Sales & Marketing news

• CREDIT SUISSE: The WannaCry ransomware attack could give Microsoft's stock a boost (MSFT)

  16-05-2017 22:16 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  The WannaCry ransomware that has spread to computers in 150 countries may end up benefiting Microsoft's stock price.
  The ongoing attack, which specifically targets Microsoft operating systems, made headlines last week after it compromised one of the UK's largest hospital systems.
  The origins of the attack are currently unknown. 
  In a recent note out to clients on Tuesday, a group of equity analysts led by Michael Nemeroff identified a dip in the company's stock price in resp
  
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• How Google's band of hardware pirates has re-invented itself after its legendary leader jumped ship (GOOG, GOOGL)

  16-05-2017 22:08 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Almost three years ago, one of Google's most celebrated executives took the stage at the company's big developer conference and declared that the future was being built in a secretive hardware group she led.
  "You're going to get a glimpse of a small band of pirates trying to do epic shit," she said, referencing nearly a dozen ambitious technology products under development and touting the team's quick pace of execution.
  Today Regina Dugan, the Google executive, is gone, and the remaining members
  
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• STOCKS SNOOZE, DOLLAR FALLS: Here's what you need to know (F, DKS)

  16-05-2017 22:00 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  The stock market had another relatively quiet day and the three major indexes closed almost flat, although the S&P 500 and Nasdaq notched intraday record highs.
  The dollar slid to a six-month low, while the classic safety trades — the yen, US Treasurys and gold — all rallied. Some strategists pointed to the reports that President Donald Trump shared classified intelligence with Russian officials last week.
  Here's the scoreboard: 
  Dow: 20,979.75, -2.19, (-
  
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• Buffalo Wild Wings just torched a Bill Ackman protégé (BWLD)

  16-05-2017 21:49 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  The ongoing war between Buffalo Wild Wings and Marcato Capital, a San Francisco-based hedge fund, is heating up.
  On Tuesday Buffalo Wild Wings released a presentation to shareholders that emphasized the firm's strength and took shots at recent criticisms flung at the casual dining chain by Marcato. The hedge fund currently has a 6.1% stake in the company, according to a May press release by Marcato calling for board changes. 
  Marcato released a deck&n
  
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• Traders betting against Snap made $150 million off its earnings disaster (SNAP)

  16-05-2017 21:39 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Short sellers hoping to profit from a post-earnings sell-off on Snap shares got their wish, to the tune of a $150 million windfall.
  After pushing bearish wagers to the highest level since the company's March 1 initial public offering, selling a whopping $100 million short over a single week, they cashed in when Snap's share price tumbled 17% over the five days ended May 12, according to data compiled by financial analytics firm S3 Partners. That included a plunge of 21% the day after t
  
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• The percentage of Americans without health insurance hit an all-time low

  16-05-2017 21:19 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  The percentage of Americans that did not have health insurance coverage set another record low in 2016.
  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Health Interview Survey, 9.0% of Americans did not have health insurance in 2016. That was down slightly from 9.1% in 2015 and down from 16.0% in 2010.
  The drop was also more pronounced for Americans between the ages of 18 and 64.
  "From 1997 through 2013, the percentage of adults aged 18-64 who were uninsured at the ti
  
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• Meet the 9 hedge fund managers who made the most money in 2016

  16-05-2017 20:12 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  2016 was a tough year for hedge funds. 
  The industry as a whole only delivered a 5.4% return for clients, well below the S&P 500's return of 11.9%, according to data from eVestment.
  Poor performance and high fees drove money out of the money managers' funds by about $70 billion last year, the biggest drop since 2009, according to data tracker HFR.This backdrop, however, had little impact on the bottom line of many of the top hedge fund managers of the world.According to Institution
  
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• MORGAN STANLEY: IBM's stock could explode 40% (IBM)

  16-05-2017 20:05 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Don't let Berkshire Hathaway's IBM stock selloff scare you, Morgan Stanley says.
  The multinational technology company's stock price is primed for a strong second half of the year, according to the US investment bank.
  IBM posted weak first quarter gross margins, but Morgan Stanley expects a rebound with IBM due to ship a new mainframe later this year.
  According to Morgan Stanley's analysis, the launch of a new mainframe has historically added $400 million in pre-tax income. 
  "We see pre
  
