Sales & Marketing news

• Warren Buffett just dropped Walmart, and signaled the death of retail as we know it (WMT)

  14-02-2017 23:55 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway has sold off $900 million of Walmart stock, choosing to invest billions in airlines instead.
  The sale, which leaves Buffett with nearly no shares in Walmart, comes as the US's largest traditional retailer has been rushing to catch up to Amazon and other online competitors.
  Amazon's market value is now $356 billion, compared with Walmart's $298 billion. Last year, Buffett acknowledged that traditional brick-and-mortar retailers were struggling in the face of c
  
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• SoftBank is buying Fortress for $3.3 billion — and Fortress is soaring (FIG)

  14-02-2017 23:53 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  SoftBank, the hyper-acquisitive Japanese telecommunications giant, is buying the asset manager Fortress Investment Group for $3.3 billion.
  Fortress' stock soared as much as 25% in after-market trading on the news.
  The asset manager will operate within SoftBank as an independent business headquartered in New York.
  "Fortress's excellent track record speaks for itself, and we look forward to benefitting from its leadership, broad-based expertise and world-class investment platform,"
  
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• Izzy Englander's $35 billion hedge fund made a big bet on Target (TGT)

  14-02-2017 23:45 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Izzy Englander's $35 billion hedge fund firm made a big bet on Target.
  The New York-based firm invested $175 million in the retailer in the fourth quarter of last year. It was the biggest new bet the fund made in the fourth quarter.
  That info is based on a Bloomberg analysis of a regulatory filing that the $35 billion investment firm submitted on February 14.
  The quarterly filing, called a 13F, lists the long stock positions of investment firms. The positions are current as of 45 days prior, so
  
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• One of the US's largest health-insurance companies is dumping Obamacare; Trump says law 'continues to fail' (HUM)

  14-02-2017 23:44 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Humana is pulling out of the Affordable Care Act market.
  The company, one of the five large publicly traded health insurers, said in a press release Tuesday that it would pull all its business from the individual marketplaces starting January 1, 2018.
  The announcement comes the same day that Humana and rival Aetna terminated their merger agreement.
  Humana said it was hoping that the individual marketplaces set up by the law known as Obamacare would stabilize.
  But the company said that in reviewi
  
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• Yellen wants to leave the Fed's balance sheet alone for now

  14-02-2017 23:35 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Wall Street has been abuzz at the prospect that, rather than just raising interest rates to tighten monetary policy, the Federal Reserve could actually forego a key crisis era policy related to mortgages as well.
  In response to the worst housing downturn in modern US history, the Fed bought billions worth of mortgage-backed securities in an effort to thaw frozen credit markets. It has also maintained a policy where, as those bonds mature, the principal amount is reinvested in new mortgage-backed
  
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• David Tepper's Appaloosa just dropped about $1 billion on 4 pharma stocks (PFE, TEVA, MYL, AGN)

  14-02-2017 23:19 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  David Tepper's Appaloosa went big on pharma stocks in the fourth quarter. 
  The fund took big new positions in Teva ($183 million), Pfizer ($156 million), and Mylan ($125 million) in the final three months of the year, according to a 13F filing. They were the fund's biggest new positions in the period. 
  In addition, Appaloosa raised its stake in Allergan by 250%, increasing its position by around 3 million shares to a stake worth $894.9 million. The additional shares
  
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• David Einhorn dumped all $143.5 million of his Michael Kors investment (KORS)

  14-02-2017 23:16 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  David Einhorn is done with Michael Kors.
  The hedge fund manager's Greenlight Capital sold off all of its 3.07 million shares of the high-end apparel maker in the fourth quarter according to a 13-F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 14.
  The move comes as Michael Kors has faced decreasing sales and a struggle to keep up with the growth of online retailers.
  Michael Kors stock slid 0.25% in after-hours trading following the news.
  A 13-F filing is a quarterly doc
  
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• Billionaire investor Nelson Peltz took a huge stake in Procter & Gamble — and P&G's stock is soaring (PG)

  14-02-2017 23:12 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Trian Fund Management, the activist hedge fund cofounded by billionaire Nelson Peltz, has taken a stake in Procter & Gamble, The Wall Street Journal reports.
  P&G's stock was up 4% in after-hours trading on the news.
  Trian is the second activist hedge fund to invest in P&G in recent years. In 2012, Bill Ackman's Pershing Square invested, leading then-CEO Robert McDonald to step down within a year, the Journal reported.
  P&G is the maker of everything from Gillette to Cres
  
