R e t a i l
The financial media e.g. CNBC, WSJ, FT has been rhetorical in promoting the 'strong consumer' during 2019, almost to the point of denial of the economic slowdown. Now facts are being reported from leading 'WATCH' retailers that confirm sales growth has stalled, hit by tariffs and economic uncertainty. We preview and analyse Q4'19 results. Updated
HP's hopeless
The absurd $33Bn bid by Xerox driven by Chainsaw Carl Icahn for the 6X larger HP Inc. should not be happening, HP's board is behaving like an underdog talking about an unconvincing "undervaluation" rather than dismissing the dinosaur copier giant, or more positively counterbidding and taking over Xerox's better equipped direct salesforce
Target's tumbling
Leading US retailer Target reported decelerating sales growth trends in recent quarters compared with 2018. Q4'19 sales, including the Christmas-Thanksgiving holiday, sales fell in organic terms for the first time in recent years
Read More
Purell's pure
Effective 1 Jan GOJO Industries, the Purell hygiene brand maker, named Carey Jaros as CEO. We interview Carey about her plans to accelerate the growth of the 'Purell Solution', to holistically fight the spread of illness causing germs. Tomorrow
Read More
2020 Predictions:
What will happen with Amazon, Apple, Staples, Essendant, SPR, Depot, WBMason, HP/Xerox, Uber, Imperial Dade, SPOT (Spicers-OfficeTeam), EVO/VOW, Westcoast, dealers, groups, wholesalers, manufacturers in 2020. Here are our predictions.... Complete
Berry Global gets
Leading protective packaging maker Berry Global Group recently reported impressive Q4'19 financial results. The acquisition of RPC boosted sales and profits hiding underlying weakness in its core business
2020 Predictions:
What will happen with Amazon, Apple, Staples, Essendant, SPR, Depot, WBMason, HP/Xerox, Uber, Imperial Dade, SPOT (Spicers-OfficeTeam), EVO/VOW, Westcoast, dealers, groups, wholesalers, manufacturers in 2020. Here are our predictions.... Complete
MacFarlane makes
Macfarlane Group has acquired an industrials sector packaging provider to further strengthen its business in the north of England. This is its 3rd acquisition in the growing protective packaging market
Static steps up
Static Control, the $100m+ in sales print aftermarket supplier has announced increased distribution for US customers. This move appears to be a late and inadequate reaction to Amazon's same day delivery
2020 Business
Apple, Microsoft, Amazon & Uber have M-powered a new entrepreneurial revolution with affordable personal tech & immediate delivery services. OP dealers must ReAWAKEN now! Stop, look, listen & connect with users by providing personalised productivity services + integrated same-day delivery. We provide a guide on how dealers can take charge of their destiny? Report inc. 2019 US/UK Market Review is complete
Walmart rolls out
US#1 retailer Walmart has launched its first robotic picking carts to speed up warehouse operations starting in New Hampshire. The Alphabots are designed to improve response time on its 'click and collect' (BOPUS) service
Sonos sounds off
Speaker maker Sonos, the heart of the Amazon's Echo and Google Home voice assistants is suing the giants for abuse of power, report NY Times' Jack Nicas & Daisuke Wakabayashi. This is just another example of Godzillas' chainsawing of partner trust in the interests of market dominance. We discuss
HP hedging over
Old PC/printer giant HP's CEO Enrique Lores has replied to Xerox Holdings' letter setting out the funding for its $34Bn bid. We publish the full text, but would highlight "undervalues HP" as an unconvincing response from a timid board...
Synnex separates
US based Synnex, one of the IT industry's top distributors, plans to separate into two independent companies as a way to drive a sharper focus on both distribution and business services.
Reactive Ryman
UK stationery high street retailer Ryman Group reported disapponting financials to 31 Mar'19. Sales are stalled with anaemic online growth. Is it becoming another messy ecommerce-lite WHSmith blaming the economy for poor performance
"Tomorrow's News Today,
not yesterday's news tomorrow."
