KRAFT DEAL COSTS STARBUCKS POTENTIAL GROCERY SALES
January 4, 2011
Starbucks Corp., the world's largest coffee chain, will miss out on a surge in home-brewing unless it can break a 13-year-old deal that ties its fortunes to Kraft Foods Inc.'s slow-selling Tassimo machine.
U.S. RETAILERS HURT AS SNOWSTORM THWARTS SHOPPERS
December 27, 2010
U.S. retailers expecting to ring up sales in the days after Christmas may have to intensify discounts after a snowstorm slammed the East Coast yesterday, disrupting one of the busiest shopping days of the year.
BED BATH & BEYOND BOOSTS FULL-YEAR 2010 EARNINGS FORECAST
December 22, 2010
Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. rose as much as 7.8 percent in extended trading after the retailer increased its fiscal year earnings forecast.
U.S. HOLIDAY SALES MAY RISE FASTER THAN ANTICIPATED, INDUSTRY INDEX SHOWS
December 14, 2010
U.S. retail sales will climb more than anticipated this holiday season as shoppers snap up gifts at the last minute, according to an industry index.
GREEN MOUNTAIN DROPS AFTER FORECAST TRAILS ESTIMATES
December 9, 2010
Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Inc. fell as much as 18 percent in after-hours trading after the company forecast lower first-quarter profit than analysts had estimated.
STARBUCKS PLANS ACQUISITIONS TO BUILD GROCERY BUSINESS
December 1, 2010
Starbucks Corp., the world's largest coffee-shop operator, plans to buy companies to build up its grocery business, Chief Executive Officer Howard Schultz said.
KRAFT CHALLENGES STARBUCKS' ATTEMPT TO END AGREEMENT
November 29, 2010
Kraft Foods Inc. said it would challenge Starbucks Corp.'s attempt to end a retail grocery coffee-distribution agreement between the two companies and has initiated an arbitration proceeding.
BLACK FRIDAY SALES RISE 0.3% AS SHOPPERS WAIT FOR RETAILERS TO CUT PRICES
November 28, 2010
Even as stores across the U.S. reported increased traffic on Black Friday, the busiest shopping day of the year, sales rose just 0.3 percent to $10.7 billion, ShopperTrak, the Chicago-based consulting firm, said yesterday.
DREXLER'S OBSESSION TO DETAIL HELPS HIM TRIUMPH WITH J CREW TPG TAKEOVER
November 24, 2010
Mickey Drexler put $10 million of his own money into J. Crew Group Inc. when he took over its top job in 2003. As he overhauled the New York retailer, he personally reviewed every item of clothing sold, every model in the catalog and every new employee.
GREEN MOUNTAIN COFFEE TO RESTATE $5.8 MILLION OF EARNINGS ON KEURIG ERRORS
November 19, 2010
Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Inc. said it will restate earnings, lowering them by about $5.8 million, for the periods dating back to 2007 after it discovered errors associated with its Keurig single-cup coffee business.
WENDY'S/ARBY'S DECLINES AFTER LOWERING SALES, PROFIT FORECASTS FOR YEAR
November 12, 2010
Wendy's/Arby's Group Inc., the world's third-largest restaurant company, fell the most in six months in New York trading after lowering sales and profit forecasts for the year.
STARBUCKS PROFIT RISES 86% ON HIGHER STORE TRAFFIC, VIA SALES
November 4, 2010
Starbucks Corp., the world's largest coffee-shop operator, said fourth-quarter profit rose 86 percent on higher foot traffic and Via instant coffee sales.
STARBUCKS LEAVES STORES UNFIXED AS MCDONALD'S PERKS UP
November 4, 2010
The Seattle-based coffee chain is betting it can increase sales by spending the same amount of money as usual, about $250 million a year, to renovate only about half the approximately 1,900 shops due for a facelift in 2011.
MCDONALD'S PROFIT RISES 10% AS CUSTOMERS SNAP UP SMOOTHIES
October 21, 2010
McDonald's Corp., the world's largest restaurant chain, posted a 10 percent gain in third-quarter profit after luring more customers with new menu items in the U.S. and expanded operations in Europe.
KELLOGG LOWERS FORECAST AMID WEAKENING CEREAL BUSINESS, MORE COMPETITION
October 21, 2010
Kellogg Co., the largest U.S. maker of breakfast cereal, lowered its profit forecast for the year, citing slumping demand for cereal and heightened competition.
MEAD JOHNSON, HANSEN, LORILLARD AMONG LIKELY M&A TARGETS, GOLDMAN SAYS
October 20, 2010
Mead Johnson Nutrition Co. and juice maker Hansen Natural Corp. are among the top candidates for takeovers in the consumer-products industry because of their growth prospects, according to Goldman Sachs Group Inc.