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• Get ready for new Apple laptops next month (AAPL)

  16-05-2017 20:05 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Apple is preparing three new laptops expected to launch next month at Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday.
  Apple could release a refreshed version of the 12-inch MacBook with a new Intel chip, according to the report.
  One of the complaints about Apple's MacBook laptop is that the current processor is optimized for battery life, not for performance. A new model using a different Intel chip could make the device more attractive to a wider swath of users, p
  
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• Robert De Niro talks about how he got inside the head of Bernie Madoff for his new movie

  16-05-2017 20:02 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  The HBO movie “The Wizard of Lies” (airing Saturday) showcases the legendary talents of both its star and director, Robert De Niro and director Barry Levinson, who worked together for the fourth time on the feature. They deliver a powerful look at the revelation that Wall Street pillar Bernie Madoff concocted the biggest Ponzi scheme in history and how it dismantled his entire family.
  De Niro plays Madoff as a cool and calm hustler who, after the 2008 crash, runs out of tri
  
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• UBS: A 'narrative shift' could send Apple stock soaring (AAPL)

  16-05-2017 19:45 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Apple stock is up 35% year-to-date, but what is it really worth? That's the question UBS is trying to answer in a five-part series of reports.
  In part one, UBS analyst Steven Milunovich focused on the right price-to-earnings multiple for Apple, and asks whether Apple is a hardware company (lower multiple) or a consumer brand (higher multiple).
  "Is Apple a hardware company subject to rapid commoditization or a sticky consumer-brand capable of driving sustainable growth at a high margin?" the note
  
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• A struggling hedge fund has reportedly suffered about $1 billion in outflows

  16-05-2017 19:37 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Brevan Howard Asset Management, once a titan among hedge funds, has suffered about $1 billion in outflows, according to a Bloomberg News calculation based on recent investment letters from the firm.
  The firm's assets now sit at about $8.7 billion, down from $10 billion, Bloomberg reported. The fund is run by billionaire Alan Howard.
  That's a stark fall for the firm, which as recently as 2013 managed $40 billion.
  Investors have been pulling money from the fund for years as the fund posted lacklus
  
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• Mitch McConnell just set up a big showdown between GOP lawmakers and Trump over taxes

  16-05-2017 19:25 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Tuesday drew a line in the sand during that could set up a showdown between GOP leadership and President Donald Trump on taxes.
  McConnell told Bloomberg TV that he did not think any tax-reform plan should increase the federal deficit, a principle that stands in contrast with Trump's outline for reform.
  "It will have to be revenue-neutral," McConnell said of possible tax cuts, citing the country's "$21 trillion debt" as the reason.
  Treasury Secretary Ste
  
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• Virgin Trains turns to startups in bid to stop ‘pissing off’ delayed travellers

  16-05-2017 18:23
  
  With regular price hikes, complaints about delays and ongoing strike action on some of the most popular routes in the UK, it’s safe to say rail operators receive a lot of negativity from the British public.
  Amid this backdrop, Virgin Trains has outperformed. On a list of the UK’s 32 biggest transport brands, Virgin Trains is ranked fifth when it comes to its index score, which is a combination of consumer perceptions across metrics including impression, quality, value and reputation.
  
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• Sears has a bigger problem than plunging sales (SHLD)

  16-05-2017 18:23 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Sears has a bigger problem than plunging sales: dwindling inventory.
  The companies that supply Sears with the TVs, toys, and clothing in its stores are increasingly concerned about the retailer's ability to pay its bills, and some are cutting back on shipments to stores as a result.
  That means Sears and Kmart stores are receiving less merchandise to sell, which is a grave problem for a company trying to avoid bankruptcy by reversing years of sales declines.
  Sears said this week that One World Te
  
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• These 20 colleges give you the biggest bang for your buck

  16-05-2017 18:16 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Payscale, a compensation data company, published it's 2017 College Return on Investment report, naming the 20 best value colleges in the U.S.
  Many of the schools specialize in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) programs. Additionally, the majority of these schools are located by the coasts, 10 of the top 20 schools are public, and some repeat in the list due to in-state and out-of-state tuition price differences.
  The list shows that the important factors in education return o
  
