Sales & Marketing news

• Yelp surges after beating on earnings and revenue (YELP)

  13-02-2019 22:27 via feedproxy.google.com
  Yelp shares jumped in after-hours trading on Wednesday after reporting quarterly earnings and revenue that topped analysts' expectations.
  The company reported earnings of $0.37 per share on revenue of $243.7 million. Analysts surveyed by Bloomberg expected adjusted earnings per share of $0.36 on revenue of $241.2 million for the final three months of 2018.
  Last quarter, shares of the user-review website crashed after it reported results and full-year guidance that fell short of expectations.
  Fol
  
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• Citi's innovation chief reveals how they kill tech projects without offending the people who came up with them

  13-02-2019 21:00 via feedproxy.google.com
  D10X is Citigroup's internal incubator in which employees from across the firm come up with ideas for potential technology solutions.
  Vanessa Colella, Citi's chief innovation officer, explains how the bank tries to decide when an idea should no longer be pursued in the least awkward way possible. When do you pull the plug on internal tech projects? 
  It's a critical question anyone involved in the innovation process must constantly consider. If not, a firm risks wasting millions of doll
  
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• Rising household debt in China could threaten growth and financial stability, Fed economists warn

  13-02-2019 20:38 via feedproxy.google.com
  Household debt in China has been rising over the last decade.
  It could pose risks to growth and financial stability, according to economists at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
  Beyond the second-largest economy, the situation could shed light on how credit booms in emerging markets may play out. 
  After outpacing corporate borrowing last year, household debt now makes up about half of new loans in China. And its steady rise has cast uncertainty on growth and financial stability in the w
  
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• An overlooked trade that's crushed the S&P 500 for 20 years has fallen on hard times — but one expert says it's poised for a big comeback

  13-02-2019 19:55 via feedproxy.google.com
  Medium-sized companies have given investors dramatically better returns than bigger companies over the past few decades. And after a recent lull, an analyst says that pattern is about to resurface.
  Sam Stovall of CFRA Research says that compared to the S&P 500, the S&P MidCap 400 is at its lowest price relative to earnings in about a decade.
  Mid-cap stocks are faring better than large caps this year, and with the stocks trading at a comparative discount, Stovall says that's likely to con
  
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• One of Wall Street's biggest banks just revealed a massive stake in Twitter — and the company's stock is soaring (TWTR)

  13-02-2019 18:38 via feedproxy.google.com
  Morgan Stanley said in a filing on Wednesday that it had a 5.6% stake in Twitter, which boosted shares of the social media company.
  Twitter's stock has climbed 11% so far this year, although it's still trading 34% below its 52-week high hit last June.
  Follow Twitter's stock price here on Markets Insider.
  Twitter shares jumped more than 4% on Wednesday after Morgan Stanley said in a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission that it has a 5.6% stake in the company.
  The bank — one
  
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• Benefit reviews its brand DNA to keep up with Gen Z

  13-02-2019 18:36
  Benefit is plotting an update to its brand DNA as it looks to ensure it is relevant to a new generation of consumers more interested in inspiration than aspiration and amid growing competition from direct-to-consumer brands.
  The beauty brand is currently “knee-deep” in the review, which has taken 18 months so far. Updates are set to include a change in colour to make the brand brighter and “streamline pink”. But Lou Bennett, head of marketing in UK and Ireland for Benefi
  
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• A former Apple executive was just accused of insider trading by the SEC

  13-02-2019 18:29 via feedproxy.google.com
  Gene Levoff, who was Apple's senior director of corporate law and corporate secretary until September, was accused of insider trading by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
  The SEC's lawsuit, filed Wednesday, accused Levoff of exploiting his positions to unlawfully trade Apple securities ahead of Apple's quarterly earnings announcements.
  It said Levoff engaged in insider trading on three occasions in 2011 and 2012 that resulted in him making about $245,000 in profit.
  Levoff also profited and
  
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• GOLDMAN SACHS: There's striking proof that a stock-market slowdown is near, and surviving it will require the use of one time-tested strategy

  13-02-2019 18:11 via feedproxy.google.com
  The stock market's strong rebound to start this year is likely to be short-lived, according to equity strategists at Goldman Sachs. 
  In a note to clients, they laid out the historical precedent and fundamental reasons why returns are set to be moderate going forward. 
  They also provided specific recommendations for where investors should look for market-beating opportunities. Don't count on the ongoing momentum in stocks to persist throughout 2019.
  That's according to equity strat
  
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• BANK OF AMERICA: Wall Street is dead wrong on one of its major Apple forecasts (AAPL)

  13-02-2019 17:31 via feedproxy.google.com
  Wall Street analysts are far too pessimistic in their estimates for Apple's hardware sales over the coming years, Bank of America Merrill Lynch research analysts wrote in a note to clients.
  The firm says the rise of 5G will drive "significant" hardware and iPhone unit revenue growth in 2021.
  Shares of Apple have climbed nearly 18% this year, though they're still trading 26% below their record high hit in October.
  Follow Apple's stock price here on Markets Insider.
  A major feature of Wall Street'
  
