Target said on Tuesday it is slashing prices on 2,000 items ahead of the holiday season to woo inflation-battered customers.The Minneapolis-based retailer will be cutting prices on both national brands and its own private labels. Customers will see lower prices on gifts like toys and beauty products, as well as everyday items like food and medicine.Target is offering its largest holiday collection this year, including thousands of toys – more than half of which cost less than $20.Target said on Tuesday it i ...

Core Viewpoint - Cooper Hefner, the youngest son of Hugh Hefner, is proposing to buy back the Playboy brand for $100 million, aiming to restore it to family ownership after over seven decades since its founding [1][2]. Company Overview - Playboy Group's stock was valued at less than $1 per share recently, a significant decline from its peak of $50 per share in spring 2021, resulting in a market valuation of approximately $50 million [3]. - The company went public in 2021 through a special acquisition company but has been facing financial difficulties, including over $200 million in debt [3]. Management and Operations - Cooper Hefner plans to lead the new entity as CEO, with his investment group, which includes a hedge fund and a former licensing partner, acquiring a 10% ownership stake in the Hefner-run Playboy [2]. - Hefner criticized the current management for leading the brand to a state of "potentially nonexistence," indicating that the brand has been mismanaged and has ventured into unfamiliar business areas that do not resonate with consumers [5]. Historical Context - Playboy magazine ceased publication in 2020, ending a nearly 70-year run that began in 1953, with a peak monthly circulation of 7 million in the 1970s [4]. - The brand's decline is attributed to shrinking advertising revenues and the rise of readily available online pornography, which diminished its relevance in the 21st century [5].

Core Viewpoint - Spirit Airlines shares surged by up to 65% following a two-month extension of its debt refinancing plan, providing the airline with additional time to manage its $1.1 billion loyalty bonds due next year [1][2]. Financial Situation - Spirit Airlines has fully utilized its $300 million revolving credit facility and anticipates ending the year with over $1 billion in liquidity [1]. - Despite the recent share price increase, Spirit's stock is down nearly 90% year-to-date, contrasting with a 33% increase in the S&P 500 Passenger Airlines index during the same period [3]. Operational Challenges - The airline has struggled to compete in a crowded market as travel demand surged post-pandemic, compounded by the collapse of its $3.8 billion merger with JetBlue Airways due to an antitrust lawsuit [2][3]. - Spirit has not turned a profit in five of the last six quarters, prompting the introduction of premium seating options and enhanced passenger benefits to attract customers [3]. Cost-Cutting Measures - The company plans to cut costs by downgrading approximately 100 captains, offering unpaid voluntary leave to flight attendants, and pausing the hiring and training of new pilots and flight attendants [3]. - Spirit previously announced plans to furlough about 240 pilots and delay Airbus deliveries [4]. Industry Context - The airline industry is facing oversupply issues, particularly during busy travel seasons, which has affected Spirit's competitive position [3]. - Spirit was significantly impacted by an RTX engine defect that required the grounding of flights, further exacerbating its financial difficulties [5].

Financial Strategy - Boeing is exploring asset sales to improve its fragile finances by shedding non-core or underperforming units [1] - The company recently reached an agreement to sell a small defense unit that manufactures surveillance equipment for the U S military [1] - Boeing announced plans to cut 17 000 jobs or 10% of its global workforce and take $5 billion in charges [3] Leadership and Operational Challenges - Boeing's CEO has departed and production has slowed due to regulatory investigations into its safety culture [2] - New CEO Kelly Ortberg has asked unit heads to outline the value of their units to the company during recent financial-performance meetings [2] - The company's board recently met to discuss next steps with directors questioning division heads and reviewing reports on the state of each unit [2] Labor and Production Issues - 33 000 union workers went on strike in September halting production of Boeing's best-selling 737 MAX and its 767 and 777 widebodies [2] - Striking machinists are set to vote on a new contract proposal that includes a 35% pay hike over four years [2] - The work stoppage has added pressure to Boeing's already weak finances [2]

