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08.21.2012
Nova Scotia announces $124.5 million in incentives for NewPage paper mill

The government of Nova Scotia has announced a $124.5 million funding package in efforts to help resume operations at the idle NewPage Port Hawkesbury paper mill this fall.

Premier Darrell Dexter made the announcement Monday, saying he was certain the funding would help the mill's prospective buyer, Pacific West Commercial Corp., turn the facility's fortunes around.

"The province has done its due diligence, and we are confident that it is the right plan for the province," Dexter told a news conference in Port Hawkesbury.

"The mill has the most modern machine in North America and we are helping position it to take advantage of this and become a leader in producing supercalendered paper."

Under the deal, the provincial government is offering Pacific West Commercial financial incentives including $66.5 million in loans, $26.5 million of which could be forgiven if the Vancouver company meets certain criteria.

The government has also agreed to buy about 20,840 hectares of land from NewPage Port Hawkesbury for $20 million, a purchase Dexter says will help meet the province's commitment to increase Crown land share. That money would go to the mill's creditors, who accepted a settlement last week on what they're owed from the mill.

The deal would also give Pacific West Commercial $3.8 million annually for 10 years to support forest land management and sustainable harvesting.

A spokesman for Pacific West Commercial said the funding was a "critical" step toward restarting one of the mill's two papermaking machines, which the company is hoping to do next month.

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08.21.2012
Meredith to Increase Rate Base of EatingWell Magazine

Meredith Corporation, the leading media and marketing company serving American women, announced today that it will increase the rate base for EatingWell magazine to 750,000 from 600,000, effective with the July/August 2013 issue. The bump represents a 115 percent increase in EatingWell magazine’s circulation since Meredith acquired the EatingWell brand in June 2011.

In addition to strong subscription growth, EatingWell’s newsstand sales surged 45 percent in the first half of 2012, according to ABC’s Fas Fax, further contributing to the magazine’s overall circulation growth.

“Our momentum reflects EatingWell’s strong and growing connection to the consumer,” says Tony Catalano, Publisher, EatingWell. “Healthy eating is top of mind for Americans, and we’re pleased to see them turning to the pages of EatingWell for trusted and engaging content.”

In addition to its flagship bimonthly magazine, EatingWell is a diversified brand produced over multiple formats, including a robust website (www.eatingwell.com), content and brand licensing, custom publishing, as well as consumer cookbooks and health books. The brand is a leading source of science-based nutrition advice, delicious, easy and healthy recipes, and useful shopping information.
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08.21.2012
Antibag campaign dismissed as greenwashing

The Carrier Bag Consortium (CBC) and the Packaging and Films Association (Pafa) have attacked an antibag campaign for its "unfounded" environmental statements.

The industry bodies say that the 'Break the Bag Habit' campaign, backed by Keep Britain Tidy, the Marine Conservation Society and the Council for the Protection of Rural England, is a cynical ploy aimed at justifying a bag tax which would generate funds to fill a hole in charity income left by reduced Government grants and falling public donations.

The four organisations that formed 'Break the Bag Habit' have calling on Westminster to reduce litter and waste by requiring retailers to introduce a small charge on all single-use bags. In response the CBC and Pafa have written to all U.K. MPs and major U.K. retailers pointing out the flaws in the latest campaign and urging them to stick to the voluntary code of practice.

"The rigorous Environment Agency Life Cycle Analysis (SC 030148) clearly demonstrates that alternatives to the lightweight plastic bag require far more of the earth's precious resources to produce and have far higher impacts across a life cycle. We believe this new campaign is a blatant misrepresentation of the facts contained in this report and by targeting carrier bags diverts attention and resources from the macro- environmental issues we face," the two industry bodies say in their joint letter.

"We are particularly surprised at the about turn from Keep Britain Tidy whose statistical surveys have constantly reinforced the insignificant impacts of carrier bags on the environment," said Barry Turner Pafa CEO. "Why is Keep Britain Tidy targeting carrier bags when surveys show they represent just 0.03% of littered items in our environment?"

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08.21.2012
Bemis to close two factories in Twin Cities

Packaging giant Bemis Co., a firm with a 130-year history in the Twin Cities, is closing a plant in St. Louis Park and will close one in Minneapolis by year's end.

The closings will leave 158 people looking for work -- 96 employees at the Minneapolis operation and 62 at the St. Louis Park plant. Both factories make flexible packaging for food under the Curwood brand, a division of Bemis.

Bemis has been drifting away from the Twin Cities for decades. In 2006, the company moved its corporate headquarters to Neenah, Wis., a Fox Valley town that was a center for the paper industry and has evolved into a packaging hub. The company had been growing in Wisconsin, not Minnesota, and wanted to move its executives closer to its geographic center.

Melanie Miller, a vice president and treasurer for Bemis, said the two Twin Cities plants slated for closing came under Bemis' control -- along with 21 other facilities -- when the company acquired Alcan in 2010 for $1.2 billion. Bemis has other factories that produce the same products.

The St. Louis Park plant will close by Aug. 31, and the Minneapolis plant will close between Oct. 1 and the end of 2012, according to letters that Bemis sent to state officials. Workers in St. Louis Park are getting help with finding new jobs, training and some financial assistance from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.

Bemis calls itself the nation's largest producer of plastic packaging. It makes packaging for everything from diapers to grass seed to snacks, as well as pressure-sensitive packaging and sealed plastic for medical products. Revenue in 2011 was $5.3 billion. It has about 45 factories in North America, as well as operations in Europe, Latin America, Australia and Asia.

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08.21.2012
Mobile Text Ads To Hit $7.4 Bil By 2017

Ad spending on mobile messaging will reach $7.4 billion by 2017, fueled by a surge in location-based SMS text ads, according to a new forecast by U.K.-based Juniper Research.

While SMS may lack the pizzazz of rich media ads, they offer wider reach and a better chance of being opened, even if unsolicited, the firm said.

“Sending adverts using mobile messaging gives advertisers a simple, cheap and effective way of reaching consumers,” stated report author Charlotte Miller. “Adding location technologies is an even more powerful proposition, particularly for transactional advertising, as marketers can reach consumers who are near a location where they can purchase.”

Juniper acknowledges that while the idea of location-based SMS will likely raise privacy concerns, mobile operators such as O2 are relying on opt-in participation, allowing people to choose what types of offers they want to receive.
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08.21.2012
FedEx Long-Term Commitment to Sustainability Gets a Boost

In 2008, FedEx Corp. announced it would seek to reduce carbon emissions intensity from its FedEx Express aircraft and improve the fuel efficiency of its FedEx Express vehicle fleet by 20 percent by 2020, as compared with its 2005 performance. Less than five years later, FedEx has nearly achieved these goals and is today announcing a revised, more aggressive target that continues to move the world’s largest express transportation company forward in an environmentally-conscious manner.

These efforts are detailed in the company’s fourth annual Global Citizenship Report, released today online. Also featured in the report are successes in the company’s other focus areas of Economics & Access, People & Workplace and Community & Disaster Relief.

