CDW captures
CDW, the $16Bn US/UK reseller of IT products and services, reported strong growth in Q1'19 including continued strong growth in Corporate/SMB, Health Care and UK markets.....
Imperial bailed
Bain Capital Private Equity has acquired a majority stake in Imperial Dade, the US food service and jansan distributor. Current VC investor Audax will retain a stake in the rapidly rolled-up reseller that was having indigestion and financial difficulties
Domtar demand
Domtar Paper reported improving Q1'19 financial results. although Its investment is faltering. Obfuscating CEO John Williams still needs to be more transparent on declining volume trends and reinvention plans.
Staples partner
FedEx has reached an agreement with Staples that will see 305 Staples locations house full-service 'ShipCentres' within their stores across Canada. This destination driver looks a lot like the USPostal Service partnership ended in 2017
Aging Apple
Apple, the ultimate personal productivity tools provider, again reported slower sales and profits in Q2'19 hit by declining iPhone sales as users wait for 5G versions next year. Samsung Mobile earlier today reported less steep declines
Mondelez losing
Mondelez International, the $26Bn in sales, international brand snackmaker (e.g. Cadbury, Oreo), today reported steady organic Q1'19 results. Is new CEO Dirk van de Put in denial about market trends and facts?
Slimmer Systemax
Systemax, the tech-industrial supply conglomerate, is planning withdrawal from the IT business with the sales of its French business to focus on US industrial supply...
Ecolab elevation
EcoLab the $14Bn in sales, cleaning & hygiene supplies giant to the health care and food services market, reported slower growth in Q1'19
Logitech zooms
Logitech International, the $2.8Bn personal tech accessories maker reported record setting results in Q4'19. CEO Bracken Darrell was bullish about mobile & video collaboration prospects in 2019
DSSmith powers
Packaging powerhouse DS Smith's CEO Miles Roberts said its financial performance continued trading in line with expectations and anticipatied margins to progress further in H2 of financial year ended 30 Apr'19.
Samsung sinks
South Korean electronics giant Samsung's operating profit plunged 60% in Q1'19, as the company grapples with the delayed launch of its troubled Galaxy Fold phone and waning demand for its memory chips.
AMZN's freight
Today, freight brokers’ and carriers’ worst nightmare came true: Amazon has taken its digital freight brokerage platform live and it is undercutting market prices substantially
Computacenter
Computacenter saw UK revenue growth in Q1 despite a large software deal in the same quarter last year creating a tough comparison. Progress in the US acquisition made last year is going "astonishingly well" reported CEO Mike Norris.
Eakes doubles
Eakes Office Solutions based in Grand Island has made another neighbour acquisition in Nebraska to consolidate its leading position in the state. We speak with chief Mark Miller...
Philips' personal
Philips, the Dutch diversified healthcare tech & consumer lifestyle giant reported steady sales growth and higher profits in Q1'19. The shift towards health care systems was emphasized...
Fastest delivery
"Traditional retailers "Walmart and Target are a step ahead of Amazon in delivery moving to same-day" according to retail equity analyst John Zolidis. Keep up, Amazon have been delivering same day to the world's major cities progressively since 2014.
"Tomorrow's News Today,
not yesterday's news tomorrow."
Etailers escape
Five years ago, we reported that the rapid OP etailer expansion was peaking, as a result of Amazon's aggression and the incidence of high customer churn from its disloyal 'casual dating' model. Progressive resellers exercising a deep customer intimacy model have achieved sustained success as etailers escape the market...
Etailers maul
Seeking Alpha analyst Wolf Richter reports on the rise and rise of ecommerce at the expense of retail stores especially, the mall locations. We discuss and analyse his findings... Later today
Is it all clicking
"Wayfair, the #1 US furniture reseller is a newly minted Fortune 500 entrant. It has two visionary founders, 2,300 data geeks, and skyrocketing sales. Now it just needs to turn a profit" writes contributgor Jeffrey O'Brien. We discuss his article plus its growing delivery service issues weighing on the brand
AMZN v Walmart
Walmart's steady growth trend has attracted praise from financial press. However, its important to get real when comparing progress v #1 Amazon. Godzilla's US sales online are 6X v Walmart from faster webstore experience & delivery service. We compare the key metrics.....Updated
Will Tariffs trump
The huge hike in tariff rate to 25% proposed on Chinese imports will almost certainly be passed on where possible to consumers. However, will businesses resist particularly on paper-related private label products? Updated
Disconnected
Late last century, normal OP dealer motivation was maximising margins and maintaining relationships with stationery buyers. Enter the digital 2000's, Amazon has led the market with personalised service beyond the buyer to Lucy, the typical user chooser, with faster delivery service across a broader business supplies selection. Time to go beyond the buyer! Complete
Will Bain expand
VC Bain Capital an original investor in Staples has invested in the FM/Hygiene supply market in recent years. In 2017, it bought a top hygiene brand Diversey from Sealed Air and last week took a majority stake in Eastern US jansan reseller Imperial Dade. What's the plan? We look at the options to invest further or flip? Complete
Will A l i b a b a
Alibaba, the Chinese based global ecommerce marketplace giant, formed a 'collaborative partnership' with Office Depot last month. What is Alibaba's intent given that it has yet to penetrate the US market successfully? Complete
Fastest delivery
"Traditional retailers "Walmart and Target are a step ahead of Amazon in delivery moving to same-day" according to retail equity analyst John Zolidis. Keep up, Amazon have been delivering same day to the world's major cities progressively since 2014.
Will AMZN's CRaP
Amazon's etail growth rate has slowed dramatically over recent quarters. Meanwhile, it's cutting its 'CRaP' defined products; shifting to imported private label; cutting back on small vendors; and splitting deliveries into multiple drops. We discuss the consequences...Updated
Stanley's Smart
Home Depot's
Printers plunge