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• Billionaire Chase Coleman's Tiger Global made a nearly $500 million bet on Fiat (FCAU)

  14-02-2017 23:00 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Billionaire Chase Coleman's Tiger Global made a big bet on Fiat Chrysler last quarter.
  The $20 billion investment firm took a new position in Fiat valued at $481 million in the final three months of the year, according to Bloomberg's analysis of a regulatory filing on February 14. It was the fund's biggest new position in the quarter. 
  The quarterly filing, called a 13F, lists the long stock positions of investment firms. The positions are current as of 45 days prio
  
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• Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway is investing billions in airline stocks (DAL, AAL, LUV)

  14-02-2017 22:38 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway upped its shareholdings in various airlines during the fourth quarter, according to a regulatory filing published Tuesday February 14. 
  The 13-F filing showed that Berkshire took a new position in Southwest Airlines, buying 43.2 million shares valued at $2.15 billion. 
  Meanwhile, the company increased its stake in Delta Air Lines by 848% to 60 million shares worth $2.95 billion. Berkshire also raised its stake in American Airlines.
  Buffett continued
  
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• 28-year-old cofounder of liquor delivery platform shares his advice for aspiring entrepreneurs

  14-02-2017 22:25 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Maxim Razmakhin has always been an entrepreneurial spirit. When he was in college, he sold milkshakes out of his dorm room.
  "It was sort of like a substitute for coffee," Razmakhin said. "It stimulated brain power and helped people cram for those big exams."
  He ended up making a couple thousand bucks from the endeavor. 
  The 28-year-old Russian-native is the co-founder of Thirstie, an online alcohol-delivery service. He was recently named to the Forbes' 30 under 30 food &
  
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• Trump's tax plan is built on one of the biggest lies our parents told us about the economy

  14-02-2017 22:02 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  This is very simple: The idea that tax cuts "pay for themselves" is false.
  But it is persistent, having been firmly planted in the political discourse by supply-side economists decades ago and becoming all the rage during the Reagan administration.
  And it's coming back in force with President Donald Trump's tax plan.
  Supply-side economists argue that tax cuts spur economic growth, and that the growth offsets any increased deficit resulting from the government taking in less revenue.
  It didn't wo
  
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• A $20 billion investment firm dumped its huge trade in Apple — and bet on Alphabet and Microsoft (MSFT, GOOGL, AAPL)

  14-02-2017 22:02 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Billionaire Chase Coleman's Tiger Global exited its big Apple bet last quarter while making a $148 million bet on Alphabet and investing $132 million in Microsoft.
  In the fourth quarter of 2015, the firm made a $1.1 billion bet on Apple, and over the course of 2016 started shedding the shares, regulatory filings show. Tiger dropped $407 million in remaining shares of Apple in the fourth quarter of last year, filings show.
  According to the 13F, Tiger made the following moves during the
  
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• STOCKS HIT NEW HIGHS: Here's what you need to know (AET, HUM, CIG, GS)

  14-02-2017 22:00 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  The major US equity indexes rose to all-time highs while bonds sold off after Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen struck a hawkish tone on interest rates during her congressional testimony. 
  Goldman Sachs rose to a record high. 
  Here's the scoreboard:
  Dow: 20,504.41, +92.25, (0.45%)
  S&P 500: 2,337.58, +9.33, (0.40%)
  Nasdaq: 5,782.57, +18.62, (0.32%)
  "Waiting too long to remove accommodation would be unwise, potentially requiring the FOMC to eventually raise rates rapi
  
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• Cigna is suing Anthem for $13 billion after walking away from their merger

  14-02-2017 20:58 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Cigna is scrapping its plan to merge with rival Anthem, and is suing Anthem for $13 billion in damages because the deal couldn't get approved.
  The health insurer said it was terminating the merger with Anthem after a federal judge blocked the deal over anti-competitive grounds.
  Anthem was attempting to appeal the judge's decision blocking the merger, and looking to fast track of the appeal process.
  Cigna claims that the $13 billion is to make up for "the lost premium value to Cigna's shareh
  
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• Morgan Stanley's global head of stock trading just quit to join a $35 billion hedge fund (MS)

  14-02-2017 20:18 via feedproxy.google.com
  Morgan Stanley's global head of equity trading, Peter Santoro, is leaving the firm, according to people familiar with the matter.
  He is expected to join hedge fund Millennium, replacing Hyung Soon Lee, the firm's former equity chief, according to the people. 
  Santoro did not return messages to his office line or mobile phone. Morgan Stanley and Millennium could not be immediately reached for comment. 
  Santoro was promoted to global head of equity trading at Morgan Stanley in January 2
  