“FedEx is dedicated to providing sustainable solutions for our customers,” said Mitch Jackson, staff vice president of Environmental Affairs and Sustainability, FedEx Corp. “This year’s Global Citizenship Report showcases our tireless efforts to maximize our efficiency while advancing our commitment to connect the world in responsible and resourceful ways.”
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08.21.2012
Zinio to automatically renew all your subscriptions from now on

I received an email today about some important changes in the terms of service for Zinio magazine subscribers. On the benign level, you can now enable your iPad to automatically download issues for you. But on the more major level, Zinio has “enabled” continuous service for “most magazines” on your behalf. What this means is that when your initial subscription expires, Zinio will automatically renew it for you (and bill you at whatever price it wants!) without asking. This used to be available as an option; you could choose it or you could choose a standard subscription. What they’ve done is take away the standard subscription option and make this the only way to get magazines.

I most emphatically do not like what I am seeing from Zinio. They seem to do a lot of things for my supposed “convenience” that I don’t choose, such as sending me magazine issues I didn’t ask for, and putting things back that I deleted. And now, they want to bill me for new subscriptions without asking, because they’re worried that renewal notices are bothering me? No. They’re doing this because they know you’re likely to forget your subscription is nearly done, so they can get some extra money out of you before you notice the charges (at which point, if you call to cancel, they’ll refund you for the “unserved issues” you have left). This is called negative billing, and where I live, there was a highly publicized instance of it a few years ago–involving the cable company–in which the government stepped in and told them they couldn’t do it.
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08.21.2012
Oil Advances to 3-Month High Before Europe Debt Meetings

Oil climbed to the highest in three months in New York as speculation European leaders meeting this week will make progress on the region’s debt crisis supported prices against forecasts of rising supply in the U.S.

Futures advanced as much as 0.8 percent after halting a four-day advance yesterday. European leaders will hold meetings in Greece and Germany this week. U.S. oil supplies probably gained for the first time in about a month as imports increased and demand fell from a nine-month high, a Bloomberg survey showed before an Energy Department report tomorrow. Crude is trading close to its 200-day moving average.

“At the moment, signs for a Euro zone solution are positive,” said Guy Wolf, a strategist at London-based commodities broker Marex Spectron Group Ltd. “But we’ve been here before with Europe and converting intentions into actions has been too much for them. Oil supply has been tightening, but the demand environment is extremely poor.”

Crude for September delivery rose as much as 79 cents to $96.76 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange, the highest intraday level since May 11, and traded for $96.67 at 11:29 a.m. London time. The contract expires today. The more-actively traded October future rose 66 cents to $96.92.

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08.21.2012
Amcor announces results for year ended 30 June 2012

In announcing the result, Amcor’s Managing Director and CEO, Mr Ken MacKenzie said: “The full year result represented a record underlying profit, record returns and a record dividend for the company.

“Profit before significant items increased 11.3% to $634.9 million, returns increased from 14.1% to 15.9% and the dividend increased 5.7% to 37 cents per share. During the year the company also completed a $150 million share buy-back.

“To achieve an 11.3% increase in underlying earnings was an outstanding effort by our co-workers, given subdued economic conditions and a $35 million adverse impact on reported earnings due to the appreciation of the Australian dollar.

“Operating cash flow for the year was $643.7 million. This was an outstanding result and underpins our ability to continue to grow shareholder value.
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08.21.2012
Best Buy Reports Fiscal Second Quarter 2013 Results

Best Buy Co., Inc. today announced GAAP net earnings from continuing operations were $12 million, or $0.04 per diluted share, for the three months ended August 4, 2012 compared to net earnings from continuing operations of $150 million, or $0.39 per diluted share for the prior-year period. Excluding previously announced restructuring charges, adjusted (non-GAAP) net earnings from continuing operations for the second quarter of fiscal 2013 were $68 million, or $0.20 per diluted share.

On August 20, 2012, the company's Board of Directors appointed Hubert Joly, a leading global CEO with expertise in turnaround and growth across the media, technology and service sectors, as Best Buy's President and Chief Executive Officer and a member of its Board of Directors. He is expected to begin his new role in early September.

The Domestic segment comparable store sales decline of 1.6 percent was driven by declines in gaming within the Entertainment revenue category, digital imaging and televisions within the Consumer Electronics revenue category and notebooks within the Computing and Mobile Phones revenue category. These declines were partially offset by comparable store sales growth in tablets and mobile phones within the Computing & Mobile Phones revenue category, the Appliances revenue category, and eReaders within the Consumer Electronics revenue category. The Domestic segment online channel revenue grew 14 percent compared to the prior-year period.

The International segment comparable store sales decline of 8.2 percent was driven by the lower growth in consumer spending in China and the continued impact from the expiration of government sponsored programs, which negatively impacted sales in Five Star. Market softness in notebooks, digital imaging and home theater in Canada also contributed to the International comparable store sales decline.

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08.20.2012
Hastings Entertainment, Inc. Reports Results for the Second Quarter of Fiscal 2012

Hastings Entertainment, Inc., a leading multimedia entertainment retailer, today reported results for the three and six months ended July 31, 2012. Net loss was approximately $3.4 million, or $0.41 per diluted share, for the three months ended July 31, 2012 compared to a net loss of approximately $4.1 million, or $0.47 per diluted share, for the three months ended July 31, 2011. Net loss was approximately $2.5 million, or $0.31 per diluted share, for the six months ended July 31, 2012 compared to net loss of $3.6 million, or $0.42 per diluted share, for the six months ended July 31, 2011.

Financial Results for the Second Quarter of Fiscal Year 2012

Revenues. Total revenues for the second quarter decreased approximately $6.5 million, or 5.9%, to $104.1 million compared to $110.5 million for the second quarter of fiscal 2011. As of July 31, 2012, we operated 7 fewer superstores, as compared to July 31, 2011.

Gross Profit – Merchandise. For the second quarter, total merchandise gross profit dollars increased approximately $1.4 million, or 4.8%, to $30.3 million from $28.9 million for the same period in the prior year, primarily due to an increase in margin rates partially offset by a decrease in revenue. As a percentage of total merchandise revenue, merchandise gross profit increased to 33.9% for the quarter compared to 31.2% for the same period in the prior year, resulting primarily from a continued shift in mix of revenues by category, lower shrink and markdown expense.

Gross Profit – Rental. For the second quarter, total rental gross profit dollars decreased approximately $0.5 million, or 4.8%, to $10.0 million from $10.5 million for the same period in the prior year, primarily due to a decrease in revenue. As a percentage of total rental revenue, rental gross profit increased to 66.6% for the quarter compared to 60.5% for the same period in the prior year, primarily from lower depreciation and shrinkage expense.

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08.20.2012
Tempt In-Store Productions Named Featured Exhibitor at Upcoming Shopper Marketing Expo

Tempt In-Store Productions, a Quad/Graphics company, has been named a Featured Exhibitor at this fall’s Shopper Marketing Expo. The distinction is reserved for only 25 of the more than 150 companies exhibiting at the Chicago trade show October 16-18. The honor signifies that Tempt’s exhibit and offering is a “must see” for attendees looking for the newest game-changing products and services. Tempt will be using the event to debut Quad/Graphics’ Actable™ interactive signage.

