with over 100 people attending the two-day grand opening. According to the information provided, the restaurant is owned and run by Shaneda and Joe Palmer who are excited by the response they have seen so far.
Alderman Glenn Ruecker, who attended the grand opening, said that the attendance indicated that business is growing in Wetaskiwin. â€œThe eyes of franchise owners are looking at Wetaskiwin and are saying that itâ€™s a viable market,â€ he said. â€œThe more we get people looking at this, the more theyâ€™ll want to invest in Wetaskiwin and develop their business here.â€


text:
China Unicom announced
today that it has signed a deal with Apple that will give it a
three-year exclusive on the iPhone. DailyTech previously
reported that the Chinese
iPhone would lack Wi-Fi and that caveat has proven to be true.
The big problem with that for China Unicom is that the iPhone is
already available through importers in China with Wi-Fi enabled.
iPhones will officially go on sale in China in Q4 2009 and Unicom
says that it will not share revenue with Apple. This is a big change
for Apple; the other exclusive partners share revenue with Apple as
part of their exclusive deal.
Unicom will buy the handsets
from Apple at wholesale prices and resell them to subscribers with
some sort of subsidy. Unicom officials didn’t elaborate on what the
sales price for the devices will be or what the subsidy will amount
to. Previous rumors pegged the price Unicom was paying at $439 per
iPhone, but that is unconfirmed.
Chinese research firm BDA
China Ltd estimates that there may be 1.5 million iPhones already in
use in China so the official handset will face stiff competition from
itself and other devices set to hit the market this year. The other
devices include new handsets from HTC and others.
licensed 3G spectrum and will begin rolling out the 3G networks in
China in September. Grey market iPhones
sell for $680 in China reports the Wall Street Journal, so
pricing may be an issue for consumers looking to get an official
iPhone in Q4.


text:
News & events
News about our supported start-ups
CorPower Ocean unveils commercial scale products to unleash utility scale wave farms
This comes as the wave energy developer prepares to deliver its flagship HiWave-5 Project in northern Portugal, with ocean deployment planned later this year. The new CorPower C4 device will ultimately form part of a four-system wave array, off the coast of Aguçadoura, Portugal, creating one of the world’s first… Read More
Altris to Manufacture Sodium-ion Battery Cathode Material in Sandviken, Sweden
Sodium-ion battery cathode material producer and supported start-up Altris AB has signed a deal with Sandvik Materials Technology AB to house the company’s first industrial scale manufacturing facility in Sandviken, Sweden. The new facility, called ‘Ferrum’, will have the annual capacity to produce 2000 metric tonnes of Altris’ ground-breaking… Read More
EIT InnoEnergy invests in grid-scale energy storage company Mine Storage
Mine Storage develops and operates a portfolio of grid-scale energy storages in underground mines. The global need for grid-scale energy storage is driven by the increasing share of weather dependent power generation, which causes imbalance in the transmission grids. The Mine Storage team contributes to a sustainable… Read More
SurfCleaner launches world’s first wastewater ‘skimmer-separator’ tackling floating sludge
Accumulating in large volumes, sludge residue is created as a by-product of the wastewater treatment processes, coming in the form of solid, semisolid or slurry residual material. Floating sludge in particular is costly, time-intensive and energy-draining to manage, with operators traditionally resorting to manual flushing and pumping with vast quantities… Read More
Altris Secures €9.6 million in Series A Funding
Swedish sodium-ion battery company Altris AB has raised €9.6 Million (100 MSEK) in a Series A funding round. The funding secures Altris’ production scale-up of the company’s innovative battery cathode material, Fennac, to 2 000 tonnes, enabling 1 GWh of sustainable batteries and further research and development… Read More
Growing home improvement company Woon Duurzaam now offers everyone the opportunity to become a co-owner
Recent years have been successful for the growth of the young home sustainability company Woon Duurzaam, because of this success the company now gives the crowd the opportunity to join. In a crowdfunding campaign with a platform, Oneplanetcrowd, Woon Duurzaam offers people the opportunity to plan and become co-owner… Read More
Join us at one of our events
Join us at The Business Booster 2021 in Berlin
For several years, the energy industry has unwaveringly explored, innovated and invested in technologies and services. But now, as the world re-builds, you are standing witness to the new industrial revolution - one that is sustainable, decarbonised and digital.
The Business Booster goes online to bring you TBB.Connect!
Join us at TBB.Connect! 4-5 November 2020. Re-imaged in a digital context, TBB.Connect will bring together innovators and industry from all corners of the world – giving you the chance to create and trigger new sustainable business opportunities. Registrations are now open! Visit our TBB.Connect website for all the information on speakers, agenda and exhibitors.
Join us at PowerUp! 2020
Join PowerUp! 2020, the biggest competition for start-ups from Central-Eastern Europe. InnoEnergy launches the PowerUp! Challenge elevating innovative companies to the next level. With the opportunity for multi-million Euro investment the company is seeking the best start-ups, scale-ups, and SMEs in the CEE to apply.
Finals Pitching event Call for start-ups in electrical storage
To identify the best up-and-coming electrical storage solutions in the world, InnoEnergy launched a call last year with great success, receiving over 220 applications! On 21 March, the finalists will gather at Amsterdam’s historic Beurs van Berlage to pitch their solutions in front of a high-profile jury to bid to become one of the top winners and compete for the final grand prize of €100,000.


