Core & Main earned $111 million in the fiscal third quarter, compared with $64 million in the year-ago quarter, on revenue of $1.82 billion, up from $1.41 billion. The distributor said about 75% of its top-line growth was due to higher prices.
Singapore-based online retailer Shein is reportedly considering plans to expand into an online marketplace offering multiple brands, making it more competitive with big players including Amazon and Alibaba Group Holding. The company, known for its low-priced fashions, has also started shifting some manufacturing from China to other countries such as Turkey.
Inflation cooled in November, as the consumer price index increased 0.1% compared with October and 7.1% compared with November 2021, according to the Labor Department. The core consumer price index, which excludes food and energy prices, increased 0.2% compared with October and 6% compared with November 2021. All four numbers came in below analysts' expectations.
Streamline team collaboration and reduce costs In the contact center, it's in the collaboration layer where work gets done. Join experts from Slack, NeuraFlash and Salesforce as they explore features that help your retail service teams provide connected personalized service at every touchpoint. Register here.
Ocean container rates are slowly decreasing, while freight capacity and parts availability are increasing, all of which are good signs for supply chains going into 2023, writes David Maloney. In addition, "supply chain planners are adjusting to all of these changes by diversifying suppliers, optimizing freight, and retooling their DCs to streamline operations," Maloney writes.
While logistics real estate company Prologis is predicting a drop in US warehouse development next year, it also foresees an increase in demand for sustainable warehouses, including sharp upticks in rooftop solar capacity. Prologis also says such development could protect logistics companies from volatile fossil fuel prices and evolving regulations.
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The business-to-business buying group has become larger and prefers a predominantly self-directed route to purchase, which means B2B marketers must focus on delivering the right digital content, Ann Gynn writes. Part of planning and creating the best content is shadowing sales colleagues to get to know prospects, reviewing buyer personas and writing case studies, Gynn explains.
Marketers can glean four types of information from social media research to help inform decisions: industry insights, competitor analysis, brand positioning and content design and messaging, writes Jessica Wong, Valux Digital and uPro Digital CEO. Social media research can help businesses "access the right audience faster than ever before and at lower costs" when directing their efforts to specific segments of audiences on social platforms, Wong notes.
Author and Crucial Learning co-founder Joseph Grenny explains several ways leaders can master the art of successfully navigating emotionally charged "crucial conversations." Consider the risks of not speaking up, convey respect for others to make them feel safe, invite people to disagree and work to change any negative emotions you feel toward others, Grenny advises.
Hopes for lower inflation and other factors have buoyed CEO confidence going into 2023, with Chief Executive's latest CEO Confidence Index standing at 5.9 out of 10 points, up nearly 4% from November. Still, many respondents indicate "that global and domestic uncertainty, coupled with stagflation and falling disposable income for consumers sets the stage for a challenging environment for business, at least in the first half of 2023," writes Isabella Mourgelas.