DOMINO'S THIRD-QUARTER PROFIT BEATS ANALYSTS' ESTIMATES AS SALES INCREASE
October 19, 2010
Domino's Pizza Inc., the world's largest pizza delivery chain, posted a 6.9 percent decline in third-quarter earnings, exceeding analysts' estimates as an improved recipe boosted sales.
J.C. PENNEY ADOPTS STOCKHOLDER RIGHTS PLAN AFTER PERSHING DISCLOSES STAKE
October 18, 2010
J.C. Penney Co. said its board adopted a short-term stockholder rights plan, 10 days after William Ackman's Pershing Square Capital Management LP disclosed that it's the retailer's biggest investor.
YUM! QUARTERLY GROWTH IN CHINA OFFSETS DECLINING OPERATING PROFIT IN U.S.
October 5, 2010
Yum! Brands Inc., the owner of the KFC and Taco Bell restaurant chains, said third-quarter profit gained 6.9 percent, as declining U.S. operating profit dampened growth in China.
CIGNA, RESTAURANTS SEEK LOW-WAGE HEALTH-PLAN WAIVERS
September 30, 2010
U.S. restaurants have asked the federal government to waive health overhaul rules that may force companies to abandon low-cost "mini-med" plans that insure 1.4 million minimum-wage and part-time employees.
NEW BURGER KING OWNER FACES $3 BILLION TAB TO FIX 'BLAH' STORES
September 23, 2010
Once 3G Capital completes its purchase of Burger King Holdings Inc., the Brazilian-backed investment fund and the fast-food chain's franchisees may face a $3 billion tab to renovate aging U.S. restaurants.
MCDONALD'S RAISES QUARTERLY DIVIDEND PAYMENT BY 11%
September 23, 2010
McDonald's Corp. raised its quarterly cash dividend 11 percent to 61 cents a share as the company boosted sales 88 months straight even in the weak economy.
MICROSOFT PREDICTS 'HALO: REACH' VIDEO GAME WILL OUTSELL PREVIOUS EDITIONS
September 14, 2010
At midnight, a line formed outside the GameStop store in New York's Herald Square. Shoppers were eager to get their hands on "Halo: Reach," the first update of Microsoft Corp.'s alien-shooting game in three years.
COUCHE-TARD MAY BOOST OFFER FOR CASEY'S FOLLOWING BID BY JAPAN'S 7-ELEVEN
September 10, 2010
Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc., the Canadian operator of 24-hour convenience stores, said it would consider boosting its $38.50 bid for Casey's General Stores Inc. following a $40-a-share offer from 7-Eleven Inc.
PELTZ PAIRING OF WENDY'S-ARBY'S PROVES UNPALATABLE TO INVESTORS
September 9, 2010
Two years ago billionaire investor Nelson Peltz wagered that burgers and roast beef sandwiches would go together. The Wendy's-Arby's combo engineered by Peltz's fund hasn't gone down well with some investors.
MCDONALD'S AUGUST SALES RISE 4.9%, MISSING ESTIMATES
September 9, 2010
McDonald's Corp., the world's largest restaurant chain, said comparable-store sales climbed 4.9 percent last month from a year earlier, missing analyst estimates, as demand growth slowed in Europe.
BURGER KING AGREES TO $3.3 BILLION 3G CAPITAL OFFER
September 2, 2010
Burger King Holdings Inc. agreed to be acquired by 3G Capital, a New York investment firm backed by Brazilian investors, for $3.3 billion in the biggest restaurant acquisition in at least a decade.
ISTITHMAR'S BARNEYS HIRES FORMER GUCCI, YVES ST. LAURENT HEAD LEE AS CEO
August 23, 2010
Barneys New York, the luxury-goods retailer controlled by a Dubai investment company, said it hired former Gucci Group NV executive Mark Lee to manage the business.
MCDONALD'S PROFIT RISES 12%, SPURRED BY FROZEN DRINKS
July 23, 2010
McDonald's Corp., the world's largest restaurant chain, posted a 12 percent gain in second- quarter profit after attracting more customers with its frappes and smoothies.
LANCE, SNYDER'S OF HANOVER MERGE TO BOLSTER DISTRIBUTION OF SALTY SNACKS
July 22, 2010
Lance Inc., the maker of Cape Cod potato chips and Stella D'oro cookies, agreed to merge with pretzel maker Snyder's of Hanover Inc. to improve distribution of the companies' snacks.
STARBUCKS THIRD-QUARTER PROFIT RISES 37% ON VIA, FRAPPUCCINOS
July 21, 2010
Starbucks Corp., the world's largest coffee-shop chain, said third-quarter profit rose 37 percent on sales of instant coffee and Frappuccino frozen drinks.
