Tipsheet: Wmart/CVS Execs Iviewed for Uber #2 | Amazon +23% | Toy Fad | Apple Money-Transfer Service?
Uber interviewed Karenann Terrell, former CIO of Walmart and Helena Foulkes of CVS for No. 2 position by Greg Bensinger, Betsy Morris & Georgia Wells at Wall Street Journal. “Uber is also seeking prospects with experience in fields with complicated labor and operational structures, such as airlines, said people briefed on the search. Ms. Foulkes and Mr. Staggs are no longer in discussions with Uber, said people familiar with the talks. It isn’t clear who, if anyone, is on a short list.” Read more (subs.)
Amazon’s 1Q Kills It, Retail Sales & The Cloud Spike Shares at Fox Business. “The company’s total net sales rose 22.6 percent to $35.71 billion in the quarter ended March 31, compared with the average analyst estimate of $35.30 billion.” Read more | Press release
…Amazon Prime Revenue Up Nearly 50% In The Past Year by Leena Rao at Fortune. Read more
…Amazon surpasses 350,000 employees, up 43% from last year by Taylor Soper at GeekWire. “Just five years ago at this time, Amazon employed 65,600 people.” Read more
Apple reportedly in talks to launch a money-transfer service by Jason Del Rey at Recode. “One source familiar with the plans told Recode they expect the company to announce the new service later this year. Another cautioned that an announcement and launch date may not yet be set. Apple previously held talks with banks about such a service back in 2015 but did not end up launching anything.” Read more
Wal-Mart de Mexico Posts Moderate Profit Growth by Anthony Harrup at Wall Street Journal. “…most of the sales growth in the quarter came from same-store sales, which increased 4.1% in Mexico and 2.1% in Central America.” Read more (subs.)
Fast fashion is taking out traditional retailers, now one CEO is bringing the model upscale by Krystina Gustafson at CNBC. “Whereas outgoing Ralph Lauren CEO Stefan Larsson aimed to cut the company’s lead times from 15 months to nine months, Xcel CEO Bob D’Loren has whittled his team’s process down to six weeks.” Read more
Starbucks’ New CEO Raises Alarm About Retail Disruption by John Kell at Fortune. “Kevin Johnson minced no words when he kicked off his first quarterly results presentation as the chief executive of Starbucks…He specifically referenced a recent Wall Street Journal story that said through April 6, physical store closures have been announced for 2,880 locations this year.” Read more
The Most Attractive Employers For Business Students In 2017 (Amazon #5) at Forbes. Gallery list
Facebook and Google Were Victims of $100M Payment Scam by Jeff John Roberts at Fortune. “When the Justice Department announced the arrest last month of a man who allegedly swindled more than $100 million from two U.S. tech giants, the news came wrapped in a mystery. The agency didn’t say who was robbed…The mystery is now unraveled.” Read more
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Lowes Foods exec shares how company transformed its brand by Lillia Callum-Penson at Greenville Online. “The changes began with door to door research. A company team met with 120 customers over a two week span. The results were eye-opening, George said. “We talked to real human beings that really didn’t have anything good to say about Lowes Foods,” George said. “We didn’t have a whole lot to lose.” Read more
E-commerce pushes UPS package volume 2.3% higher in the US for Q1 by Tracy Maple at Internet Retailer. Read more
Under Armour feels the ripple effects of wider retail turmoil by Sarah Halzack at Washington Post. “The shifting retail landscape is just one of a long and varied list of issues that has Under Armour playing defense right now. While the company’s stock popped more than 9 percent Thursday because of a profit loss that wasn’t as bad as investors expected, the stock has plummeted more than 50 percent over the past year.” Read more
Boxed Sees Narrow Inventory as an Edge by Spencer Soper at Bloomberg. “Boxed has spent tens of millions of dollars on a new automation system, launching this month, to triple the output of its 140,000-square-foot warehouse in Union, New Jersey, without needing more space or workers.” Read more/Video
DSW announces appointment of Michele Love as EVP & COO Press release
Amazon makes a ‘regional play’ with surprise Bellevue expansion by Nat Levy at GeekWire. “Chatter amongst the real estate scene has it that the new Bellevue office is not a one-off, and Amazon is looking for even more office space in downtown Bellevue and surrounding areas.” Read more
Williams Sonoma Launches Food Collaboration with Trisha Yearwood Press release
The hottest new toy fad is a spinning piece of plastic by Lisa Fickenscher at NY Post. “So-called fidget spinners, low-tech, low-price stress relieving toys, are a huge fad sweeping the country, and stores can’t keep them in stock, manufacturers and retailers told The Post on Thursday.” Read more
Tipsheet Extra Stories
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Stamp will use body heat to change images in celebration of Aug. 21 solar eclipse
5-Year-Old Lands Dream Job as a Walmart Greeter
Ayesha Curry Wants to Be the Martha Stewart for Millennials
No picketing for Pixar? Why a writers’ strike won’t hobble animation studios
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