Household Product News Archives

WASHINGTON - Federal Trade Commission Chairwoman Deborah Platt Majoras will resign in late March, the agency said Thursday, and take the top legal spot at Procter & Gamble Co. via Chicago Tribune

“They have still got some way to go before they are best in class”

Unilever turned another corner in its long road back to health yesterday when the maker of Vaseline and Hellmann's mayonnaise unveiled an executive reshuffle and consolidated two major divisions as part of its ... via The Independent

“Henkel decided to undertake divestiture of all or part of its stake in Ecolab. No final decision has been taken at this time as to the size, the timing and method of any such divestiture”

Germany's Henkel , maker of Persil detergent and got2b hair products, posted flat fourth-quarter earnings hurt by high raw-material costs and said it would cut jobs and sell shares in Ecolab Inc to buy part of ... via Reuters

Sears Holding has revised its acquisition proposal for Restoration Hardware Inc. via KSDK NewsChannel 5

“Presenting a gay couple on television only to relegate them to insulting hugs and slaps on the back is the 21st century version of putting African Americans on the back of the bus”

It all started last Christmas, when Luke and Noah, the young gay couple on "As The World Turns," were about to kiss. via Gay news blog

U.S. Federal Trade Commission Chairman Deborah Platt Majoras will resign in late March and become general counsel of Procter & Gamble, according to a report in Reuters. via The Jersey Journal

“We are pleased that the court recognized and acknowledged the uniqueness of the risedronate molecule”

Procter & Gamble Co. won a patent infringement lawsuit Thursday against Teva Pharmaceuticals USA Inc. via BusinessWeek

“The cardiac institute will not only treat patients, but also educate and advocate -- particularly to women, who still falsely believe they are at less risk -- about preventive measures to reduce heart disease”

Revlon Inc. cosmetics magnate Ronald O. Perelman has donated $50 million to enhance heart care and reproductive medicine research at a Manhattan hospital and affiliated medical college. via WSVN-TV Miami Beach

Cosmetics maker Revlon Inc posted a fourth-quarter net profit on Thursday that matched Wall Street expectations as restructuring costs fell sharply from a year earlier. via Reuters

Procter & Gamble Co. is among nine consumer goods companies being investigated by French antitrust officials, Reuters reported Wednesday. via The Birmingham News

“We're committed to flat or declining headcount for the foreseeable future”

Procter & Gamble Co will cut about 15 percent of its management staff as part of a bid to improve productivity and accelerate growth, the company said on Monday. via BNET

“MicroStrategy's platform delivers comprehensive reports and analyses that are critical tools for consumer goods companies committed to improving operational efficiencies and enhancing productivity.”

RDATE:26022008 Maybach Financial is a syndicate of financial informants representing a true investing experience. via TMCnet

Hobbled by the housing slump and a loss of market share, The Home Depot Inc. posted its first ever annual sales decline Tuesday and released a 2008 outlook that is more gloomy than that of its chief rival, ... via Theeagle.com

“These results demonstrate the effectiveness of our strategy of focusing on our core businesses while striving for innovation leadership in each of our markets”

Henkel KGaA, the German maker of household products including Dial soap, said Wednesday its fourth-quarter profit rose nearly 11 per cent and it plans an efficiency program that could lead to the elimination of ... via CANOE

Nine European and U.S. consumer products makers, including Unilever , Procter & Gamble and Colgate-Palmolive , are suspected of price-fixing in France, a newspaper reported Wednesday. via The Boston Globe

Consumer products maker Newell Rubbermaid Inc. said Wednesday it has agreed to buy an Illinois maker of touch-free washroom dispensers and other devices for $445 million, its second acquisition announced this week.

The Atlanta-based maker of Sharpie pens and Rubbermaid trash cans said the deal with Technical Concepts Holdings LLC is expected to close in the first half of 2008, pending regulatory approval.

Technical Concepts products include touch-free and automated health, wellness and odor control devices, as well as refills. Among other things, the company makes touch-free faucets, automatic bathroom doors and toilets that flush automatically. Its devices are used in washrooms in office buildings, educational facilities and other public places. Read more

“The company believes that justice has prevailed today and the positive outcome was a strong statement that fraud, greed and deceit have no place in our society”

A jury awarded consumer products giant S.C. Johnson & Son Inc. $147 million in damages Tuesday to compensate it for losses suffered in a trucking kickback scheme. via BusinessWeek

“This acquisition significantly expands our presence in the U.S. financial services sector”

- MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. (TSX: MDA) says it has bought some real estate lending solution businesses from TransUnion LLC for US$42 million.

The Vancouver-based company, known as MDA, said the Delaware-based businesses it is buying include; collateral valuation, property search, mortgage credit, closing, and flood compliance solutions.

The businesses generate about US$130 million in annual revenues and have about 450 employees, MDA said in a release Tuesday.

When the sale is complete, which is expected at the end of the first quarter, the businesses will operate under the MDA brand name. Read more

“We expect a large corporation like Home Depot to comply with the law and protect the waters in the communities it serves.”