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BMW M officials have announced today that the company hasn’t any plans to develop a hotter i8 version. Ever since the i8 concept saw the light of day, numerous rumors and speculations emerged about a potential high-performance version developed by BMW’s M division.
But, Head of Product Management M GmbH, Carsten Pries, along with Head of Product Management M GmbH, Friedrich Nitschke have excluded this possibility. Actually, it makes sense since BMW M division was not involved during the i8 hybrid supercar development.
According to rumors, this potentially hotter i8 was billed to receive the M8 moniker, but now everything has ruined.
Furthermore, our colleagues from Telegraaf said we could see a hotter BMW supercar in 2016 when the company will celebrate its 100th anniversary.
Even though there won’t be an i8 M, BMW’s findings in carbon fiber technology will be implemented in more and more "regular" cars in the years to come. BMW has already announced plans to increase carbon fiber production and they will use the lightweight material not only on i and M models, but also on the next-gen 5- and 7-Series.Source: Telegraaf.nl


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Techpoint Africa Podcast
Andela's next poaching arena, GIG Mobility goes to Ghana, CBN's cashless drive & PlentyWaka in Lagos
Today on the Techpoint Africa Podcast, Andela and GIG Mobility are going to Ghana, CBN is ramping up its cashless policy drive in Nigeria and PlentyWaka is the latest startup to bring online bus-hailing to Lagos.
Listen every Tuesday and Friday at 8 AM (WAT). You can find us on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, SoundCloud, TuneIn or anywhere else you get your podcasts. Visit www.techpoint.africa for more stories.
Brought to you by Techpoint Editors of Techpoint Africa Podcast


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Destination management company AlliedPRA is now PRA. The rebranding caps off a string of DMC acquisitions over the past two years and is intended to create a new, unified identity for the organization.
In addition to its acquisitions of Colorado-based Destination Services Corporation, Destination Nashville and New York-based Briggs, AlliedPRA was itself acquired by private equity firm CI Capital last August. In its announcement, the organization described the change as the start of the "next chapter" as it looks to continue this growth, with additional acquisitions expected in the coming months.
"PRA has a 40-year running start in driving positive change in our sector We have achieved so much, and we are just getting started on an incredible journey ahead," said Tony Lorenz, CMM, Chief Executive Officer of PRA, in a statement. "We now have a brand promise in place to underscore the power and progression of our business going forward, leveraging the strong PRA brand equity which the market knows and values."
He stressed the importance of change in the destination management sector and that PRA's corporate, association and third-party clients requested that the organization expand its reach.
This geographic expansion (PRA now counts 27 offices throughout North America) is underscored by a new tagline, "Experience Anywhere," meant to emphasize its entry into new regions and markets, while tapping into local expertise and in-depth knowledge for its event solutions.
The launch was accompanied by a new website meant to reflect the company's new brand and vision -- while also promising a more user-friendly experience. It also released a video featuring footage of PRA's events and comments from its leaders and team members describing the advantages of the new, unified brand.
Laurie Knapp, executive vice president of global sales and marketing for PRA, stated that, "Our brand and our story convey our pride and appreciation for our past, our continued commitment to our core services delivered over decades, and our excitement about our future at PRA under one unified brand. We have the deepest bench of experienced and passionate team members in our sector's broadest owned network in the Americas."


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Preformed Line Products (PLPC) Earning Somewhat Critical News Coverage, Analysis Finds
Media headlines about Preformed Line Products (NASDAQ:PLPC) have been trending somewhat negative on Friday, according to Accern. Accern rates the sentiment of news coverage by analyzing more than 20 million blog and news sources in real time. Accern ranks coverage of publicly-traded companies on a scale of -1 to 1, with scores closest to one being the most favorable. Preformed Line Products earned a media sentiment score of -0.02 on Accern’s scale. Accern also assigned media headlines about the technology company an impact score of 46.4722977530686 out of 100, meaning that recent news coverage is somewhat unlikely to have an effect on the company’s share price in the immediate future.
Separately, TheStreet upgraded Preformed Line Products from a “c+” rating to a “b-” rating in a report on Monday, August 21st.
Preformed Line Products (NASDAQ PLPC) opened at $79.00 on Friday. Preformed Line Products has a twelve month low of $44.50 and a twelve month high of $80.69. The company has a market capitalization of $402.22, a P/E ratio of 23.80 and a beta of 1.25. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13, a current ratio of 3.15 and a quick ratio of 2.00.
Preformed Line Products (NASDAQ:PLPC) last released its quarterly earnings data on Friday, November 3rd. The technology company reported $1.23 EPS for the quarter. Preformed Line Products had a return on equity of 7.30% and a net margin of 4.64%. The firm had revenue of $99.24 million for the quarter.
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About Preformed Line Products
Preformed Line Products Company (PLPC) is a designer and manufacturer of products and systems employed in the construction and maintenance of overhead and underground networks for the energy, telecommunication, cable operators and information industries. The Company’s products include Formed Wire and Related Hardware Products, Protective Closures, Plastic Products and Other Products.
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A post office in Calpe, Postal Connections, was broken into on Sunday at 2pm in the afternoon.
It is reported that the criminals broke in from the adjoining building through a storage room and managed to crack the code on the safe and walk away with over €9,000 in various currencies.
The unfortunate owner of the business, Heidi Bingham, entered the store to find the place destroyed with rubble at the source of break in and mess throughout the store.
According to the Guardia Civil, the criminals used a special high-tech device to override the safe, and currently have no suspects. The gang chosen the busiest time of year for the break-in suggesting they are likely professional criminals who have been monitoring the business over some time.