Daily Archives: November 30, 2008

Wal-Mart (WMT): Ambrosia For The Working Man

Wmt

The new Wal-Mart (WMT) super-store in Columbia, Kentucky is longer than the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise which is docked on the West Side of Manhattan. The retail outlet’s ceilings are taller than those below the flight deck, probably forty feet from the floor. Wal-Mart is a ship of war all its own.

The location draws from five counties, bringing in people from as far away as 50 miles. That must hurt retailers in cities and towns from Russell Springs to Burkeville to Campbellsville. The LGA food supermarket in Columbia used to demand immodestly high prices. When the Wal-Mart came to town those prices came down.

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Posted on: November 30, 2008 – 5:40 pm in Retail,

A Century Of Cars: Does Detroit Deserve A Bailout?

Ford1Near the Detroit Metropolitan Airport, visible from several major highways, is a four-story tall replica of a Uniroyal tire. It was built for the 1964 World’s Fair in New York and was moved to its present site after that event closed.

Back then, Akron, Ohio was the “Rubber Capital” of the world with the headquarters of most of the major tire companies including Goodyear and Firestone just a little over 100 miles from Detroit. It was one of the twenty largest cities in the US and Detroit was in the top five. Tire executives could make it up to GM in two hours to grab a three-martini lunch and be home by dinner.

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Posted on: November 30, 2008 – 5:29 pm in Autos, , , ,

E-Commerce Spending Flat For “Black Friday” (AMZN)(EBAY)(WMT)(TGT)

AngrybearSome figures picked up in the media from research house ShopperTrak showed retail sales on Black Friday up 3%, which was much better than the most gloomy forecasts. The level of consumer spending may not stay high, but it is an indication that the holiday may not be a complete washout for a retail industry which was already on the ropes.

For the last several years, e-commerce holiday sales have grown faster than in-store revenues. That trend may be coming to an end.

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Posted on: November 30, 2008 – 1:21 pm in Internet, , , ,

Microsoft (MSFT) In Talks To Buy Yahoo! (YHOO) Search For $20 Billion?

MsftMicrosoft (MSFT) is well along in talks to control and eventually buy Yahoo!’s (YHOO) search business for $20 billion, according to a report in the Times of London.

AllThingsDigital says no such deal is in the works.

The Times says the boards of both companies have had meetings on the transaction.

If it is a real deal, it would push Yahoo!’s share price back over $20

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Posted on: November 30, 2008 – 5:59 am in Internet, , ,