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www.forbes.com

Are Target Boycotts Starting To Take Their Toll?

Target reported 4Q24 sales declined 3% and warned that February sales were "soft." In February the first of several calls to boycott Target began after dialing back DEI.
www.forbes.com www.forbes.com

Target just reported fourth quarter net sales declined 3% and warned that February topline performance was “soft,” after civil rights leaders called for a Target boycott in Black History Month for changing its position on DEI, followed by a sharp drop in traffic to Target stores and website during the Feb. 28 Economic Blackout.

...

Experts generally agree grassroots consumer boycotts do not have a significant effect on a company’s results. However, this time Target may be particularly at risk. Boycott calls are coming from many different groups, including faith and civil rights leaders, and the People’s Union, which is spreading its protests widely across many big businesses. Professor Brayden King at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management shared with USA Today that more than affecting consumer purchase behavior, boycotts put a “negative spotlight” on the company that can have “reputational consequences.” Consumer trust is a critical factor in where they choose to shop and a retailer’s reputation measures that.

Target’s Reputation Plunges This Year​

Target has historically trended as a “reputationally strong” company, according to reputation tracking firm RepTrak. However, its reputation took a steep downward turn early this year, dropping from 73.8 on a 100-point scale in December to 66.3 in January, coinciding with the company scaling back its DEI initiatives which set off the first boycott call.

History Repeat Itself?​

Target experienced its steepest reputational decline in 2023 after its Pride Month displays resulted in a consumer backlash and boycotts. It had a reputation high score of 76.9 in April that year, then plunged to a low of 60.9 in December 23. In fiscal 2023, Target revenues declined 2%.

What We Don’t Know​

Target full-year 2024 revenues declined 1%, dropping to $106.6 billion from $107.4 billion previous year. For fiscal 2025, it is guiding on flat comparable sales with expectations of net sales growth around 1%, reflecting ongoing consumer and tariff “uncertainty.” The company fielded no analyst questions about boycott pressures, but on the subject of tariffs, it reassured investors that it has been “very proactive” on this issue to diversify its country of origin suppliers. While we must wait for any fallout from the gathering storm of consumer boycotts till next quarter earnings, the company credited soft February sales on declining consumer confidence and “uncharacteristically cold weather” across the U.S.
 
www.politico.eu

EU slams the door on US in colossal defense plan

Bloc aims to build up military-industrial complex to deter Russia and brace for the U.S. shift away from Europe.
www.politico.eu www.politico.eu

United States arms-makers are being frozen out of the European Union’s massive new defense spending plan, which aims to splash the cash for EU and allied countries, according to defense spending plans released Wednesday.

Also left out — for now — is the United Kingdom.

“We must buy more European. Because that means strengthening the European defense technological and industrial base,” said Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in announcing the Readiness 2030 program.
In a bid to strengthen ties with allies, Brussels involved countries like South Korea and Japan and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) in its program that could see as much as €800 billion spent on defense.

“We need to see not only Russia as a threat, but also ... more global geopolitical developments and where Americans will put their strategic attention,” European Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius told reporters.

In recent years, about two-thirds of EU procurement orders have gone to U.S. defense companies.
 
The GOP is the recession party...

Clinton came in to clean up the Poppy Bush recession
Obama came in to clean up the GWB great recession
Biden came in to clean up the Trump pandemic recession

If past is prologue it looks like there will be yet another GOP recession. The only question is whether there will be an opportunity for another Dem administration to clean up the next recession.
 
altmin said:
www.politico.eu

EU slams the door on US in colossal defense plan

Bloc aims to build up military-industrial complex to deter Russia and brace for the U.S. shift away from Europe.
www.politico.eu www.politico.eu

United States arms-makers are being frozen out of the European Union’s massive new defense spending plan, which aims to splash the cash for EU and allied countries, according to defense spending plans released Wednesday.

Also left out — for now — is the United Kingdom.

“We must buy more European. Because that means strengthening the European defense technological and industrial base,” said Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in announcing the Readiness 2030 program.
In a bid to strengthen ties with allies, Brussels involved countries like South Korea and Japan and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) in its program that could see as much as €800 billion spent on defense.

“We need to see not only Russia as a threat, but also ... more global geopolitical developments and where Americans will put their strategic attention,” European Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius told reporters.