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• Trump was reportedly inspired to hurry up his tax plan after reading a New York Times op-ed

  16-05-2017 18:14 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  It seems you can thank the opinion page of The New York Times for expediting the release of President Donald Trump's plan to overhaul the US tax code.
  On Monday, Politico's Shane Goldmacher reported that Trump aides sometimes slip the president various news articles to help set his agenda.
  Goldmacher reported that recently, one of those pieces was an April 19 op-ed article from The New York Times written by four high-profile conservative economists — Steve Forbes, Larry Kudlow, Stephen Mo
  
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• Americans overwhelmingly like Obamacare more than Trumpcare

  16-05-2017 18:11 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  A new poll shows Americans aren't big fans of the new GOP healthcare bill and even like the old system better.
  According to a poll from Public Policy Polling released Tuesday, 53% of those surveyed said they preferred the Affordable Care Act over the Republicans' American Health Care Act. Just 27% said they preferred the AHCA over the ACA.
  In terms of simple approval, only 25% of those in the poll supported the AHCA, while 52% opposed it.
  This comes as numerous other polls have shown the new GO
  
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• Hedge funds that bet on Silicon Valley are crushing it

  16-05-2017 18:09 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  A string of technology-focused hedge funds are having a strong start to the year.
  Among them:
  Light Street Capital Management's $930 million Halogen fund is up 28.5% this year through the end of April, according to an investor document reviewed by Business Insider.  That's a strong start compared to last year, when the fund fell -1.5%. The head of the fund, Glen Kacher, started his career at Tiger Management, Julian Robertson's famous fund.
  Whale Rock, a Boston-based fund run by Alexander S
  
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• Why Hollywood needs to stop making one kind of movie that just keeps bombing

  16-05-2017 17:52 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  It's time for real talk, Hollywood: Stop trying to make King Arthur a thing.
  The horrible performance for the Warner Bros. movie "King Arthur: Legend of the Sword" over the weekend is the latest evidence. The epic was made for about $170 million — after marketing, you're looking at about $300 million — but earned a tiny $14.7 million domestically. That should be the nail in the coffin for any more attempts to make a feature-length film about the legendary British leader and his myth
  
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• Mark Ritson: In the AI era, it’s digital ads that face disruption

  16-05-2017 17:47
  
  Given my antipathy to the ‘death’ theme that haunts every possible marketing moment currently, the likelihood of my agreeing with a report entitled ‘The End of Advertising As We Know It’ was slim.
  The fact that the report was written by Forrester, one of the few firms to understand properly and objectively the intersection of marketing and tech, did slightly re-balance things. But not enough to avoid the very loud “harrumph” I uttered as I read a precis of th
  
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• Why the digital user experience is synonymous with brand

  16-05-2017 17:17
  
  Utilities companies offer a great case study for the growing importance of user experience. Whichever supplier you use, the stuff in the pipes is the same: it’s the service wrapped around the gas/electricity/water that you ultimately pay for.
  As competition blossoms in the sector, companies understand that, for some customers, user experience is as much a differentiator as price.
  In 2016, British Gas ended its 14-year relationship with media agency Carat and appointed MediaCom, which repor
  
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• McDonald’s pulls ‘dead dad’ ad after string of complaints

  16-05-2017 14:18
  
  UPDATE: McDonald’s has announced it will withdraw the controversial advert, and it will be removed from all media, including TV and cinema, this week.
  “It was never our intention to cause any upset. We are particularly sorry that the advert may have disappointed those people who are most important to us – our customers.
  “Due to the lead-times required by some broadcasters, the last advert will air tomorrow, Wednesday 17 May. We will also review our creative process to ens
  
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• McDonald’s pulls ‘dead dad’ ad after more than 100 complaints

  16-05-2017 14:18
  
  UPDATE: McDonald’s has announced it will withdraw the controversial advert, and will be removed from all media, including TV and cinema, this week.A McDonald’s ad showing a young boy finding common ground with his dead father over a Filet-O-Fish could be investigated by the ad regulator the Advertising Standards Authority after it received more than 100 complaints.
  A spokesman for the ASA admits the ad has prompted a “backlash”, and while he would not give an exact figure
  
