NAW SmartBrief: Rising profits boost dividend and cash but not hiring
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
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Posted by: Maggie Skarich
July 28, 2010
News for the wholesale distribution
industry
News
and Trends
National activity index dropped in June The
Chicago Fed National Activity Index dropped to -0.63 in June from +0.31 in May.
Of the 85 individual indicators in the index, 49 made negative contributions
while 36 made positive contributions. The index measures activity in four
categories: production; employment; consumption and housing; and sales, orders
and inventories. Modern Distribution Management (7/26)
Rising profits boost dividend and cash but not hiring Profits
are increasing for many U.S. companies, but the benefit isn't flowing through to
the labor market or the broader economy, economists said. The strengthening
profit comes from cost cutting, and the money is being paid out as dividends or
held on the company's books as cash, rather than being invested. Profit
increased 40% between the end of 2008 and the first quarter of 2010, but wages
are close to their recession low. The New York Times (free registration)
(7/25)
U.S. firms keep on trucking in Q2 U.S.
trucking firms are reporting improved results for the second quarter as demand
improves for freight. J.B. Hunt Transport Services posted a revenue increase of
22% for the quarter, while Covenant Transportation Group posted a revenue
increase of 9.4%. "We are decelerating to a period of hopefully sustainable but
slower growth," said Bob Costello, chief economist at the American Trucking
Association. The Wall Street Journal (7/26)
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Best
Practices
Are you letting the best job candidates get away? The
quality of the applicants that you don't hire can be an important recruiting
metric, writes John Sullivan. He recommends companies evaluate where in the
hiring process their firm is losing top candidates and determine when to
identify top applicants. ERE.net (7/26)
How to avoid letting data, time and emotion cripple decision
making Decisions
made with a lack of data and time and excess emotion often lead to strategic
missteps, writes Art Petty. Leaders shouldn't be afraid to hit the brakes on the
decision-making process to make sure the team has clarity and data is carefully
evaluated. ArtPetty.com (7/22)
Sales
7 steps for making a marketing plan The
first step to creating a marketing plan is to understand your market and your
competition, writes Todd Schnick. Keeping your plan simple and not adding layers
of complexity are key as well as determining sales and marketing goals. The Customer Collective (7/26)
Small
Business Manager
How to prevent fraud Fraud
hurts small businesses more than larger ones, according to a recent study. Check
tampering, inventory fraud and commercial bribery are some of the most common
types of fraud at small businesses, said one expert. He recommends employers do
background checks, verify information on resumes and check employees' credit to
help prevent fraud. Bloomberg Businessweek (7/23)
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Moderate exercise can help reduce acid reflux A
study found short periods of moderate exercise can reduce the risk of
gastroesophageal reflux disease, partly because it helps people lose weight.
Researchers found while aerobic exercise induced acid reflux, less agitating
workouts such as riding a stationary bike caused fewer heartburn problems. The New York Times (free registration)
(7/26)
Disney offers a glimpse of beachside Hawaiian resort Walt
Disney's Aulani Hawaiian resort is under construction and scheduled to open in
2011. Late last week, the company offered a sneak peek to the standalone resort,
which could serve as a model for future Disney projects. "This is a very special
project for us," said Tom Staggs, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.
"It's unlike anything that Disney has done before; at the same time, it's very
like many of the things we do." CNBC (7/23)
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Insider
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pricing improvement -- and ultimately increased profitability.
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Fraud
hurts small businesses more than larger ones, according to a recent study. Check
tampering, inventory fraud and commercial bribery are some of the most common
types of fraud at small businesses, said one expert. He recommends employers do
background checks, verify information on resumes and check employees' credit to
help prevent fraud. 