Actable interactive signage – featuring image recognition, augmented reality, Near Field Communication (NFC) or traditional QR codes – creates an exciting and engaging multichannel experience in-store for any customer with an app-enabled smartphone. Applications can include product demonstrations, reviews, how-to videos, and in-store coupons and discount offers. Actable interactive signage provides a lower-cost multichannel in-store experience alternative to more expensive electronic kiosks and flat screen displays.

“This Featured Exhibitor honor confirms that Quad/Graphics and Tempt are leading the in-store path-to-purchase revolution,” said Joel Quadracci, Quad/Graphics Chairman, President & CEO. “By bringing signage to life, we enable retailers to interact with shoppers and offer a much more engaging, informative and purchase-activating experience.”

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08.20.2012
Apple rips e-book settlement as 'unlawful' and 'fundamentally unfair'

Apple is urging a federal court to reject the Justice Department's proposed settlement with a group of e-book publishers, calling the terms "fundamentally unfair, unlawful, and unprecedented."

DOJ's antitrust division sued Apple and five publishers in April, accusing them of colluding to raise the price of e-books. Apple and two publishers, Macmillan and Penguin Group, are fighting the charges. But the other three publishers — Hachette, HarperCollins and Simon & Schuster — agreed to settle with the government.

In a filing on Wednesday, Apple argued that the court should not accept the settlement until Apple and the remaining publishers have had their day in court.

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08.20.2012
Survey: Parents embrace mobile shopping, marketing and couponing

A survey released Thursday by Placecast found that U.S. parents are more likely to use their mobile phones for shopping-related activities compared to those without children under 18 years old in their household.

In fact, the Alert Shopper III poll, which was commissioned by Placecast and conducted by Harris Interactive, showed that parents were more active than non-parents across all aspects of digital commerce (mobile and online) - from making purchases via mobile phones to receiving text and email alerts, and taking action on them.

Twenty-seven percent of parents made an online purchase via their smartphone in the past year as compared to 17% of non-parents. The survey also found that parents are three times more likely than non-parents to make a purchase due to a text message from a retailer (9% of parents, versus 3% of non-parents). Parents are twice as likely to check-in to a location-based social network using their phones, when compared with non-parents (11% versus 5%).

The survey revealed that over half of the parents surveyed own smartphones, compared to just over a third of non-parents (52% versus 35%). Parents have come to rely on their mobile phones to make their lives easier – whether that means using the GPS on their phones to find a retailer, receiving text alerts from merchants, making an online purchase using their phones, or redeeming an offer from a daily deals company like Groupon. In all of these areas, parents reported a greater rate of use on their phones within the past year, when compared to non-parents. The data also shows that parents are twice as likely to use their phone’s GPS to find a store as non-parents are, and also twice as likely to download an app from their favorite merchants (40% versus 22%).
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08.20.2012
Buffett Ups Stake In Lee Enterprises

Earlier this year, Warren Buffett said he intended to buy more newspaper assets -- and he meant it. This week his investment company, Berkshire Hathaway, almost doubled its stake in Lee Enterprises from 1.7 million shares to 3.23 million shares, according to a report in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Lee’s flagship property.

That increases its stake in the company from 3% to around 6%.

The move has sparked speculation that Buffett might be planning to buy a controlling stake in Lee, which publishes 47 daily newspapers and 300 weekly and community papers in addition to the Post-Dispatch.

Despite a challenging advertising environment, a tumbling stock price and a brief stint in bankruptcy protection, Lee has managed to maintain a margin of 14%, according to the newspaper, making it an attractive target. However, Lee management said it has so far received no offers or exploratory messages from Buffett.
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08.20.2012
Kruger Gets Green Light From Corner Brook Unionized Employees to Apply Pension Plan Funding Relief Measures

Kruger Inc. is pleased to announce that active and retired unionized employees of Corner Brook Pulp and Paper have approved the proposal to apply funding relief measures to their pension plan’s deficit.

These relief measures were essential to the Mill’s ability to compete in the market and will enable the Company to pursue its assessment of the Mill’s long-term viability. The next step will be for the Company to present a sustainability plan to its lenders and to the NL government within the coming weeks.

Voting results
According to the final report issued earlier today by independent auditor Brian N. Hillier, the number of objections was the following for each group of members:
>Active members (321): 19 objections 5.9%
>Retired members (645): 7 objections 1.1%

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08.20.2012
Oil Rises as European Leaders Prep for Debt Talks

Oil traded near its highest closing level in three months in New York, the longest streak of gains in a month, before Europe’s leaders meet to discuss combating regional debt turmoil.

Crude pared an advance of 0.5 percent after Germany’s Bundesbank stepped up its criticism of the European Central Bank’s plan to embark on potentially “unlimited” government bond purchases, widening a rift over how to tackle the sovereign debt crisis. European policy makers plan a week of intensive shuttle diplomacy to help resolve the situation. Saudi Arabia pumped at the highest level in more than three decades in June and monthly exports were the most since November 2005, according to the Joint Organization Data Initiative.

“I remain optimistic that a solution to the Euro crisis will be found,” said Michael Poulsen, an analyst at Global Risk Management in Middelfart, Denmark, who predicts prices will trade within a $4 range this week before advancing. “There is simply too much at stake to let the Euro project fail. From a longer perspective, upside bias for oil is warranted due to market fundamentals.”

Crude for September delivery was at $95.97, 4 cents lower, in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange at 11:07 a.m. London time, having increased as much as 52 cents to $96.53 a barrel. It rose 0.4 percent to $96.01 on Aug. 17, the highest close since May 11. The contract expires tomorrow. The more-actively traded October future was at $96.26. Oil’s run of gains is the longest since the seven days ended July 19.

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08.20.2012
American Forest & Paper Association Releases July 2012 Kraft Paper Sector Report

The American Forest & Paper Association released its July 2012 Kraft Paper Sector Report yesterday. Total Kraft paper shipments were 138,000 tons, an increase of 3 percent compared to June 2012. Total inventory was 78,700 tons this month.
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08.20.2012
American Forest & Paper Association Releases July 2012 Paperboard Report

The American Forest & Paper Association has released its July 2012 U.S. Paperboard Report.

Total boxboard production decreased by 4.1 percent compared to July 2011 and decreased 0.4 percent from last month. Unbleached Kraft Folding production decreased over the same month last year but increased compared to last month. Total Solid Bleached Boxboard & Liner production decreased compared to July 2011 and last month. The production of Recycled Folding decreased compared to July 2011 but increased when compared to last month.

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08.17.2012
Gap Inc. Reports Second Quarter Earnings

Gap Inc. today reported that net sales for the second quarter, which ended July 28, 2012, increased 6 percent to $3.58 billion compared with $3.39 billion for the second quarter last year. The company’s second quarter comparable sales increased 4 percent. Net income for the second quarter was $243 million, up 29 percent compared with the second quarter last year. Second quarter diluted earnings per share increased 40 percent to $0.49 compared with $0.35 last year.

Given second quarter performance, the company has raised its estimate for fiscal year 2012 diluted earnings per share to be in the range of $1.95 to $2.00, compared with $1.56 in fiscal year 2011.

