In the midst of the pandemic, Williams-Sonoma has stood out as a company, its stock price reaching a new all-time high in January 2021, despite many businesses declining. Paired with its strength in e-commerce, the company’s ongoing success is due in large part to consumers staying at home more than ever before. Still, the company faces potential headwinds as the shift to online shopping impacts home furnishing sales and rivals like online furniture retailer Wayfair increase their market share. As a retailer known for its brick-and-mortar locations, can the brand keep up its success?
Tag Archives: Business
Analysis: The Rise & Fall Of E-Cigarette Maker ‘Juul’
In 2017, Juul catapulted to the top of the e-cigarette market. But the company’s valuation has fallen just as quickly, as a series of crises have led to hundreds of lawsuits alleging that the company marketed its products to teens. Photo Illustration: Jacob Reynolds/WSJ
Analysis: China’s Aircraft Manufacturer ‘Comac’ Tests New Passenger Jet
As the pandemic continues to weigh on the aviation industry, Chinese aircraft manufacturer Comac has been pushing ahead with testing a new passenger jet. If successful, the C919 could rival Boeing and Airbus in the largest aviation market in the world. Photo illustration: Sharon Shi
Analysis: The Size And Scope Of ‘Google’ (video)
No other tech firm in history has managed to infiltrate and influence daily life to the same insane extent as search giant Google. The Californian company’s impact on how we work, play, and settle drunken arguments is so well documented it more or less goes without saying. What’s perhaps less well understood is just how vast the company has grown, since deciding it wasn’t satisfied simply being everybody’s omniscient online know-it-all. So today we’re on the search for just what this modern-day behemoth actually does and asking the question – how big is Google?
Europe: ‘An Economic History Of Spain’ (Video)
The Spanish economy is one of extremes. At one point a focus of the eurozone crisis, at another the largest contributor of growth, and more recently, suffering the greatest economic hit of any Advanced Economy in 2020. Spain’s economic problems are often confused. In the years leading up to the Great Recession it posted consistent budget surpluses. However, a huge real estate bubble was lying in wait. The question… is why? Why did Spain go from a seemingly safe level of debt to one larger than it’s economy? How was the housing bubble encouraged? And since then, has Spain’s economy ever truly recovered? Or in what ways?
Analysis: Can Cheesecake Factory Recover From Covid? (CNBC Video)
Americans love The Cheesecake Factory. The restaurant known for its massive 21-page menu, dozens of dessert options and ancient Egypt-inspired decor was ranked as one of the top casual dining restaurants in the U.S. in 2019. But the eatery popular with everyone from NBA stars to cheesecake aficionados has fallen on hard times as the coronavirus pandemic has wreaked havoc on the restaurant industry. In October, The Cheesecake Factory reported third-quarter sales fell by 12% and same-stores sales were down 23% from a year earlier. So after 40 years in business will The Cheesecake Factory be able to regain its momentum and will the chain’s takeout and delivery service be enough to offset the decline of the dine-in restaurant experience?
Tourism & Covid: 300-Year Old ‘Caffè Florian’ In Venice Faces Closure
As the oldest café in Italy—and the world, in fact—Caffè Florian recently celebrated its 300th anniversary on December 29 with no fanfare. It was a far cry from the 290th celebration in 2010, with cakes, an enormous party, and a live concert. The café famed for its celebrity clientele—from Charles Dickens to Andy Warhol—now faces closure since the pandemic has taken a toll on tourism.
The café was opened in San Marco Square in 1720 by Italian entrepreneur Floriano Francesconi (locals knew it as Floriano’s). It has been a gathering place for locals, a place to woo tourists, and a hot spot for A-listers for hundreds of years.
In 1895, the idea of the Venice Biennale was born here, to pay homage to King Umberto and Queen Margherita, and scenes from Hollywood films have been shot here, such as The Talented Mr. Ripley (starring Matt Damon) nd Summertime (starring Katharine Hepburn). Marcel Proust and Charles Dickens were frequent visitors, as well as Friedrich Nietzsche, Casanova, and Charlie Chaplin. Ernest Hemingway would sit out on the patio drinking coffee in the sun, while Claude Monet charmed the pigeons into standing on his head in the same spot.
Business: ‘LEGO – A $38 Billion Toy Empire’ (Video)
The LEGO brick may not look like much but it is the cornerstone of the $38.5 billion Danish company. Today, LEGO’s blockbuster portfolio includes collaborations with The Beatles, Star Wars, and Frozen, a mega-hit movie franchise and 8 LEGOland theme parks. A toy that was once thought of for little boys is seeing its largest growth coming from girls and adults. But in the early 2000s, the company made several missteps and came extremely close to declaring bankruptcy. Here’s how LEGO reclaimed its status as one of the most successful toy companies in the world.
Business: ‘The Costs Of Climate Change’ (Video)
Climate change is about to upend the corporate world through weather-related disasters, regulation and lawsuits. Can businesses react and adapt in time? Read more here: https://econ.st/3slTXIE
Self-Storage: ‘Growth Of A $22 Billion Industry’
Americans collectively have more than five billion items sitting at home that they no longer use, according to a 2019 survey by online marketplace Mercari. One-click shopping and the globalization of overseas manufacturing has made it easier than ever for consumers to acquire goods. According to the Self Storage Association, an industry trade group, more than 10% of households in the U.S. rented a self-storage unit in 2020, 18% more than in 2005. The self-storage industry has continued to outperform during the pandemic, with several companies reporting strong occupancy and healthy demand, according to the research site Yardi Matrix. But with headwinds threatening the economy will self-storage companies like Public Storage and Extra Space Storage be able to maintain their momentum? And what will new disruptors like Neighbor and Clutter mean for the future of the industry?
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