In recent years, about two-thirds of EU procurement orders have gone to U.S. defense companies.
Click to expand...
As Europe rebuilds its domestic defense industries, a few things likely happen:
  • US sales to European nations decrease
  • US sales to “European-affiliated” nations (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, etc.) decrease
  • US sales decrease worldwide
  • European defense industries increase their supplying to the worldwide arms trade; that’ll decrease U.S. sales AND likely worsen civil wars and/or cross-border wars in Africa and Asia and the Middle East as more vendors vie to sell weapons/ammunition to nations and warlords
 
Zoo_View said:
As Europe rebuilds its domestic defense industries, a few things likely happen:
  • US sales to European nations decrease
  • US sales to “European-affiliated” nations (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, etc.) decrease
  • US sales decrease worldwide
  • European defense industries increase their supplying to the worldwide arms trade; that’ll decrease U.S. sales AND likely worsen civil wars and/or cross-border wars in Africa and Asia and the Middle East as more vendors vie to sell weapons/ammunition to nations and warlords
Click to expand...
It also grossly ups the chance of a worldwide conflagration merely by nature of fewer points of cooperation, and proliferation of manufacturing capable of producing mass casualty devices.
 
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chiefexecutive.net

CEO Optimism Plummets In March Amid Tariff Uncertainty

A poll of more than 220 U.S. CEOs finds business confidence at lowest level since November 2012—and recession fears on the rise.
chiefexecutive.net chiefexecutive.net

“…A poll of more than 220 U.S. CEOs finds business confidence at lowest level since November 2012—and recession fears on the rise.

After a double-digit surge in optimism in the months following the November presidential election, confidence among America’s business community fell sharply the first week of March, according to Chief Executive’s latest CEO Confidence Index, fielded March 4 and 5.

CEOs’ rating of current business conditions in the U.S. fell 20 percent from January, from 6.3 to 5 out of 10, on a scale where 1 is Poor and 10 is Excellent. This is the lowest level since the spring of 2020, when the pandemic shut down businesses around the world.

CEOs’ forecast for what those conditions will look like 12 months from now fell by an even greater margin—28 percent—from 7/10 in January to 5/10 in March. The last time CEOs’ outlook hit that low was November 2012. …”
 
nycfan said:
IMG_5794.jpeg

chiefexecutive.net

CEO Optimism Plummets In March Amid Tariff Uncertainty

A poll of more than 220 U.S. CEOs finds business confidence at lowest level since November 2012—and recession fears on the rise.
chiefexecutive.net chiefexecutive.net

“…A poll of more than 220 U.S. CEOs finds business confidence at lowest level since November 2012—and recession fears on the rise.

After a double-digit surge in optimism in the months following the November presidential election, confidence among America’s business community fell sharply the first week of March, according to Chief Executive’s latest CEO Confidence Index, fielded March 4 and 5.

CEOs’ rating of current business conditions in the U.S. fell 20 percent from January, from 6.3 to 5 out of 10, on a scale where 1 is Poor and 10 is Excellent. This is the lowest level since the spring of 2020, when the pandemic shut down businesses around the world.

CEOs’ forecast for what those conditions will look like 12 months from now fell by an even greater margin—28 percent—from 7/10 in January to 5/10 in March. The last time CEOs’ outlook hit that low was November 2012. …”
Click to expand...
Too bad the CEOs all gave Orangeturd money
 
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bipartisanpolicy.org

March 2025 Debt Limit Analysis | Bipartisan Policy Center

During debt limit impasses, the Bipartisan Policy Center’s experts monitor and analyze federal cash flows to project the X Date—the period during which the…
bipartisanpolicy.org bipartisanpolicy.org

Debt ceiling usually hits on the earlier side of when their estimate widens to touch the X-axis (so July could be it, absent some unexpected increase or decrease in tax revenue or sudden major expense like disaster response).
 
The Conference Board just published it's survey about the future of our economy. It reported a figure of 65.2 which is the lowest mark in 12 years.

Anything below 80 is considered predictive of looming recession.
 
Zoo_View said:
There are several in Carrboro, in the old mill district.

McMansions and/or infill (a 2nd and/or 3rd dwelling on a lot that used to be zoned one unit) has been happening in Carrboro for YEARS.
Click to expand...
and not only that those monstrosities are ugly as sin and not in keeping with the mill district:mad:
 
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