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• Dr. Pepper Snapple cuts its earnings forecast because of Trump's impact on the peso (DPS)

  14-02-2017 20:12 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Dr. Pepper Snapple Group CEO Larry Young believes the "uncertainty" that Trump's policies present with regards to Mexico will hurt earnings in 2017.
  In the beverage maker's fourth-quarter 2016 earnings call on Tuesday, Young said that he expected foreign currency to "negatively impact our results in 2017."  
  "The combined effect of both foreign currency translation and transactions is expected to reduce core EPS by approximately $0.11 for the year, primarily driven by the Mexican peso,
  
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• The salary you need to earn to buy a home right now in 23 of the most expensive housing markets in America

  14-02-2017 20:00 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  In the final quarter of 2016, home prices in the US climbed past expectations as the housing supply reached record lows, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR).
  On average, 87% of the 150 housing markets tracked by NAR experienced rising home prices in 2016, up from an average of 75% in 2014. More than half of the markets (52%) now have a median sale price either at or above their previous record high.
  "Buyer interest stayed elevated in most areas thanks to mortgage rates under
  
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• The 11 states that benefit most from immigration

  14-02-2017 19:59 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  President Donald Trump has not relented on the hardline immigration positions that served as the cornerstone of his presidential campaign.
  Since his inauguration on January 20, the president has signed an executive order to bar entry of immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries for 90 days. That followed an executive order signed on January 25 to begin the construction of a concrete wall along the US southern border with Mexico. 
  While many of the president's&
  
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• Pernod Ricard: ‘You cannot rely on third parties to know your consumers’

  14-02-2017 14:32
  
  Pernod Ricard has moved to take media buying, programmatic and data collection in-house, as it believes having direct consumer relationships is “the way forward”.
  The company’s CEO Alexandre Ricard said during its half-year results meeting this morning (14 February) that it has been making lots of changes to the way it works with agencies.
  The spirits company, which sells brands such as Absolut Vodka, Ballantine’s and Chivas Regal, is taking its media buying in-house, pa
  
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• Should brands be pulling digital ad spend over ‘funding terror’ claims?

  14-02-2017 13:35
  
  Brands including Jaguar Land Rover, Sandals and Marie Curie have pulled back on some digital ad spend in the wake of an investigation by The Times that claimed their ads were appearing next to content by extremists, pornographers and white supremacists.
  According to The Times, Jaguar Land Rover “stopped all UK digital advertising activity” on Friday (10 February), although this has now resumed after “new safeguards” were put in place. Sandals also instigated a ban that &
  
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• Consumers gear up for more price rises as inflation hits near three-year high

  14-02-2017 12:03
  
  Nearly three out of four UK consumers think prices have risen over the past 12 months and the majority expect a further hit to their finances over the next year, according to new data.
  The survey, which was commissioned by GfK and surveyed over 2,000 consumers, found the number that think prices have risen hit 74% in January, up from 52% a year ago. And 74% also expect prices to rise in the coming 12 months, up from 55% in January 2016. More than one in three (34%) expect those price rises to b
  
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• HP on why its using Christian Slater in a new anti-hacking campaign

  14-02-2017 11:00
  
  There have been a lot of changes to Hewlett-Packard (HP) over the last 15 months, especially following the split of the business into Hewlett Packard Enterprise and HP Inc. The latter now focuses more on the firm’s arguably better-performing computer and printer business.
  In light of the company’s structural changes, HP Inc is heading in a new direction with its latest ad campaign, which takes a more theatrical approach and features Hollywood actor Christian Slater.
  The B2B campaign
  
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• Marketing Week partners with IAB UK for Diversity in Marketing & Advertising Summit

  14-02-2017 08:17
  
  Marketing Week is partnering with DIMALYNC and IAB UK for the Diversity in Marketing & Advertising Summit.
  The two-day summit, which takes place on 4 and 5 April, aims to bring together the “entire marketing, media and advertising ecosystem” in a bid to encourage greater diversity and inclusion within leadership roles and campaigns.
  The event also looks to provide solutions for challenges faced by the sector in today’s fast evolving media landscape, while allowing attendee
  
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• Marketing Week partners Diversity in Marketing & Advertising Summit