Bank of America's Performance and Leadership - Bank of America's earnings fell less than expected, leading to a positive market reaction and stock price increase [1] - CEO Brian Moynihan has been with the company for 15 years, and there is a consensus among analysts and investors to let him continue for five more years [1] - Moynihan's management style is described as plodding and risk-averse, particularly in supporting big corporate clients and banking deals [2] - This risk aversion is cited as a key reason for Bank of America's underperformance in investment banking compared to competitors like Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan [2] - Over the past five years, Bank of America's shares have lagged behind those of JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs in a bull market for finance stocks [2] Trading and Risk Management - Bank of America's trading desk has not reported a loss in years, but this conservative approach is seen as a disadvantage in attracting high-value banking clients [3] - Since the 2008 financial crisis, trading risk has been stigmatized, and regulatory changes have made it difficult to engage in large proprietary trades [3] - The financial crisis was partly caused by banks holding risky mortgage-backed securities, which led to balance sheet issues across the financial system [4] - Bank of America was significantly impacted by the crisis, leading to the ousting of former CEO Ken Lewis and the appointment of Moynihan to clean up the situation [4] - Moynihan has successfully stabilized the company, including securing a strategic investment from Warren Buffett, and the stock has recovered from post-crisis lows [4] Current Challenges and Strategic Concerns - Internal critics argue that the company's $3 trillion balance sheet is not being used effectively to support customer trades, which is costing the firm high-end clients [5] - Regulators are now less concerned with trading risks, and this is seen as an opportunity for banks to take calculated risks to support clients [5] - Despite 10 consecutive quarters of revenue growth in sales and trading, Moynihan's risk aversion is seen as benefiting competitors like Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan [5] - There is speculation that Warren Buffett's recent reduction in his stake in Bank of America could lead to pressure for Moynihan to retire earlier than planned [6]

Time to dirty up those loafers.Home Depot will be requiring their corporate employees – including the executives and senior management – to work one 8-hour retail shift in a store per financial quarter, according to reports. Starting in the fourth quarter of this year even remote workers will have to schlep onto the grey floor and don the orange apron for four days a year. Home Depot will require executives and senior managers to work one 8-hour retail shift each quarter. AP“We need to stay connected to the ...

Google said Friday that a federal judge in California granted its request to pause his order directing the Alphabet unit to overhaul its Android app store Play by Nov. 1 to give consumers more choice over how they download software.San Francisco-based US District Judge James Donato made the decision on Friday as part of an antitrust lawsuit against Google brought by “Fortnite” maker Epic Games. Google argued that Donato’s Oct. 7 injunction would harm the company and introduce “serious safety, security and p ...

Netflix shares hit an all-time high on Friday, buoyed by investor optimism that its robust content lineup will help the streaming giant maintain upbeat subscriber growth even as the boost from its password-sharing crackdown wanes.The company, widely seen as the winner of Hollywood’s streaming wars, saw its stock rise nearly 10% to $754.90 and was set to add more than $28 billion to its market value of about $295 billion, if gains hold.It topped estimates for quarterly subscriber additions by more than 1 mil ...

Microsoft is reportedly in a tussle with OpenAI over what size piece it will get of the artificial intelligence juggernaut as the latter prepares to transform itself from nonprofit to for-profit company.Both firms have turned to investment banks for advice in the high-stakes negotiations as Microsoft seeks a major slug of equity in OpenAI in exchange for the $14 billion in cash it has injected into the company thus far, according to the Wall Street Journal.Microsoft, headed by CEO Satya Nadella, has hired M ...

The federal government is investigating Tesla's "Full Self-Driving" software after several crashes that were blamed on the system, including one that led to a fatality. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Friday said it was opening an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles with the automaker's Full Self-Driving software after four reported collisions. The US auto safety regulator said it was opening the preliminary evaluation after four reports of crashes where FSD was engaged durin ...