| Home| News | Money | Sports | Entertainment | Food | Lifestyle | Travel | Health | Politics | Technology | Science | Opinion | Garden | Youth | Community | Video | |
| Papa John's cooks up lunch-sales strategy Thu, 08 May 2008 00:55:00 EST Three years after Papa John's International tried to tap into breakfast with a pizza omelet, the Louisville chain is looking to the lunch crowd as part of an effort to boost sales. |
| Horsemen face lower purses at Churchill Thu, 08 May 2008 00:55:00 EST Churchill Downs Inc.'s chief executive expects purses to be cut at the Louisville racetrack next week because of a dispute with horsemen over account-wagering revenues. |
| Genscape still thrives after sale Wed, 07 May 2008 23:05:00 EST Louisville-based Genscape, an energy-information provider that became one of the city's entrepreneurial success stories, continues to thrive following its sale to a British company in 2006, Chief Executive Sean O'Leary told the Venture Club of Louisville yesterday. |
| Fuel prices jump at pump Wed, 07 May 2008 23:05:00 EST The price for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline rose to $3.86 across much of the Louisville area yesterday, as crude oil on the New York Mercantile Exchange came precariously close to $124 a barrel. |
| ResCare's profit up 18% Wed, 07 May 2008 23:06:00 EST ResCare, a Louisville-based provider of services to the elderly and people with disabilities, said yesterday that its profits increased 18 percent during the first three months of the year, compared to the same period last year. |
| WiMax network forming Wed, 07 May 2008 23:06:00 EST Clearwire and Sprint Nextel have resurrected their plan to offer high-speed mobile Internet service with the help of some deep-pocketed supporters. |
| Q: Is there a way I can estimate the value of my home? Wed, 07 May 2008 23:07:00 EST A: The best way is to compare it to similar houses that have sold recently in your area. |
| Eighmey, Kosair Children'spresident, plans to retire Wed, 07 May 2008 23:08:00 EST Doug Eighmey, president of Kosair Children's Hospital, plans to retire from that post at the end of this year. |
| Business People Wed, 07 May 2008 22:51:00 EST Financial services and award announcements are in today's Business People. Submit new items at courier-journal.com/businesspeople Sign up for the daily Business People newsletter at courier-journal.com/newsletters. |
| NLRB seeks order to force Massey to hire union workers Thu, 08 May 2008 08:53 EDT The National Labor Relations Board is seeking a federal injunction to require coal operator Massey Energy to rehire 85 union members at a West Virginia mine. An NLRB administrative law judge ruled last November that Massey violated federal labor laws by refusing to rehire the miners after acquiring the mine from Horizon in 2004. On Thursday, the agency is scheduled to argue its contention that Massey and its Spartan Mining subsidiary will keep violating federal labor laws without an injunction. Massey has tried to get the NLRB request dismissed. The company contends former employees weren't hired because better replacements were found. It also says it didn't have to bargain with the United Mine Workers because the subsidiary that acquired the mine wasn't a legal successor to Horizon. |
| Papa John's enjoying sweet taste of online success Thu, 08 May 2008 02:03 EDT Sometimes during peak hours, the phones are silent in Andy Freitas' pizza restaurants, yet the cooks are busy keeping pace with hungry customers. That's because orders are rolling in through the Internet. "It's pretty amazing not to hear a phone ring on a busy night," said Freitas, an operating partner with the largest Papa John's franchisee in the Washington, D.C., market. In the past seven years, Papa John's International Inc. has made a lot of dough from online ordering: more than $1 billion to be exact. The nation's third-largest pizza operator trumpeted the $1 billion milestone Wednesday, noting that its U.S. online sales have been growing at an average clip of more than 50 percent a year. In 2001, the chain's online sales totaled $20.4 million. Last year, its online sales approached $400 million. |
| Toyota projects first full-year profit drop in 7 years Thu, 08 May 2008 09:28 EDT Toyota said the strong yen and weaker U.S. sales took a bite out of January-March earnings and projected worse was to come - a 27 percent plunge in its full-year profit. It would be the first drop in full-year profit in seven years for the automaker. The results and outlook released Thursday highlight how the tough North American auto market is hammering profits. Meanwhile, unfavorable currency swings added to a growing list of problems for Toyota Motor Corp., including soaring material and energy costs and a stagnant auto market in its home market of Japan. "There is no mistake that things are seriously tough - even for Toyota," said Tsuyoshi Mochimaru, auto analyst at Lehman Brothers in Tokyo. Still, the company appeared to be faring better than its American rivals. GM lost $3.3 billion in the first quarter. Ford had a surprise profit of $100 million for the same period but expects to lose money this year as the U.S. auto market deteriorates. |
