Most grocery stores are set up in more or less the same way. Aisles and aisles of refined carbohydrates stacked in the middle, surrounded by produce on one side, meat in the back, and dairy on the other. On the ends of each aisle are high calorie impulse purchases tempting shoppers who must pass by to get to the healthier options. Online sales may break this time-tested model. Online shoppers are less likely to want impulse foods because they have more time to consider their options and plan ahead. In response to online shopping behavior, at least one store chain, Smart & Final, is … [Read more...]
Archives for October 2018
How did Markets Perform in the Third Quarter?
For investors with a concentrated U.S. growth stock focus, the third quarter continued what has been a solid year. For veteran investors who recognize the peril of such a strategy and instead choose to take a balanced, value-conscious approach, the third quarter added modestly to what has been an OK year. Fixed Income Markets Fixed income markets have been a drag on balanced portfolios YTD. The Bloomberg Barclay’s U.S. Aggregate Index was flat in the third quarter and is down 1.6% YTD. We view the modest losses in U.S. bonds as a blessing in disguise. Bonds are down YTD because interest … [Read more...]
California Pensions Continue to Make Headlines
Is there a more Machiavellian story than this? We’re talking about a fiduciary responsibility in the many billions of dollars. Is anyone paying attention? The Wall Street Journal's Heather Gillers reports: In what was otherwise a lighthearted question-and-answer session at a staff meeting this month, Marcie Frost turned serious. After rising from a clerical position in Washington state government to head the largest pension fund in the country, the California Public Employees’ Retirement System, Ms. Frost had been the subject of reports questioning how she had presented her educational … [Read more...]
You’ll Never Know It All, But Know Enough
Don’t try to be a know-it-all investor. Building a solid foundation on diversification, patience, value, and compound interest, has always worked for me, without having to “know it all.” In 2003 I explained my deliberate method of focusing on dividends and interest to generate compound interest, writing: Invest for Dividends & Interest I’m not a speculator or trader, and I don’t offer strategies for either group. Work hard, invest your hard-earned savings regularly for interest and dividends, and let your investments breathe. Let them take the air. Let them work for you as a … [Read more...]
Bed Bath Misses Out on Brick and Mortar Revival
Writing in the Wall Street Journal, Elizabeth Winkler explains that Bed Bath and Beyond hasn't been able to capitalize on the resurgence in retail customers at brick and mortar stores. She writes: Buoyed by a strong economy, consumers are happily spending money at brick-and-mortar retailers from Walmart to Nordstrom—just about anywhere it seems, except Bed Bath & Beyond . The stock fell nearly 50% in 2017 and a further 18% thus far in 2018. On Wednesday, after reporting second-quarter earnings that missed estimates, investors sent it down another 15% in after-hours trading. The … [Read more...]
Your Retirement Life: On the Road Again
If you like the idea of seeing the country with your spouse, paid leave, matching 401(k) contributions and a joint income of $100,000 per year, then you might like this story about team driving gigs. Simply put, freight companies love team drivers because they deliver loads twice as fast. There’s a lot to like about living part-time on the road. I remember as a kid when we drove across the country in our Winnebago, how cool it was to talk to the truck drivers using our CB radio and also just listening to the chatter. It was Waze before there was Waze, and it was like a game, especially when … [Read more...]
Would You Go to Walmart if You Didn’t Have to Go In?
Walmart is a hard place to shop. The long—seemingly endless—aisles and big-box lighting do not make a trip to Walmart an enjoyable time. Is there a better way? Walmart has submitted plans in a Chicago suburb to create a pickup only location. There are many Walmart stores today that offer pickup options, but they also have traditional retail sales areas inside. The new facility would simply be a warehouse with a pickup area for online orders. Tom Ryan reports at Retail Wire: Walmart predicts the number of pickup trips at this facility, which includes 24 stalls, will be about 180 per hour … [Read more...]
Kroger and Walgreens Join Forces to Thwart Amazon
With Amazon diving deeper into drugs and grocery delivery, it makes some sense that grocery giant Kroger and pharmacy giant Walgreens, would work together to fight back against the online retailer. Pan Kwan Yuk reports on the tie-up in the Financial Times: Under a new pilot programme that will be launched, Kroger customers will be able to place their grocery orders online and pick up their orders at participating Walgreens stores. In addition, products from Kroger’s private-label Our Brands will also be stocked in the participating Walgreens as well. “This exciting collaboration aligns … [Read more...]
GE Board Finally Wakes Up
Once America’s most venerable industrial company, GE has been a disaster. Former CEO Jeff Immelt oversaw the firm’s fall from grace, and his replacement, John Flannery, has been even worse for shareholders. GE shares are down 54% over the last twelve months. The board has finally woken up to the mess and fired Flannery. Larry Culp will become the new CEO. Culp had success as CEO of Danaher, and he is not a life-long GE insider. Ed Crooks reports at FT: Mr Culp said in a statement: ““GE remains a fundamentally strong company with great businesses and tremendous talent. It is a privilege to be … [Read more...]
Can the Ultimate Impulse Buy Succeed Online?
CEO of Hershey Co., Michele Buck is trying to generate more sales of the company's candy and chocolate online. The question is, can the ultimate impulse buy, junk food, succeed in an online sales format where people have to plan their consumption ahead? Julie Jargon and Annie Gasparro report for The Wall Street Journal, writing: Chief Executive Michele Buck said at The Wall Street Journal’s Global Food Forum on Thursday that food companies have lagged retailers in embracing e-commerce. “The lines are blurring between physical stores and digital shopping,” Ms. Buck told attendees of the … [Read more...]
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