Second Quarter Financial and Business Highlights
• In North America, Gap, Banana Republic, and Old Navy each delivered positive comparable sales for the second consecutive quarter.
• Total net sales for the Gap Inc. Direct division increased 24 percent to $384 million compared with $309 million last year.
• Net sales outside of the U.S. and Canada (including Gap Inc. Direct and Franchise) increased 7 percent; the company opened its first Old Navy store outside of North America in Tokyo and continued to expand its Gap brand store base in China.
• Franchise net sales increased 25 percent compared with last year and the company opened its 250th franchise store.
• The company opened 11 Athleta stores, doubling its fleet to 22 stores across North America.

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08.17.2012
Wiley Wins Most Apex Awards for Publishing Excellence

John Wiley & Sons, Inc., won 23 APEX awards in categories ranging from layout, writing, overall excellence and, for the first time, Web site content, writing, and design. Wiley received more awards overall than any other publishing house, company, or association.

APEX 2012, the 24th Annual awards for Publication Excellence, is an international competition that attracted 3400 entries to compete in 130 categories. Wiley’s awards were based on excellence in graphic design, editorial content, and success in achieving overall communications effectiveness and excellence.

Wiley’s awards included the APEX 2012 Grand Award for the Journal of Leadership Studies, edited by Jeremy Moreland and published on behalf of the School of Advanced Studies of the University of Phoenix.
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08.17.2012
Stein Mart, Inc. Reports Second Quarter 2012 Financial Results

Stein Mart, Inc. today announced financial results for the second quarter ended July 28, 2012.

Net income for the second quarter was $0.7 million or $0.02 per diluted share compared to net income of $1.3 million or $0.03 per diluted share in 2011. For the first six months, net income was $12.6 million or $0.29 per diluted share compared to $17.2 million or $0.38 per diluted share in the same period in 2011. The first six months of 2011 include a first quarter gain of $2.0 million, or $1.2 million after tax and $0.03 per share (see discussion of other income below).

Comparable store sales increased 1.6 percent for the second quarter, while total sales increased 2.3 percent to $276.4 million. For the first six months, comparable store sales increased 0.5 percent, while total sales increased 1.1 percent to $579.8 million.

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08.17.2012
Golf Digest Drives Content Into Golfer Utility App

The name of the game in mobile media is utility, not just content. Putting media in front of people at a specific moment of need is the real model for turning content into a service for which people will pay. Golf Digest will power a new feature in the GPS—enabled GolfLogix mobile app that will give golfers access to video instruction, tips, articles and a personalized version of the magazine itself.

Golf Digest Live goes with the golfer onto the course. Ordinarily GolfLogix is used by golfers to track their game with GPS precision. They can record not only scores but distances,a nd get in return analyses of weaknesses in their game. With the new upgrade to the $19.99 app, golfers get Golf Digest branded enhancements. Users get tips and drills that are personalized to their needs. You can get videos about golfing rules, tips for certain shots and even golf jokes. Each player gets a personalized clubhouse in Golf Digest Live where they can access the content.

The partnership also has a business model built-in. Golf Digest will bring sponsors with them into the app. Farmer’s Insurance and Nike are inaugural sponsors.

The partnership gives Golf Digest a sizable footprint among their target audience. GolfLogix says that it has 1.75 million members who access their utilities on smartphones.

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08.17.2012
Mag Bag: 'Best Life' Is Reborn

After the recession cut a wide swath through the magazine business, some departed titles are being resurrected by publishers banking on continued interest by readers and advertisers. Rodale is bringing back men’s lifestyle magazine Best Life, which shuttered in May 2009, on a limited basis. The news was first reported by Women’s Wear Daily.

Rodale decided to bring Best Life back, given the accelerating recovery in luxury and men’s fashion advertising, WWD reports. The special October issue, featuring Hugh Jackman on the cover, still hasn’t closed. So far, it has attracted advertisers including Cartier, Ralph Lauren, and Calvin Klein. Another issue is planned for this spring.

As the timing indicates, Best Life has not returned to its regular monthly publication schedule -- yet. That will depend on advertiser and reader response. In its previous incarnation, it had a circulation of over half a million and contributors including David Mamet, Jay McInerney, Rick Moody, Anthony Bourdain and TC Boyle.

Best Life is one of a handful of defunct magazine titles tentatively returning to print. This year has seen the relaunch of M magazine by Fairchild, among others. But there’s still a much longer list of print titles on the rocks and likely to be closed. In July, IAC boss Barry Diller publicly speculated that Newsweek may cease its print publication in the not-too-distant future.
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08.17.2012
Catalyst Paper and Pacifica Deep Sea Terminals Inc. reach agreement on sale of Elk Falls site

Catalyst Paper today announced that it has reached agreement with Pacifica Deep Sea Terminals Incorporated on the sale of its Elk Falls site in Campbell River. The $8.6 million sale of the 400-acre industrial site and adjacent properties is expected to close September 5, 2012. It completes Catalyst’s comprehensive bid review process which began earlier this year.

“We are very pleased to have attracted an experienced developer with the capacity and an industrial concept that will fully utilize the site’s infrastructure and bring new business and jobs to the region,” said Kevin J. Clarke, Catalyst President and Chief Executive Officer.

The former pulp and paper site was indefinitely curtailed in 2009 and closed permanently in 2010. Since then, equipment has been decommissioned and demolition work has been completed to prepare the site for sale and redevelopment to other industrial uses. The Elk Falls mill began operation in 1952, and at its peak, produced 784,000 tonnes of pulp, paper and kraft paper annually.
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08.17.2012
Casual Male Retail Group, Inc. Reports Second-Quarter 2012 Financial Results

Casual Male Retail Group, Inc., the largest multi-channel specialty retailer of big & tall men's apparel and accessories, today reported operating results for the second quarter of fiscal 2012.

Financial Highlights
•Comparable sales increased 2.0% and total sales were essentially flat with the second quarter of fiscal 2011 at $100.5 million.
•Gross margin was 46.4% compared with 48.4% for the prior-year quarter.
•Effective tax rate for fiscal 2012 of approximately 40.4% compared with 9.4% for fiscal 2011 as a result of the reversal of the Company's valuation allowance in fiscal 2011.
•Income from continuing operations was $3.0 million, or $0.06 per diluted share, compared with $7.1 million, or $0.15 per diluted share, in the prior year. Assuming a normal tax rate of 40.0% for fiscal 2011, income from continuing operations for the second quarter of fiscal 2011 was $0.10 per diluted share.
•Net income was $1.2 million, or $0.03 per diluted share, compared to net income of $6.6 million, or $0.14 per diluted share in the prior year's second quarter. Assuming a normal tax rate of 40.0% for fiscal 2011, adjusted net income for the second quarter of fiscal 2011 was $0.09 per diluted share. See below for a reconciliation of these Non-GAAP measures.

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08.17.2012
Some universities require students to use e-textbooks

While several colleges across the country are pushing electronic textbooks, touting them as more efficient and less cumbersome than regular textbooks, students are reluctant.

E-textbooks still account for only 9% of textbook purchases, says Student Monitor, which researches college student behavior.