| More shoppers seeking shelter from economy in discounters Thu, 08 May 2008 19:17 EDT Caught in the maelstrom of higher gas and food prices, Americans - even more affluent ones - are seeking shelter in wholesale clubs and discount apparel chains. Low-price operators Costco Wholesale Corp., Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and TJX Cos. reported better-than-expected sales on Thursday, while traditional apparel chains J.C. Penney Co. and Limited Brands Inc. struggled. "The smart shopper is in full bloom," said Craig R. Johnson, president of consultancy Customer Growth Partners. "They're looking to stretch their household budgets, and if you can get decent quality merchandise, why pay full price?" "Smart shopping" is sweeping through all wage classes, analysts say, and it could spell trouble for retailers' profits and for the economy, too. To lure customers, apparel chains are discounting more. First-quarter profits are slated to be down by 14.9 percent, according to Ken Perkins, president of RetailMetrics LLC, a research company in Swampscott, Mass. That compares to a projection in January of 5.3 percent profit growth. |
| Business notes Thu, 08 May 2008 07:37 EDT KENTUCKY CHURCHILL POSTS $800,000 PROFIT Churchill Downs Inc. reported an $800,000 profit for its first quarter -- a time when the Louisville-based company usually posts a loss because of the lack of live racing at its tracks. In announcing the earnings late Tuesday, president and chief executive Bob Evans attributed the gains to insurance recoveries from Hurricane Katrina, returns from online betting and higher-than-expected returns from slots operations in Louisiana. Evans also said, however, that disputes with horsemen over how to divide revenue are hurting the company. In Florida, the opening of a slots site at Calder Race Course will be delayed, and purses will be cut at Calder and Churchill Downs, he said. Evans also expressed the company's "tremendous sadness" at the death of Kentucky Derby runner-up Eight Belles on Saturday. NATIONAL AMERICAN LAST IN ON-TIME FLIGHTS FOR MARCH |
| Dollar mixed in Europe ahead of ECB rate call Thu, 08 May 2008 07:48 EDT The dollar was mixed against the euro and pound on Thursday as markets awaited an interest rate decision from the European Central after the Bank and Bank of England left its rates steady. The 15-nation euro bought $1.5337 in late morning European trading, down from the $1.5401 it purchased in New York late Wednesday. The British pound edged higher to $1.9571, from $1.9531 after the Bank of England left its rate unchanged at 5 percent. The dollar fell to buy 104.10 Japanese yen from 105.26 yen in New York overnight. Analysts said the dollar was holding onto its recent gains against the euro on sentiment that the U.S. Federal Reserve Bank was likely nearing the end to its volley of rate cuts, which have brought the interest rate down to 2 percent. That's in contrast to the ECB, which has kept its rate unchanged at 4 percent and is expected to do so again later Thursday. |
| Wal-Mart same-store sales rise 3.2 percent in April Thu, 08 May 2008 07:43 EDT Wal-Mart Stores Inc. says sales of groceries and items such as flat-screen TVs boosted its same-store sales in April above Wall Street expectations. The world's largest retailer said same-store sales rose 3.2 percent, easily beating Wall Street's 2.1 percent growth forecast. Including fuel, same-store sales climbed 3.8 percent. The sales figure, which counts only stores open at least one year, is considered a key measure of a retailer's fiscal health. Same-store sales rose 2.6 percent at namesake Wal-Mart stores and 6.6 percent at Sam's Club, excluding fuel. Total sales for the four weeks ended May 2 rose 10 percent to $29.18 billion. |
| Massey subsidiary cited for 3 violations in W.Va. mine fatal Wed, 07 May 2008 21:28 EDT Coal operator Massey Energy Co. has been cited for safety violations that federal investigators say contributed to the death of a West Virginia miner late last year. The U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration found the violations while investigating a Dec. 4 accident at an underground Massey mine in Kanawha County. Miner David Neal fell about 39 feet when a conveyer belt he was repairing started unexpectedly. The 57-year-old died 10 days later. MSHA noted a series of problems at the mine in a report released Wednesday. Among other things, MSHA cited Massey's Mammoth Coal Co. because the belt had inadequate startup alarms, including one that wasn't working, according to the report. Inspectors also cited the mine after finding the power to the belt hadn't been turned off before Neal started work and the circuit breaker had a broken handle, making it inoperable. Massey spokesman Jeff Gillenwater declined immediate comment on the report. However, he noted in an e-mail that the company has conducted additional training on procedures for locking and tagging equipment and using fall protection equipment. |
| Churchill Downs reports first-quarter profit Wed, 07 May 2008 14:23 EDT Churchill Downs Inc. reported an $800,000 profit for its first quarter -- a time when the Louisville-based company usually posts a loss because of the lack of live racing at its tracks. In announcing the earnings late Tuesday, president and chief executive Bob Evans attributed the gains to insurance recoveries from Hurricane Katrina, returns from online betting and higher-than-expected returns from slots operations in Louisiana. Evans also said, however, that disputes with horsemen over how to divide revenue are hurting the company. In Florida, the opening of a slots site at Calder Race Course will be delayed, he said. On Wednesday, in a conference call with investors, Evans announced cuts in purses at both Calder and Churchill Downs, also because of the lack of agreement with the trainers. Horsemen are guaranteed part of the wagering revenue but must negotiate the percentages. |