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• McDonald’s ‘dead dad’ ad could face investigation after more than 100 complaints

  16-05-2017 14:18
  
  A McDonald’s ad showing a young boy finding common ground with his dead father over a Filet-O-Fish could be investigated by the ad regulator the Advertising Standards Authority after it received more than 100 complaints.
  A spokesman for the ASA admits the ad has prompted a “backlash”, and while he would not give an exact figure said complaints had exceeded more than 100. The number is increasing, with “still coming in”.
  Complainants have objected that it is inapprop
  
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• How marketers can target consumers through the connected home

  16-05-2017 08:00
  
  Ever wanted a hallway that says hello, a kitchen that tells you what to cook based on the ingredients in your fridge or a wardrobe that helps you choose your outfit?
  Now you can catch a glimpse of the (not so distant) future, as ‘The Home of 2020’ opens its doors.
  The aim of the project is to give marketers an idea of how they could use next generation tech to reach people at home.
  To do this, video ad tech company Unruly has partnered with a host of consumer brands and startups
  
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• Bob Wootton: My practical guide to getting the most out of media spend

  16-05-2017 07:00
  
  You might think marketers know exactly how to manage their media buying, but many make basic mistakes that a little inside knowledge could prevent. So here’s a practical guide for advertisers seeking to get the best out of what is usually their biggest investment. The things an advertiser needs to do fall into three stages.
  1. The setup
  First, you need to decide what you want. Obvious? Well, it might surprise you to know that many advertisers aren’t quite sure. In seeking to cover m
  
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• TV ratings slump has yet to deter advertisers

  16-05-2017 02:00
  
  NEW YORK: Official TV viewing figures are declining in certain demographics but advertisers, gathering in New York for the annual Upfronts, continue to prize TV's reach and reliability.In the US, the coveted 18-49-year-old Nielsen ratings have
  
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• Trust in US news sources reflects partisan divide

  16-05-2017 02:00
  
  WASHINGTON: Six in ten US adults use social media for news, but trust in the medium is exceedingly low across supporters of both parties, while trust in traditional news organisations divides along partisan lines, Pew Research Center figures show. ...
  
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• Toyota motors ahead on Twitter

  16-05-2017 02:00
  
  LOS ANGELES: Toyota, the automaker, has successfully demonstrated how to connect with NASCAR racing fans by using Twitter as an engagement driver.Keith Dahl, General Manager/Motorsports and Asset Management for Toyota Motor Sales USA, discussed...
  
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• Packaging offers F&B opportunities in China

  16-05-2017 02:00
  
  SHANGHAI: Packaging innovations and out-of-home food trends in China offer opportunities to food and beverage brands despite the country's economic slowdown, research has shown.Jason Yu, General Manager – China for Kantar Worldpanel,...
  
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• Negotiating the rich media maze

  16-05-2017 02:00
  
  LONDON/NEW YORK: Rich media offers marketers a wealth of possibilities for engaging with their audiences in new and creative ways, with publishers and media agencies playing an important role in disseminating innovative formats, according to a...
  
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• India's rural TV data an 'eye opener'

  16-05-2017 02:00
  
  MUMBAI:The landscape of television in India is changing, thanks to the advent of rural viewing figures, which the head of the country's measurement body has described as "a great eye opener".Reflecting on the experience of the past two years,...
  
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• Heineken eyes leadership of alcohol-free market

  16-05-2017 02:00
  
  EUROPE: Heineken, the Dutch brewer, has launched a zero-alcohol version of its flagship lager product as the brand aims for a global leadership position in a fast-growing category.Unlike rivals, who have non-alcoholic beers tailored to individual...
  
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• Aussie newsprint ad revenues plummet

  16-05-2017 02:00
  
  SYDNEY: Australia's newspaper industry, already reeling from a series of editorial cutbacks at leading titles, has been hit by another blow, as year-on-year print advertising revenues plummeted in April.According to early data from Standard Media...
  
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