"How excited can you expect to get about an e-textbook?" Student Monitor President Eric Weil says. "It's not a fashion statement, it's not a status symbol; it has to overcome the advantages that students see (in) a printed textbook."

Typically, students don't save much when opting to buy an e-textbook. For example, an organic chemistry e-textbook costs about $100, while the print version of the same book costs just $15 more.

For University of Wisconsin senior Leslie Epstein, having to buy an e-textbook only added to her expenses. She still found herself printing a copy of her textbooks in the two classes that required an electronic version, and said despite the lower price tag of an e-textbook, she'd buy the print version of the text "every time."

"I see what (universities) are doing to make textbooks cheaper and less paper-reliant, but I don't think it'll work in the long run," she says.

But universities are looking to combat that mindset with programs that urge — or force — students to adapt to the trend.

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08.17.2012
AAA Fuel Gage & Exchange Rates

AAA’s Fuel Gage Report as of 8/17/12
National Unleaded Regular:
Current Average - $3.716/gallon
Month Ago Average - $3.426/gallon
Year Ago Average - $3.584/gallon
Highest Recorded Average - $4.114/gallon on 7/17/08
Diesel:
Current Average - $3.960/gallon
Month Ago Average - $3.697/gallon
Year Ago Average - $3.893/gallon
Highest Recorded Average - $4.845/gallon on 7/17/08

Current Exchange Rates as of 8/17/12
American Dollar to Canadian Dollar = 0.98736 (120 day high - 1.01905 on April 26, 2012; low 0.961252 on June 5, 2012)
American Dollar to Chinese Yuan = 0.157246 (120 day high – 0.159363 on May 2, 2012; low 0.156521 on July 13, 2012)
American Dollar to Euro = 1.235641 (120 day high - 1.3454 on February 28, 2012; low 1.2089 on July 24, 2012)
American Dollar to Japanese Yen = 0.012594 (120 day high – 0.0128855 on February 13, 2012; low 0.0119026 on March 21, 2012)
American Dollar to Mexican Peso = 0.075707 (120 day high – 0.0793808 on March 14, 2012; low 0.0691788 on June 1, 2012)

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08.17.2012
Newspapers criticize USPS' discount deal with Valassis

The U.S. Postal Service's proposed deal with commercial mailing company Valassis Communications, offering a steep postage discount in return for increased mail volume, has encountered criticism from the newspaper industry and charges that the deal is unfair.

The USPS is proposing to cut Valassis' postage rates by up to 34% in exchange for more business from the Livonia, Mich.-based company, which mailed more than 3 billion pieces last year on behalf of advertisers. The USPS has estimated that increased volume from Valassis would net it an additional $15 million over three years, despite the discount.

However, newspapers are charging that the deal would harm their Sunday inserts efforts, since the USPS discount would allow Valassis to lower its rates. According to the Newspaper Association of America, the proposed deal could cost its members $1 billion in lost revenue as customers migrate to mailed advertisements.

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08.17.2012
American Forest & Paper Association Releases July 2012 U.S. Containerboard Statistics Report

The American Forest & Paper Association released its July 2012 U.S. Containerboard Statistics Report today.

Containerboard production rose 2.3% over June 2012 but fell 2.2% compared to same month last year. The month-over-month average daily production decreased 1%. The containerboard operating rate for July 2012 lost one point over June 2012 from 96.3% to 95.3%.

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08.17.2012
Aeropostale Reports Results For Second Quarter Of Fiscal 2012

Aeropostale, Inc., a mall-based specialty retailer of casual apparel for young women and men, today reported results for the second quarter of fiscal 2012, and provided guidance for the third quarter of fiscal 2012.

Net income for the second quarter of 2012 was approximately $0.1 million, or $0.00 per diluted share. Net income for the second quarter of 2011 was $2.9 million, or $0.04 per diluted share, which included a non-recurring pre-tax benefit to the Company's gross profit of $8.7 million, or $0.06 per diluted share, which resulted from the resolution of a dispute with one of the Company's sourcing agents. Of this benefit, $8.0 million, related to periods prior to fiscal 2011. Excluding this item, the adjusted net loss for the second quarter of 2011 was ($1.7) million, or ($0.02) per diluted share.

For the second quarter of fiscal 2012, net sales increased 4% to $485.3 million, from $468.2 million in the year ago period. Comparable sales, including the e-commerce channel, for the second quarter were essentially flat compared to a 12% decrease last year. Comparable store sales, excluding the e-commerce channel, for the second quarter decreased 1%, compared to a 14% decrease last year.

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08.16.2012
Limited Brands Reports Second Quarter 2012 Earnings

Limited Brands, Inc. today reported 2012 second quarter results.

Adjusted earnings per share for the second quarter ended July 28, 2012, were $0.50 compared to adjusted earnings per share of $0.48 for the quarter ended July 30, 2011. Second quarter adjusted operating income was $308.9 million compared to $307.0 million last year, and adjusted net income was $147.2 million compared to $150.7 million last year. Adjusted results exclude certain significant items as detailed below:

•In 2012: A pre-tax charge of $3.6 million, or $0.01 per share, related to La Senza store closures.
•In 2011 (totaling to a benefit of $0.25 per share): A non-taxable gain of $147.1 million, or $0.47 per share, and a pre-tax expense of $113.4 million, or $0.22 per share, related to the charitable contribution of all of the company's remaining shares of Express (NYSE: EXPR) to the Limited Brands Foundation.
Including the significant items above, reported second quarter earnings per share were $0.49 compared to $0.73 last year; operating income was $305.3 million compared to $193.5 million last year; and net income was $143.6 million compared to $231.2 million last year.

Comparable store sales for the second quarter increased 8 percent, and net sales were $2.399 billion compared to $2.458 billion last year. Second quarter 2011 sales included $216.6 million attributable to the third party apparel sourcing business, which was sold in November 2011.

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08.16.2012
Walmart reports Q2 EPS of $1.18, at the top of guidance

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. today reported financial results for the quarter ended July 31, 2012. Net sales for the second quarter of fiscal 2013 were $113.5 billion, an increase of 4.5 percent from $108.6 billion in the second quarter last year. Net sales for this quarter included a negative currency exchange rate impact of approximately $2.2 billion. Without the currency impact, net sales would have been $115.7 billion. Membership and other income increased 4.7 percent to $762 million. Total revenue was $114.3 billion, an increase of 4.5 percent from last year.

Income from continuing operations attributable to Walmart for the quarter was $4.0 billion, up 5.7 percent from the second quarter last year. Diluted earnings per share from continuing operations attributable to Walmart (EPS) for the second quarter of fiscal 2013 were $1.18. By comparison, last year’s reported EPS were $1.09. The company had several items last year that negatively impacted the second quarter by approximately $0.03 per share.

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08.16.2012
The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc. Announces Second Quarter Fiscal 2012 Results

The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc. today reported results for the second quarter of fiscal 2012 ended July 28, 2012.