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• Charlotte Rogers: By embracing the grassroots Carling shows a real interest in life on the margins

  13-02-2019 16:18
  Set against the current backdrop of Brexit confusion and heightened political tensions, several brands have encountered trouble while trying to define what it means to be British.
  Despite denying the EU referendum result in any way influenced the tone of its ‘Together We Thrive’ campaign, HSBC was accused of harbouring anti-Brexit feeling last month with an outdoor campaign which proclaimed that the UK is ‘not an island’, but a nation of Colombian coffee drinkers who wat
  
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• The US just got the latest sign that it could be awhile before the next rate hike

  13-02-2019 16:12 via feedproxy.google.com
  The consumer price index, a key gauge of inflation, was unchanged in January.
  That could signal the Federal Reserve will stick to the dovish tone it took at its last meeting.
  "Chances of a rate hike this year are slim and getting slimmer," one analyst said following the CPI data.
  All eyes have been on inflation following the Federal Reserve’s apparent reversal towards a more dovish monetary-policy approach last month. And the latest reading suggests it could be awhile before borrowing
  
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• Johnson & Johnson is buying a Silicon Valley surgical-robotics startup for $3.4 billion (JNJ)

  13-02-2019 16:05 via feedproxy.google.com
  The pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson is buying Auris Health, a surgical-robotics company, for $3.4 billion.
  Auris makes a controller-operated robotic camera that helps doctors get visuals from within the body, including the lungs.
  Auris had raised more than $700 million from investors, and its last valuation as a private company was $2.1 billion.
  "In this new era of health care, we're aiming to simplify surgery, drive efficiency, reduce complications and improve outcomes for patients,
  
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• Levi's has filed to go public

  13-02-2019 15:59 via feedproxy.google.com
  Levi's filed paperwork to go public on Wednesday. 
  The company has not confirmed the number or price range of the shares to be offered. Iconic denim apparel maker Levi Strauss & Co is going public. 
  The company filed paperwork with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) early Wednesday morning and said in a press release that the number of shares to be offered and the price range for the proposed offering have not yet been determined.
  The company will be listed on the
  
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• The US national debt just topped $22 trillion for the first time in history

  13-02-2019 15:58 via feedproxy.google.com
  The US national debt topped $22 trillion on Monday, and it's the first time the debt has ever hit that threshold.
  The record follows a year in which the budget deficit was $779 billion, the highest since 2012, and the amount of debt issued topped $1.3 trillion, the most since 2010.
  A debate is growing around how much the nominal amount of government debt really matters to the economy.The US national-debt load surpassed $22 trillion on Monday, according to the Treasury Department. It's the first
  
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• Under Armour wants to be a ‘louder brand’ as it looks to turn ‘each marketing dollar spent into three’

  13-02-2019 15:45
  Under Armour plans to be a “louder brand” and turn each marketing dollar it invests “into three” as it faces declining sales in North America, its largest market, and continues to fight for market share in a landscape dominated by Adidas and Nike.
  The focus on marketing effectiveness comes after the activewear giant today (13 February) unveiled its fourth quarter earnings, which revealed that while revenue from its international business increased by 24% to $395m, revenu
  
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• The shock surge in US car-loan delinquencies gives a clue why the Fed is treading carefully even in a booming economy

  13-02-2019 13:25 via feedproxy.google.com
  America has never been more indebted.
  Aggregate borrowing to cover mortgages, credit cards, student loans, and car loans rose for the 18th straight quarter in the fourth quarter, reaching a record high of $13.5 trillion.
  Especially worrying: More than 7 million Americans have reached serious delinquency status on their auto loans.
  "The higher debt pile leaves the US much more sensitive to even minor changes in borrowing costs," AJ Bell says.In his State of the Union speech this month, US Preside
  
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• Vitalik Buterin created one of the world’s largest cryptocurrencies in his early twenties — here’s how he did it and why

  13-02-2019 13:22 via feedproxy.google.com
  Vitalik Buterin is the co-founder of Ethereum, the second largest cryptocurrency in the world. Buterin was 21-years-old when the cryptocurrency was initially released.
  Buterin became interested in bitcoin in 2011 and co-founded a bitcoin magazine. Eventually, he dropped out of university to focus on crypto full-time. 
   Buterin built Ethereum as be a blockchain platform that other applications could be built on top of. 
  Buterin says that bitcoin does one thing and does one thing w
  
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• Santander's landmark decision to not pay off a bond could have a major impact on the $140 billion market for risky bank debt

  13-02-2019 13:05 via feedproxy.google.com
  Santander's decision not to "call" (or repay) one of its bonds has confounded investors.
  Everyone expected the €1.5 billion "CoCo" bond would be repaid under a "gentleman's agreement." Santander's decision not to makes the rest of the €125 billion ($141 billion) market look a lot more risky.
  "The fact that a strong global bank has brought such attention to the debt class does not bode well for the multitude of small and weaker institutions that are either already in the market or are t
  