MCDONALD'S DRAWS ETHNIC FLAVOR INTO MENUS, ADS TO DRIVE SALES
July 8, 2010
The music industry has long sold black culture to white Americans. Now McDonald's Corp. is doing much the same. It's taking cues from blacks, Hispanics and Asians to develop menus and advertising, in an effort to encourage middle-class whites to buy smoothies and snack wraps as avidly as they consume hip-hop and rock 'n' roll.
SARA LEE SAYS CEO BARNES RECOVERING FROM STROKE SUFFERED 'A FEW WEEKS AGO'
June 14, 2010
Sara Lee Corp. Chief Executive Officer Brenda Barnes said she is recovering from a stroke suffered "a few weeks ago," and the company will provide an update on her plans by Aug. 12.
STARBUCKS TO OFFER FREE WI-FI SERVICE IN ALL U.S. STORES STARTING JULY 1
June 14, 2010
Starbucks Corp. will offer free Wi-Fi in all of its U.S. stores through AT&T Inc. starting July 1, Chief Executive Officer Howard Schultz said today.
PELTZ'S TRIAN APPROACHED ON WENDY'S/ARBY'S TAKEOVER
June 11, 2010
Nelson Peltz's Trian Fund Management LP, the biggest shareholder in Wendy's/Arby's Group Inc., said it was approached by a third party about the possibility of participating in a takeover of the fast-food chain.
DENNY'S RISES AFTER REPLACING CHIEF NELSON MARCHIOLI WITH BOARD CHAIRMAN
June 9, 2010
Denny's Corp. rose 3.4 percent in Nasdaq trading after replacing Chief Executive Officer Nelson Marchioli.
MCDONALD'S MAY SALES RISE 4.8% ON NEW FRAPPES, SNACK WRAPS
June 8, 2010
McDonald's Corp.'s global sales rose more than analysts estimated last month as diners purchased new beverages such as frappes.
WALGREEN WON'T PARTICIPATE IN CVS CAREMARK PHARMACY PLANS AT DRUGSTORES
June 7, 2010
Walgreen Co., the largest U.S. drugstore chain, said it will no longer participate in new or renewed prescription drug plans awarded to CVS Caremark Corp.'s pharmacy benefit manager. CVS dropped the most in seven months.
WALGREEN PULLS OUT OF CVS PRESCRIPTION PLANS; CVS SHARES DROP
June 7, 2010
Walgreen Co., the largest U.S. drugstore chain, will stop participating in new prescription- drug plans awarded to CVS Caremark Corp.'s pharmacy-benefit manager. CVS dropped the most in seven months.
MCDONALD'S RECALLS 'SHREK' DRINKING GLASSES IN U.S.
June 4, 2010
McDonald's Corp., the world's biggest restaurant chain, is recalling drinking glasses promoting the new "Shrek" movie in the U.S. because they're tainted with cadmium.
PROCTER & GAMBLE IN BIND OVER MOMS' WEB ATTACK ON PAMPERS
May 14, 2010
Procter & Gamble Co. is locked in a public-relations war with blogging parents demanding that the company recall Pampers diapers they say are unsafe.
MCDONALD'S APRIL SALES RISE 4.9% ON GROWTH IN EUROPE, AUSTRALIA
May 10, 2010
McDonald's Corp., the world's largest restaurant company, said April sales rose 4.9 percent, beating some analysts' estimates, helped by growth in Europe and Australia.
TIGER WOODS CAN'T FIX PGA AS SPONSORS FLEE SECOND-TIER GOLF TOURNAMENTS
April 30, 2010
Just because Tiger Woods is back in the game doesn't mean the PGA Tour can relax. Organizers are struggling to line up sponsors for second-tier tournaments that are themselves finding it hard to attract big-name golfers.
BURGER KING'S U.S. SALES DECLINES SLOW WITH PASSING OF WINTER STORMS
April 29, 2010
Burger King Holdings Inc., the second-largest U.S. hamburger seller, said North American sales declines slowed in March after record snowfall kept customers away earlier in the year.
MCDONALD'S PROFIT RISES ON BREAKFAST DOLLAR MENU
April 21, 2010
McDonald's Corp., the world's largest restaurant company, said first-quarter profit climbed 11 percent as comparable-store sales rose in the U.S. and Europe.
STARBUCKS BOOSTS OUTLOOK; INSTANT COFFEE JOLTS PROFIT
April 21, 2010
Starbucks Corp., the world's largest coffee-shop operator, raised its annual forecast after reporting second-quarter profit that beat analysts' estimates, helped by sales of Via instant coffee and more customer visits.