Second Quarter Highlights
• Comparable store sales increased 0.1%.
• Gross margin rate was 36.0% compared with 37.2% in the second quarter of fiscal 2011.
• Operating loss, which includes a $4.0 million charge for severance and other one-time costs related to targeted reductions to the Company's cost structure, totaled $17.6 million, compared with an operating loss of $11.8 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2011.
• EBITDA, inclusive of the aforementioned $4.0 million of severance and other one-time costs, was $7.1 million, compared with $15.6 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2011. EBITDA is not a measure recognized under generally accepted accounting principles (see Note 1).
• Net loss totaled $45.0 million, or $2.43 per diluted share, compared with a net loss of $32.3 million, or $1.78 per diluted share, for the second quarter of fiscal 2011. The results for the second quarter of fiscal 2012 include a pre-tax charge of $6.3 million, or $0.34 per diluted share, for fees associated with the recently completed exchange of $330 million of the Company's 10¼% Senior Notes due 2014 for new 10?% Second Lien Senior Secured Notes due 2017 and a pre-tax charge of $4.0 million, or $0.21 per diluted share, for the aforementioned severance and other one-time costs.

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08.16.2012
Shiner International, Inc. Announces Results for the Second Quarter of 2012

Shiner International, Inc., an emerging global supplier of packaging solutions for food, tobacco, and consumer products, today announced its financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2012.

Total revenue for the three months ended June 30, 2012 were $16.4 million, a decrease of $1.5 million (or 8.2%) compared to total revenue of $17.9 million for the same quarter ended June 30, 2011. The decrease was primarily attributable to decreased revenues generated from coated film and color printing, which was partially offset by increase in revenues generated from BOPP tobacco, advanced film and water-based latex. For the three months ended June 30, 2012, revenue from coated film revenue decreased $3.1 million (or 45.3%) to $3.8 million from $6.9 million for the corresponding period in 2011, and sales from color printing decreased $1.1 million (or 73.8%) to $0.4 million from $1.5 million for the corresponding period in 2011. For the three months ended June 30, 2012, revenue from BOPP tobacco increased $3.0 million (or 38.5%) to $10.6 million from $7.6 million for the corresponding period in 2011; revenue from advanced film decreased $0.3 million (or 18.2%) to $1.4 million from $1.7 million for the corresponding period in 2011; and revenue from water-based latex increased $0.1 million (or 60.9%) to $0.3 million from $0.2 million for the corresponding period in 2011.

Shiner's gross profit for the three months ended June 30, 2012 was $0.5 million, the gross profit margin decreased to 3.0% compared to 14.1% of total revenue for the corresponding period in 2011. The decrease in gross profit margin was primarily a consequence of increased labor costs and depreciation of the new property.

Operating loss for the three months ended June 30, 2012 was $(1.5) million compared to operating income of $1.3 million for the same quarter ended June 30, 2011. Selling, general and administrative ("SG&A") expenses increased by 61.6%, or $0.7 million, to $2 million for 2012 compared to $1.2 million for the corresponding period in 2011. The increase in "SG&A" expenses was mainly due to a $0.2 million increase in R&D expense and a $0.2 million increase in for marketing expense.

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08.16.2012
Newton Falls paper mill back on the market

A deal to restart the Newton Falls Fine Paper mill is dead and the plant is on the market.

“They’re going to try to find a buyer or liquidate it,” said Fine Supervisor Mark C. Hall, a member of the St. Lawrence County Industrial Development Agency. “There are people out there who still think they’re going to find a buyer. I’ve got my fingers crossed that they find a buyer and the mill will operate again. Time will tell.”

Mill President Scott C. Travers said he would no comment beyond a company-issued press release that had not been prepared yet.

Late last year, Mr. Travers had been confident a restart plan was well underway with a partner lined up, new product lines identified and a revamped plant in development. The mill shut down in mid-December 2010 because of poor sales brought on by a recession and market changes.

The mill had more than 100 employees when it closed. About five employees remain.

Mr. Travers met with Mr. Hall and Christopher L. Westbrook, president of the Clifton-Fine Economic Development Corp. Tuesday to give them the news.

Mr. Westbrook said Mr. Travers did not tell them why the deal fell through.

“An offer was made and it was turned down. I can’t tell you what the offer even was,” Mr. Westbrook said. “It was just a sad day.”

Mr. Westbrook said he was expecting the worst when he learned Jay Rogers, the mill’s vice president for sales and marketing, and business consultant Gordon McLennan had been let go. Even so, Mr. Rogers, who could not be reached for comment, told Mr. Hall he remained confident Scotia Investments — the mill’s corporate owner — had a good business plan that could be profitable.

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08.16.2012
Deloitte: Consumer spending slips for first time in five months

The Deloitte Consumer Spending Index, released on Wednesday, decreased slightly in July, marking the first decline since February 2012.

The Index tracks consumer cash flow as an indicator of future consumer spending.

“The Index slipped primarily due to a drop in real new home prices and a slight rise in jobless claims that offset improvements in real wages,” said Carl Steidtmann, Deloitte’s chief economist and author of the monthly Index. “Consumers enjoyed lower energy costs during the first half of the summer, but a rapidly increasing savings rate suggests they have put some recouped funds away for a rainy day rather than spending it. However, gas prices have started to tick back up. If confidence remains under pressure due to stagnant job growth, a stumbling housing market and Europe’s financial crisis, consumer spending may begin to contract heading into autumn.”

Other factors impacting the decline, said Deloitte, include rising interest income and savings rate, and lower gas prices since April.

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08.16.2012
Ever Downward: Magazines To See Ad Share Diminish To 13.4% Of Spend by 2017

There is barely a plateau to be found in the next five years from the free fall of print magazine advertising, says Pivotal Research in its latest revised forecast through 2017. In 2012, spending on magazine advertising will be down another 5.1% to $13 billion, figures longtime media forecaster and Pivotal analyst Brian Wieser. The overall share of ad spend going to magazines will be down to 20.2%, off from 21.7% share in 20111 and a 23% share in 2010. In fact the rate of decline will continue unabated for the next five years, dipping by another 6.2% in 2013 but leveling somewhat to just below 5% loss hereafter. But cumulatively, as a piece of the overall media pie. That puts magazines at a 13.7% share by 2017.

Meanwhile back online, digital advertising will see 7% growth rates typically each year going forward and hit 2017 with a 17.3% share of national ad spend. While Wieser sees declines ahead for digital display advertising as new technologies and endless inventory drive prices lower, he also sees mobile media and online video picking up much of that slack.

Wieser has revised downward his overall growth estimates for US advertising, from 2.3% to 1.4%.

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08.16.2012
DMA to Congress: Data brokers are not evil

In response to a recent Congressional probe aimed at marketing data firms, the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) had this to say in a letter directed at lawmakers: “In the digital age, data-driven marketing has become the fuel on which America's free market engine runs.”

At the end of July, Reps. Edward Markey (D–Mass.) and Joe Barton (R–Texas), cochairs of the Bipartisan Congressional Privacy Caucus, sent a request to nine third-party data providers—Acxiom, Epsilon, Equifax, Experian, Harte-Hanks, Intelius, FICO, Merkle, and the Meredith Corp.—looking for a host of information about their practices, including a list of data items collection from or about consumers, the methods by which that information is collected, and any encryption or other safety measures used to protect the data.