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• Goldman Sachs has formulated the perfect strategy to help traders profit from the strongest labor market in years

  13-02-2019 11:59 via feedproxy.google.com
  Employee pay is gradually increasing after a decade of minimal gains, and Goldman Sachs says the growth is creating risks in the market.
  Analyst Ben Snider has formulated a strategy to help investors take advantage of these potential dislocations.
  He says investors should look for companies that don't spend as much on labor because their profits are less likely to get squeezed as pay continues to rise.Goldman Sachs says investors need to find a hiding spot as employee wages rise and company
  
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• The investment chief at a $628 billion behemoth explains why the path is clear for a 10% stock-market gain this year — as long as one key issue is resolved

  13-02-2019 11:58 via feedproxy.google.com
  John Lynch, the chief investment officer at the $628 billion LPL Financial, says the S&P 500 will rise roughly 10% from current levels by the end of 2019.
  Lynch thinks bearish views on corporate profit growth are overblown. But his bull case comes with a key caveat.Now that the dust has settled on the stock market's late-2018 rough patch, Wall Street is divided on the path ahead.
  Some experts — like those at Morgan Stanley — are refusing to be fooled by what they see as a mirage
  
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• Global stocks bounce after Trump's softening stance on trade war 'music to the ears of the market'

  13-02-2019 10:07 via feedproxy.google.com
  Global markets have been boosted by renewed optimism that a deal to avert trade war escalation can be reached with Asian stocks hitting a four month peak.
  Asian markets, particularly in China, followed Wall Street higher with US futures also pointing up on Wednesday.
  Europe has also been buoyed by hopes that the March 1 trade war deadline between the US and China will be avoided.The worldwide market rally continued on Wednesday with trade war optimism saturating equities. 
  Asian and Europea
  
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• How Coca-Cola, Lego and Gillette tapped into the wisdom of crowds

  13-02-2019 08:16
  Gillette used crowdfunding to raise awareness and gain feedback on its new heated razorWhen Procter & Gamble wanted to test its new shaving innovation, a heated razor for its Gillette brand, it chose what until recently would have seemed an unusual route. Rather than holding focus groups or sending out surveys, it turned to crowdfunding platform Indiegogo.
  The product aims to reproduce the experience of a hot towel shave at a barber by adding a “warming bar” that heats the razor
  
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• New rules hit gambling brands targeting under-18s

  13-02-2019 01:01
  New standards will limit the way gambling brands advertise online to protect children from the potential risks associated with “irresponsible” advertising.
  Coming into force on 1 April, the guidelines devised by the Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP), which is responsible for writing and maintaining the UK advertising codes, will prohibit online ads for gambling products being targeted at individuals likely to be aged under 18. These standards cover all digital media including
  
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• Tech giants face news regulation in UK following review

  13-02-2019 01:00 via warc.com
  A state regulator should be appointed to supervise the quality of news output from tech groups such as Google and Facebook, a major UK government report concludes.The
  
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• Middle-aged Chinese travellers favour mobile payments

  13-02-2019 01:00 via warc.com
  Everything digital may usually be associated with the young, but it turns out that middle-aged Chinese travellers who headed abroad were the biggest users of mobiles to make purchases this Lunar New Year.Plus, those tourists from lower-tier cities...
  
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• KFC is clear winner of Big Bash sponsorship

  13-02-2019 01:00 via warc.com
  Fast-food giant KFC has emerged as the standout sponsorship winner of Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL), new research finds.The fast food brand is associated with the professional BBL Twenty20 cricket league by 21% of the population, a...
  
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• How fashion brands could drive post-purchase engagement

  13-02-2019 01:00 via warc.com
  Fashion brands could achieve heightened consumer engagement and loyalty through using technologies like Bluetooth and mobile apps to give each item of clothing a digital component – an approach that has been tested by Tommy Hilfiger.Launched...
  
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• Here's why Angela Ahrendts' departure could be a good thing for Apple (AAPL)

  13-02-2019 01:00 via feedproxy.google.com
  Angela Ahrendts' resignation could end up being a good thing for Apple.
  Ahrendts, who headed up the company's retail operations, was charged with remaking Apple as a luxury brand.
  That strategy has resulted in higher prices for Apple's products, which have depressed sales.
  With Apple's revenue falling and its iPhone sales plunging, it could use a new approach.Angela Ahrendts' departure from Apple may end up being a blessing in disguise for the iPhone maker.
  A big part of Ahrendts job was to tran
  
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• Encouraging results from blockchain pilot

  13-02-2019 01:00 via warc.com
  A blockchain pilot program focused on providing brands with greater transparency around digital advertising has reported a significant lift in performance when optimized against programmatic discrepancies.The study saw adtech firm Lucidity working...
  
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• Agencies can learn from DTC brands and 'social spread'

  13-02-2019 01:00 via warc.com
  DTC brands are changing traditional consumer-brand dynamics and forcing creative agencies and legacy brands to re-evaluate how they operate, but each side can usefully learn from the other, say two industry figures.Writing for WARC, Sue Mizera,...
  
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