| Toyota raising prices on some models Wed, 07 May 2008 12:56 EDT Toyota Motor Corp., the world's second-biggest automaker by annual vehicle sales, is raising its prices on some U.S. models later this month amid increased worries about its profit growth in the American market. The price increases, which will start in the middle of May, include a hike of $200 on the 2008 Yaris sedan, boosting the cost of the base model to $12,425, with higher prices for models with extra features. The 2009 Camry will go up $200, to $18,920 for a model without any extras, the automaker's U.S. unit said in a statement. The base hybrid Camry, introduced as a 2007 model in late 2006, will cost $300 more, at $25,650, Toyota said. Like other Japanese automakers, Toyota is enjoying sales growth while American automakers are struggling. Soaring gas prices have increased demand for smaller, fuel-efficient cars that Japanese automakers are reputed for. Toyota faces a challenge in maintaining profits partly because of the recent decline in the dollar, which erodes the value of overseas earnings of Japanese exporters. Worries are also rising about how a U.S. economic slowdown may hurt sales. |
| Paper to offer employee buyouts Wed, 07 May 2008 02:07 EDT The Lexington Herald-Leader Co. is offering voluntary buyout packages to selected employees to reduce its work force in the face of declining revenue from advertising and circulation. An estimated 4 percent of the newspaper's 385 full-time employees and managers are expected to be accepted by the company for the program, Publisher Timothy M. Kelly told employees Tuesday. The actual total could be higher or lower than 15, depending on who applies. Employees in certain jobs, including advertising salespeople, will be ineligible for the program. Kelly declined to say how many employees would be offered the buyout. Written details were distributed Tuesday. Benefits include up to 26 weeks' pay and extended health insurance coverage. |
| Extreme makeovers hit restaurant menus Wed, 07 May 2008 02:07 EDT Struggling with soaring food costs and cash-strapped customers, restaurants across the country are swapping expensive ingredients for cheaper fare and adding new dishes that won't break their bottom line. Call it a menu makeover: Steakhouses are adding buffalo meat alongside filet mignon, pizza joints are trying new cheese products and seafood spots are replacing pricier entrees with humbler dishes such as catfish. The changes come as record oil prices and surging global demand for staples like rice, fish, poultry and wheat have pushed wholesale food prices up almost 8 percent in the last year, the biggest increase in three decades, according to the National Restaurant Association. Food commodities prices have mostly come down from record highs reached earlier this year, but wholesale flour prices have doubled in the last year, egg prices have shot up 70 percent and cheese is up 25 percent. "This is definitely an unprecedented period of wholesale food inflation. Operators must focus on cost, and one way is using different ingredients," said Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of research at the 380,000-member National Restaurant Association. |
| Speaker to women: Go public Wed, 07 May 2008 02:07 EDT Diana Villiers Negroponte tries to encourage young women to enter public life, such as running for Congress or governor of their state. And that's what she was doing Tuesday when she spoke to more than 350 women attending the ninth annual Women's Business & Leadership Conference at the Radisson Plaza Hotel. "The routine can be grinding," and you must spend time away from your family, but the rewards are many, she said. Negroponte knows the challenges and compensations of public life firsthand. She is senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, one of the oldest think tanks in Washington, D.C. For many years she has focused on international human rights issues. Her husband, John D. Negroponte, is deputy secretary of state, the No. 2 position in the State Department. He is also a former U.S. ambassador to Iraq. |
| Check insurance policies for savings Wed, 07 May 2008 07:38 EDT While insurance is a necessary expense in just about every budget, it is one worth examining in tight budget times. You can get a break on car insurance for good behavior. Ask about discounts if you've gone a certain number of years without an accident or ticket, store your car in a garage or drive less than a certain number of miles each year. If the kids have left for good, take them off the policy; if they are simply away at college, ask about a distant-student credit. Look at raising deductibles on car and home insurance and switching from monthly payments of insurance premium to annual payments. Only you know if you are disciplined enough to save the lump you'll owe your insurer each year. Also, see if you can get rid of private mortgage insurance. If you have 20 percent equity in your home, you could qualify to start saving that money. |