The DMA is in essence defending a direct marketer's right to bear data. In fact, Linda Woolley, acting president and CEO of the DMA, says that's exactly what consumers actually want marketers to do, as long as they do it well. Congress doesn't seem to grasp that the use of data is about much more than “just getting people to buy things,” she says.

“This is a matter of catering to the customer and knowing what they want and what their preferences are,” Woolley says. “Think about this from a customer point-of-view: No one wants to check into a hotel they've been to before and have the person at the front desk say, ‘Have you ever stayed with us?'”

The real issue at play here, according to Woolley, is not the use of data—the way direct marketers are using data now “is just a digital version” of how they've always used data, she says—but the almost impossibility of defining what a data broker actually is. She points to the fact that there's even a publisher, Meredith Corp., ensnared in Congress's widely cast net.

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08.16.2012
Oil Gains as Supplies Decline More Than Expected

Oil traded near the highest close since May after U.S. stockpiles dropped to the lowest in four months and China signaled it may take more steps to boost growth in the world’s second-biggest economy.

Futures were little changed after climbing 1 percent yesterday. Crude supplies shrank 3.7 million barrels and total fuel use reached the highest level in nine months last week, the Department of Energy said in a report. Slowing inflation gives China more room to adjust monetary policy, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said, according to state media. Israel’s ambassador to the U.S. said his country would be willing to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities.

“There was a huge jump yesterday after the U.S. oil inventories were published, with the price not just driven by falling inventories but demand increasing markedly,” Thina Saltvedt, analyst at Nordea Bank AB in Oslo, said by phone today. “Any movement in the oil price today must be on the political side, especially anything relating to Iran.”

Oil for September delivery dropped 15 cents to $94.18 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange at 11:01 a.m. in London. It earlier rose as much as 28 cents, or 0.3 percent. Yesterday’s close at $94.33 was the highest since May 14.

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08.16.2012
ABM Postal Council: "Congress may wait until 11th hour to take action"

Last week, the United States Postal Service released yet another dismal report. USPS announced a $5.2 billion net loss for the third quarter of the fiscal year after facing a continuous volume decline of First-Class Mail. It also disclosed that it defaulted on a $5.5 billion prefunding payment for retiree health benefits earlier this month due to lack of cash. The mail agency believes it will be forced to default on a second payment of $5.6 billion, which is due by Sept. 30.

"Though discouraging it is not a surprise at all," says Jack Widener, ABM's postal counsel. "The Postal Business model has been changing over the past five years with significant losses of revenue and volume. The Q3 loss is just a continuation of the change, and USPS doesn’t expect those volume and revenue trends to reverse for a number of years. What is very disappointing is the lack of courage of Congress to take legitimate and corrective action that would put the USPS on the road to a much more stable financial position."

The news wasn't all bad. Despite the multi-billion dollar loss, revenue from shipping services and package delivery for the quarter was up 9 percent, totaling $3.3 billion. But this increase is not enough. In addition to the decline of First-Class Mail, USPS blames mandated prefunding payments for its cash problems. As part of the Postal Accountablity and Enhancement Act of 2006, USPS is required to make payments that cover future retiree healthcare premiums; payments are $5.5 billion a year for 10 years, totaling $55 billion. No other government agency is required to prefund those benefits, notes Widener.

With such low levels of revenue, USPS warns that it might not be able to borrow through October. The agency is urging Congress to approve its Postal Service Business Plan, which Widener says most ABM members support. The plan includes the transition to a five-day weekly mail delivery schedule and the elimination of prefunding for retiree health benefits, among other initiatives.

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08.15.2012
Target Reports Second Quarter 2012 Earnings

Target Corporation today reported second quarter net earnings of $704 million, or $1.06 per share. Adjusted earnings per share, a measure the company believes is useful in providing period-to-period comparisons of the results of its U.S. operations, were $1.12 in second quarter 2012, up 4.6 percent from $1.07 in 2011.

As previously reported, sales increased 3.5 percent to $16.5 billion in second quarter 2012 from $15.9 billion last year, reflecting a 3.1 percent increase in comparable-store sales combined with the contribution from new stores.

Segment earnings before interest expense and income taxes (EBIT) were $1,181 million in the second quarter of 2012, an increase of 2.9 percent from $1,147 million in 2011. Second quarter EBITDA and EBIT margin rates were 10.2 percent and 7.2 percent, respectively, compared with 10.3 percent and 7.2 percent in 2011. Second quarter gross margin rate declined to 31.3 percent in 2012 from 31.6 percent in 2011, reflecting the impact of the company’s integrated growth strategies partially offset by underlying rate improvements within categories. Second quarter selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expense rate was 21.1 percent in 2012 compared with 21.3 percent in 2011, reflecting disciplined control of expenses across the organization.

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08.15.2012
A Look Inside Facebook’s Carbon Footprint

Facebook, a business that relies so heavily on people’s willingness to share information, took an important step recently by sharing some details of its own. The social networking company has, for the first time, released information about its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Facebook used the GHG Protocol’s Corporate Standard for reporting emissions, categorizing them into Scope 1 (direct emissions), scope 2 (emissions from electricity consumption), and scope 3 (all other indirect emissions including, in Facebook’s case, emissions from business travel and the construction of its data centers). Measuring GHG emissions is a crucial first step for any company seeking to manage and reduce its climate change impact.

Facebook’s GHG Inventory

Here are some of the key figures from Facebook’s GHG inventory:
•Total Emissions (scope 1, 2, and part of scope 3): 285,000 metric tons (roughly the equivalent to the annual emissions from 56,000 cars)
•Percentage of Total Emissions Due to Data Centers: 72 percent
•Energy Mix: 27 percent coal, 23 percent “clean and renewable,” 17 percent natural gas, 13 percent nuclear, and 20 percent uncategorized (i.e. energy that’s purchased by utilities on the financial market and can include any or all of the above categories)
•Energy Goal: 25 percent of energy coming from clean and renewable sources by 2015

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08.15.2012
Cereplast Announces 2012 Second Quarter Financial Results

Cereplast, Inc., a leading manufacturer of proprietary biobased, sustainable bioplastics, today announced its financial results for the second quarter ending June 30, 2012.

2012 Second Quarter and First Six Months Financial Results:
Net sales for the three months ended June 30, 2012 were approximately $190,000, compared to $7.6 million for the same period in 2011. Net sales for the first six months of 2012 totaled $293,000 as compared to $14.9 million for the first six months of 2011. The decrease in sales over the prior year was due to our planned transition of all our sales and marketing resources, as well as senior management's efforts toward recovery of past due accounts receivables from our customers and minimizing any additional exposure to our accounts receivable credit risk. Our current period sales were primarily to our established existing U.S. customers with low risk credit limits and prepaid shipments of sample material.

Net loss for the three months ended June 30, 2012 was approximately $3.9 million as compared to $2.4 million for the same period in 2011. Net loss for the first six months of 2012 was approximately $6.7 million as compared to approximately $4.1 million for the first six months of 2011. The increase in our net loss for 2012 was primarily due to a full period of interest expense related to the coupon of our Convertible Debentures issued in May 2011, non-cash interest expense of $734,000 recognized from our Forbearance Agreement with the holders of our Convertible Debentures which reduced the conversion price in the Indenture from $5.80 to $1.00 per share, debt extinguishment costs of $427,000 related to exchange and retirement of $1 million of our Convertible Debentures and a loss of $99,000 on the change of an embedded derivative within our Warrants.

