Lowes Companies, Inc. And The Home Improvement Industry In 2007

With the housing boom coming to an end, rising interest rates, and decreasing consumer spending on home improvement products, the home improvement industry is on the brink of change. The industry is seeing increased costs for fuel, raw materials, and lumber in addition to shortages of raw materials. Past years sales growth rates (9.3% in 2005) are expected to slow to 4-5% as the industry reaches maturity. Will Lowes Companies domestic growth strategy be sufficient in the years to come? Robert Niblock, Lowes chief executive expressed confidence in the companys ability to maintain its momentum when he stated, Recent data suggest continued favourable trends in employment levels and income growth which will offset some of the monetary pressures consumers are facing, such as rising fuel prices and interest rates. He also stated, As trends in the housing market normalize from the rapid growth experience over the past few years, we believe we have the programs in place to continue to capture share and deliver solid earnings growth

The European Union: What Might The Future Hold?

Some extraordinary events have been taking place in the European Union in recent years.  This group of countries has introduced a new currency, has expanded to a 25 member country single market, and is in the process of implementing a European Union constitution.  Because these events will have an impact on the United States and on global business, it is important to monitor and evaluate activities of the EU.  This paper briefly reviews the development of the European Union, then discusses recent events and the implications of European Union activities for business, and looks at future possibilities for the EU

American Red Cross

The American Red Cross has been plagued with problems over the past two years from an antitrust lawsuit, repercussions from the distributions of funds from the Liberty Fund to the survivors of the World Trade Center disaster, problems with donated blood, a negative report from the Better Business Bureau, and a negative news report on CBS’s ’60 Minutes’.  This case study looks at the history of the Red Cross, provides information about the services provided by the organization, discusses the problems the American Red Cross has encountered over the past 3 years, and introduces Marsha Evans who took the position of CEO in August 2002

The Streaming Television Industry: Mature or Still Growing?

This paper is about the streaming television industry. It begins by defining the industry and provides a brief history of the television industry in general, from the first transatlantic television signal in 1928 to 2018. From that point, it emphasizes the streaming television industry, which started in 2007, when Netflix first streamed movies over the internet. The main section of the paper focuses on Michael Porter’s theory of the industry life cycle to determine the current stage of the industry. The research question is developed, proposing that the industry is in the growth phase. Then, the number of paid subscribers of the top streaming providers in 2018 is used to address the research question. The results indicate that the industry is in the growth phase. The final section provides an outlook for the industry’s future

Is Lululemon Athletica’s Turnabournd Sustainable?

lululemon athletica, Inc. was founded in 1998 by Chip Wilson with a focus on comfortable, innovative athletic wear for women dedicated to a healthy, fit lifestyle. The company went public in 2007 and has been plagued with product and management issues ever since. Expected revenues for the future have been revised downward and growth in the women’s apparel industry is predicted to be -0.4% in the next five years. Can lululemon athletica, Inc. survive? While it has increased its gross revenue in the last two fiscal years, has it turned the corner on past mistakes

New Belgium Brewing: What Is Its Future After the Acquisition?

This case explores the rise of New Belgium Brewing from inception to a well-known brewery, the founders’ passion, its concern for environmental issues, and its employee involvement in management which led to an employee purchase via an ESOP. In 2019 the employees voted to sell to Lion Little World Beverages of Australia, a subsidiary of Kirin. The questions going forward are will the company maintain its passion for environmental issues, social challenges, and employee involvement? Can or will the new owner maintain the previous culture

The Toy Industry Is Declining? How Can Mattel, Inc. Survive?

Will the iconic Barbie doll survive? Mattel, Inc.’s sales are declining, the company has lost its Disney Princess line to Hasbro, and the industry is changing. Today’s kids outgrow toys at a younger age and are drawn to video games and electronics. The competitive market is changing as more companies are entering international markets. Mattel’s CEO has a challenge to turnaround the downward spiral of revenues

An Industry in Decline: Can U.S. Horse Racing Turn the Corner?

Horse tracks once were at the height of their popularity when it was one of the few options for disposable income and use of leisure time. However, horse tracks have declined in popularity, have seen decreased revenue, an aging target market, and are less attractive to younger generations who are tethered to their cell phones. Given the increasing regulation, market trends, and decreasing revenues can the industry turn the corner to a better home stretch

UBER: A Great Disrupter or Not?

In 2009, Travis Kalanick and Garret Camp created a ride sharing platform connecting drivers with passengers wanting rides in major cities throughout America. They started Uber (originally UberCab) in San Francisco, then expanded across the USA, into Europe, India, and other countries. After several missteps Travis was forced to resign. Is it possible for Uber to survive a negative reputation, negative public relation issues, attacks by the taxi and regulatory entities, and rebuild a damaged corporate culture especially during and after a pandemic

Are Subscribers Cutting their Subscriptions in the Telecommunications Industry?

This paper researches the cord cutting phenomenon occurring in the telecommunications industry. An analysis of changes in the number of subscribers of telephone, satellite TV, voice, cable, and broadband companies has been compiled. Some of the reasons that cord cutting is occurring include increasing prices of services, new technology that provide multiple ways to obtain services, changes in viewing habits, and government policy changes. A discussion about the future of the industry suggests that live content TV and 5G technology will further impact the number of subscribers