| Gas jumps nearly 3 cents to record; oil crosses $124 Thu, 08 May 2008 19:17 EDT Gasoline and crude oil jumped to new records Thursday, with gas rising 3 cents to an average national price of nearly $3.65 a gallon and oil crossing $124 a barrel for the first time. At the pump, the average price of a gallon of regular gas nationwide rose 2.7 cents to a record $3.645, according to a survey of stations by AAA and the Oil Price Information Service. Diesel prices also rose, adding 0.9 cent to match a record national average of $4.251 a gallon. Gas prices tend to lag oil futures, and with crude rising to a new record near $124 a barrel Wednesday and likely headed higher, it's widely expected the average price of gas will soon rise as high as $4. Motorists in many areas, including parts of California and Hawaii, are already paying that much, or more. "If oil prices go the way that pundits are expecting, there's no way we'll stay under $4 a gallon," said Fadel Gheit, an analyst at Oppenheimer & Co. in New York. Meanwhile, light, sweet crude for June delivery rose 16 cents to reach a settlement record of $123.69 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange Thursday after spending much of the day in negative territory. But in after-market electronic trading, prices shot to a new trading record of $124.61. Analysts said volume was quite low, making it easy for oil to keep pushing higher. |
| Stocks rise modestly even as oil extends record high run Thu, 08 May 2008 18:01 EDT Wall Street closed a quiet session with a moderate advance Thursday, with energy and other commodities companies leading the market as oil prices extended their record-breaking run. The price of crude oil swept past $124 a barrel in late New York Mercantile Exchange trading, while gasoline rose to a new record of its own at the pump, climbing to a national average of nearly $3.65 a gallon. Although the rising price of oil ignited concerns about inflation on Wednesday, knocking the Dow Jones industrial average down more than 200 points, stocks managed to hold on to their gains even as oil rose Thursday. Some of the big gainers were the companies that would benefit the most from higher commodities prices - the oil companies and metals producers like Alcoa Inc. - and they helped lift the major indexes. Stocks also rose after retailers issued April sales results that, while not strong overall, were less gloomy than expected. The data suggested that high energy costs are leading consumers to alter their spending, and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. was one of the beneficiaries of that trend. But some apparel stores - whose merchandise falls into the category of discretionary items - again saw depressed sales as consumers budgeted more for gasoline and food. Financial stocks were the worst performers of the day. Philip S. Dow, managing director of equity strategy at RBC Dain Rauscher in Minneapolis, said investors likely are still jittery over the sector, with continued concern about whether the companies have problems on their books beyond subprime mortgages. "Our guess is that the worst is not over for the financials on a fundamentals basis," he said. |
| Will love of mom overcome economy worries on Mother's Day? Thu, 08 May 2008 16:06 EDT It's a few days before Mother's Day and Robert Jenkins jumps every time the phone rings. He's got about 220 reservations at his Cajun-style restaurant, Bayou, for brunch on Sunday. Last year, he had 300 reservations - but with the economy sagging, business is down. Like many in the industry, he believes that love for Mom will trump fears about the economy. So when the phone rings this week, he's hoping it's someone booking a spot in his 115-seat dining room overlooking the Milwaukee River. "You have high expectations and this is one of those markers that you have that you need to perform well on," said Jenkins, who owns the restaurant with his brother. Mother's Day is the restaurant industry's busiest day of the year. If the holiday doesn't go well, profits could be affected for the rest of the year in what's already been a tough environment. Though Americans are projected to spend more than $1.5 billion each day this year at restaurants, many are pulling back in the wake of rising gas and food prices and shaky job markets. |
| Best Buy teams up with leading European cell phone retailer Thu, 08 May 2008 16:26 EDT Consumer electronics chain Best Buy Co. Inc. is establishing a foothold in the European market with a $2.1 billion investment in the continent's largest cell phone retailer, allowing the American company to roll out its trademark big box stores in Europe, the companies said Thursday. The London-based Carphone Warehouse Group PLC will put its 2,400 Carphone Warehouse and Phone House stores in Europe into the new joint venture. In a conference call with analysts, the companies said they have been speaking for four years and have collaborated for two, developing the Best Buy Mobile concept for Best Buy stores in the U.S., and bringing Best Buy's Geek Squad, a 24-hour computer support task force, to Europe. "We are partnering with an incredibly powerful and incredibly successful organization," said Charles Dunstone, chief executive of The Carphone Warehouse. Executives from both companies declined to say how many Best Buy stores will open in Europe, or in which markets, because they didn't want to tip off the competition. However, they did say the stores will come in a range of sizes and will start opening next year. |
| Big Meadow sets pace Betty Gentry and Sheila Pruitt’s joint business venture, Big Meadow Oil, certainly evolved beyond its founders’ original goal. |
| BUSINESS BRIEFS Hishmeh, Houchens, Lindsey join Coldwell BankerSheesley joins RE/MAX |
| Library offers business book club It is recommended that anyone working in business read at least one “business” book a month as a tool for staying on the cutting edge. |
| 1 |
Copyright © Andanh.com 2008
Chinese Dir