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08.15.2012
Williams-Sonoma targets e-customers with a “treatment” approach

Williams-Sonoma Inc., which operates all Williams-Sonoma, Pottery Barn and West Elm brands in the Americas, knew known that certain customers respond to e-mail messages and online advertising better than to catalogs. But in order to act on that knowledge, the retailer needed a way to analyze how marketing campaigns affect individuals, not just segments of customers. After two years of joint development with software company UpStream, Williams-Sonoma is starting to test new techniques for targeted marketing based on models that medical researchers use to make treatment plans for patients. So far, the results are positive.

As well as cutting costs by not sending catalogs to unresponsive customers, the new technique is helping the retailer reallocate funds to more effective online marketing channels like e-mails and display ads. “We’ve seen our ability to target with the catalog improve using these techniques on a scale that we haven’t seen with any sort of small technical improvement,” says Mohan Namboodiri, vice president of customer analytics for Williams-Sonoma. “This is a qualitative improvement in our ability to target the right type of customer with the right type of messaging, and it’s not something that we’ve had available up to now.”

The retailer uses marketing algorithms first developed by UpStream that are based on medical research data-crunching techniques that analyze the efficacy of various treatments over time for a single patient. In retail, that corresponds to analyzing the efficacy of multiple marketing campaigns over time for a single customer. As doctors ask which factors in a patient’s lifetime led to heart disease, for example, marketers might ask which factors in a customer’s lifetime led to a sale.
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08.15.2012
FiberMark Launches Wide Format Inkjet Print Media Portfolio

FiberMark, a manufacturer of specialty cellulose and synthetic fiber-based printing media announces a portfolio of FiberMark branded products for wide format inkjet printers. FiberMark capabilities include; paper manufacturing, saturating, performance coating, calendaring, laminating, embossing, sheet and roll converting. With six U.S. locations and one in Europe, FiberMark has been manufacturing saturated papers and nonwovens for specialty applications for more than 100 years. Core businesses include: Luxury Packaging, Decorative Covering Materials, Performance Boards, Digital Print Media, and Technical Specialties.

"Leveraging FiberMark’s core technologies and manufacturing capabilities, and developing new product lines created specifically for inkjet printers that use today’s durable Latex, Solvent (all), and UV-Curable inkjet inks, FiberMark has created a portfolio of wide format inkjet print media that is PVC-free, environmentally responsible, economical, durable, and application specific"; said Dr. Robert Conforti, Senior Vice-President, New Business Development.

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08.15.2012
City of Port Alberni and Catalyst Paper reach agreement for wastewater treatment facility and land

The City of Port Alberni and Catalyst Paper are moving forward with key strategic initiatives after reaching an agreement-in-principle for the purchase of the company’s wastewater treatment facility and additional lands.

The agreement, valued at $5.75 million consists of two parts: acquisition of the 13.4 hectare wastewater treatment facility located across the Alberni Inlet and secondly, 3.9 hectares of land combined with a road dedication (part of the Redford Street extension arrangement) to facilitate the development of an industrial truck route along the waterfront.

"This agreement with Catalyst Paper represents an investment in the long-term prosperity of our community," Mayor John Douglas said. "This sewage treatment facility will become an integral piece of our city’s infrastructure, allowing us to meet the strict new federal and provincial waste water regulations and accommodate the continued growth of the City."

Due to mill upgrades, Catalyst’s wastewater treatment facility is no longer required to support operations. The City’s acquisition and planned upgrade of the facility will bring it into compliance with new federal environmental regulations at a considerable cost savings when compared to building a new facility.
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08.15.2012
Oil Declines in New York Amid Signs of Higher U.S. Supply

Crude oil in New York slipped from the highest close in a week amid signs that supplies are increasing in the U.S., the world’s largest consumer.

West Texas Intermediate futures dropped as much as 0.7 percent. Crude inventories rose 2.78 million barrels last week to 367.1 million, the American Petroleum Institute said yesterday. This contrasts with forecasts for Energy Department data due later today. The department may report that stockpiles fell by 1.5 million barrels, according to a Bloomberg News survey. North Sea Brent traded at a premium of more than $20 a barrel to WTI for a fourth day.

“High inventories, high imports, anemic demand” are weighing on WTI, said Eugen Weinberg, head of commodities research in Frankfurt at Commerzbank AG, who predicts U.S. crude may slide further.

Oil for September delivery traded at $93.22, down 21 cents, on the New York Mercantile Exchange at 10:52 a.m. London time. It earlier dropped to $92.77. The contract advanced 70 cents yesterday to $93.43, the highest settlement since Aug. 7. Prices are down 6 percent this year.

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08.15.2012
Foliomag.com implements metered paid-access model

Red 7 Media's Folio: has implemented a metered paid-access model for its content on Foliomag.com. Effective immediately, readers will have complimentary access to eight stories each month before a paywall kicks in. After eight articles, readers will be given the option to buy an annual subscription to Foliomag.com for $69.95 or sign up on a monthly basis for $14.95. Content value was the main driver for the decision, says Bill Mickey, editor of Folio: and Audience Development.

"Folio:'s digital presence has evolved into a product in its own right," explains Mickey. "It requires a significant amount of work to produce, and for many in our market it has become a standalone information resource. Generating more revenue from a product that is clearly able to produce it is a can't-miss opportunity."

Mickey says the model will mostly impact the website's "heaviest, most loyal visitors." The site intends to reinvest profits back into content, primarily in research and video.

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08.15.2012
Google agrees to buy Frommer’s online travel service

Google Inc. has agreed to buy Frommer’s and other travel-related assets of publisher John Wiley & Sons Inc., Wiley said today. Wiley didn’t say what Google will pay for the travel assets; Google didn’t immediately return a request for comment.

The deal follows Google’s purchase last year of Zagat Survey LLC, a provider of online and printed restaurant and hotel guides. With Frommer’s—which provides a wide range of online and printed travel information ranging from feature articles on popular destinations to travel tips submitted by consumers—Google stands to boost its Internet search business by connecting more travel and hospitality search advertisers with consumers looking for travel ideas and bargains, experts say.

Compared with Zagat, “the Frommer’s content is much deeper and could help boost Google’s travel search business,” says Greg Sterling, founder of research and consulting firm Sterling Market Intelligence, which covers the Internet’s influence on offline consumer purchasing. “It will be interesting to see how Google integrates this wealth of new content into [Google] Maps, search and its mobile apps.”

Herman Leung, a senior investment analyst who follows Internet stocks at Susquehanna Financial Group, estimates that Frommer’s had about 1.7 million unique visitors worldwide in June, down 3% from a year earlier but up 9% from the prior three months of this year. Most of its unique monthly visitors are from the United States, at 1.2 million, he says. Unique monthly visitors are counted only once regardless of how many times they visit a site in a particular month.

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