  14-02-2017 08:17
  
  Marketing Week is partnering with DIMALYNC for the Diversity in Marketing & Advertising Summit.
  The two-day summit, which takes place on 4 and 5 April, aims to bring together the “entire marketing, media and advertising ecosystem” in a bid to encourage greater diversity and inclusion within leadership roles and campaigns.
  The event also looks to provide solutions for challenges faced by the sector in today’s fast evolving media landscape, while allowing attendees to enable
  
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• Steven Mnuchin, Trump's pick for Treasury secretary, confirmed by the Senate after fierce opposition by Democrats

  14-02-2017 01:28 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Steven Mnuchin was confirmed by the US Senate on Monday night as the new secretary of the Treasury.
  Mnuchin's confirmation came down nearly on a party-line vote of 53 to 47, with no Republicans voting against the confirmation.
  Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia voted for Mnuchin. Manchin was also the only Democrat to vote for Attorney General Jeff Sessions' confirmation.
  Mnuchin, a former Goldman Sachs banker and hedge fund manager, came under fire during his confirmation for various m
  
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• One in four businesses ‘unprepared’ for new data laws

  14-02-2017 01:01
  
  A quarter of marketers believe their companies are ‘unprepared’ and a third don’t expect to be compliant when new EU data laws come into effect in 2018, according to new data.
  The survey from the DMA finds that awareness of the EU General Data Protection Regulation is increasing, from 53% in June 2016 to 66%. Plus, marketers ‘personal’ feeling of preparedness has increased from 49% to 71% over the same period.
  However, 26% believe their companies are not prepared a
  
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• Amorous or atrocious? How brands are doing Valentine’s Day 2017

  14-02-2017 01:01
  
  It’s that time of year again, when boyfriends panic buy roses in bulk and singletons simply shrug their shoulders and switch on Netflix. Oh yes, it’s Valentine’s Day.
  Credit and debit card payment processor Worldpay predicts that an eye-watering £128m will be spent for Valentine’s Day 2017 in the UK. Its data shows that florists can expect to see a 295% year-on-year increase on 14 February 2016, while restaurateurs can expect to see an increase of 42%.
  Naturally, br
  
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• Twitter taps power of research

  14-02-2017 01:00
  LAS VEGAS: Twitter, the online news and social platform, successfully tapped the power of consumer research to help understand why non-users were often confused by the purpose its service fulfils.Leslie Berland, Twitter's CMO, discussed this topic...
  
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• One in four businesses unprepared for GDPR

  14-02-2017 01:00
  LONDON:A little over a year out from the introduction of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR),a quarter of UK marketers (26%) believe their companies are still unprepared.New research undertaken as part of the
  
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• More APAC email, fewer clicks

  14-02-2017 01:00
  HONG KONG: Businesses across Asia-Pacific are sending more emails than ever, a new report says, adding that while click-through rates are dropping marketers should not necessarily be alarmedby this development.The
  
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• Marketers face end of net neutrality

  14-02-2017 01:00
  NEW YORK: The issue of net neutrality is set to become a battleground between marketers and internet companies on the one hand and telecoms firms on the other as the Trump administration prepares to review the rules surrounding the issue.Ajit Pai,...
  
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• Facebook accepts MRC audit

  14-02-2017 01:00
  MENLO PARK, CA: Hard on the heels of Facebook's announcement it is taking steps to improve cross-channel comparability and third-party verification of data, it has agreed to undergo audits by the Media Rating Council.In a
  
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• European ad industry in confident start to 2017

  14-02-2017 01:00
  BRUSSELS: Business confidence levels in the European advertising and marketing industry are getting stronger, despite the continent's economic uncertainties, new data show.The latest
  
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• Dabur taps youth and Ayurveda

  14-02-2017 01:00
  NEW DELHI: Dabur, the FMCG company which has long been active in the Ayurvedic sector, is adopting a science-based rationale and cause marketing in order to attract more youthful consumers, a leading executive has said.Krishan Kumar Chutani,...
  
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• A high-profile hedge fund sent a letter explaining all the reasons it lost money last year, and why it is going to do better this time

  14-02-2017 00:36 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  A high-profile hedge fund founded by a Steve Cohen acolyte sent a letter to investors explaining all the reasons for its underperformance.
  In a January investor letter, Folger Hill's Sol Kumin set out why his firm's flagship fund dropped 17.5% last year. Among the cited reasons: a difficult environment for stock pickers, hedge fund "crowding" and the US election.
  "I am truly sorry that we have not delivered better results thus far to our investors who put their faith in me," Kumin wrot
  
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