Denver Business Journal - by Mark Harden The state of Colorado will get a share of a $1.3 million penalty to be paid by home-improvement chain Home Depot Inc. via Bizjournals

Stocks that were moving substantially or trading heavily Tuesday on the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq Stock Market: NYSE Home Depot Inc., up 18 cents at $29 The world's largest home improvement chain ... via San Jose Mercury News

Stocks wobbled in early trading Tuesday after the government said core wholesale prices shot up more than expected last month, reinforcing the market's worries about rising inflation. via PR-inside.com

The Home Depot says its profit fell more than 27 percent in the fourth quarter on a slight increase in sales.

The Atlanta-based company said it earned $671 million, or 40 cents a share, in the three months ending Feb. 3, compared with a profit of $925 million, or 46 cents a share, in the same period a year earlier.

Revenue in the quarter rose 1.5 percent to $17.66 billion, compared to $17.4 billion a year earlier. However, revenue for fiscal 2007 declined 2.1 percent to $77.35 billion. Read more

Countrywide has canceled plans to host a business summit at a posh Colorado ski resort after published details of the event drew criticism. via KRON 4

The Australian stock market was stronger at noon underpinned by strong gains in the finance sector and the two big retailers, Woolworths and Wesfarmers. via The Sydney Morning Herald

Declining housing markets and lagging demand for house-related supplies are expected to hit Home Depot Inc., the world's largest home-improvement retailer, when it reports fourth-quarter results Tuesday. via MarketWatch

Home improvement giant Lowe's Companies Inc. reported a 33 percent drop in fourth quarter earnings, with executives saying the market hasn't been this slow since the mid-1970s.

Lowe's, the nation's second largest home improvement chain, and the larger industry has been hit hard from a soft real estate market across the country. With home sales falling, the appetite for new kitchens, cabinets, flooring and other big-ticket home improvement items have fallen off.

The company said sales of smaller-ticket home improvement items were strong. Read more

Consumer products maker Newell Rubbermaid Inc. says is has agreed to buy a Japanese maker of strollers, car seats and other children's products.

The Atlanta-based company says it is acquiring Osaka, Japan-based Aprica Kassai Inc. for an undisclosed sum.

The acquisition will provide Newell Rubbermaid with a premium brand that has a leading position in Japan. Newell Rubbermaid already manufactures the Graco car seat. It also makes Sharpie pens and Rubbermaid trash cans.

The transaction is expected to close later this year. Read more

Genpact , which manages business processes for companies around the world, today announced that Roanak Desai, head of corporate development and investor relations, will present at the Credit-Suisse Global ... via Earth Times

Quad City consumers will pay more for bead, pasta. Businesses already hurting. Just add it to the list. via WQAD-TV Moline

“I'd never dreamed we'd achieve the side curtains”

Down with the old, up with the new, as the Kallet Civic Center receives new curtains to replace its threadbare and tattered ones from decades past. via CapitalCentral

Bed, Bath & Beyond By Morgan Keegan WE ARE DOWNGRADING SHARES OF Bed, Bath & Beyond to Underperform from Market Perform as fundamentals remain poor and visibility into future earnings is low. via Barron's

With the increasing scarcity of healthcare information technology resources coupled with the challenge of managing multifaceted projects, McKesson has introduced Horizon Managed Services -- a continuum of ... via Earth Times

“Now we've given women the permission to reveal her own goddess”

AS fierce as competition can get in the marketplace, the fight is seldom fought with blades - except, of course, when it comes to the battle between razor companies. via New York Times

DRESDEN - Francis E. Conway, 72, of Dresden, died unexpectedly Wednesday afternoon, Feb. via ZanesvilleTimesRecorder.com

LANCASTER - Monomoy Capital Partners, the private equity firm that owns Anchor Hocking, sold its E.O. Brody division to an Indiana company, according to a press release. via LancasterEagleGazette

“You can't say the higher count always is better”

More is more, when it comes to thread count. The new breed of luxury bed sheets, boasting counts of 800 to 1,000 threads per square inch, can sell for hundreds of dollars each. via Fredericksburg.com

“The housing market may pose further risk for Amex”

Morgan Stanley upgraded Discover Financial Services and said the credit-card firm would outperform rivals Capital One Financial and American Express on benefits from moderate credit losses, leverage to lower ... via Reuters

“At the same time when they say the college will not offer classes [next year], in the same voice we are saying we continue talking to AC3 about the possibility of Antioch College”

More... Antioch\'s rollercoaster hits another hill On Campus On Campus Antioch's rollercoaster hits another hill By Stephanie Irwin Gottschlich Friday, February 22, 2008, 03:26 PM Antioch College students and ... via Dayton Daily News

The lawyer for the owner of a trucking company that once hauled products for S.C. Johnson & Son says he won't try to justify his client's involvement in a kickback scheme. via WBAY

“Our company is nimble and innovative, and we are taking steps to improve our performance in this more challenging retail business environment”

Citing a failure to reach sales goals and a challenging retail environment, the Vermont Teddy Bear Co. via BurlingtonFreePress.com

“Clearly, interest costs will be higher as a result of global credit conditions.”

Wesfarmers Ltd, which took over Australia's second biggest retailer Coles last year, has lifted first half earnings by 53.3 per cent and says its outlook for the expanded group remains positive. via The Age

At 89, Ida Pearl Green of Gaithersburg is still going strong as an Avon representative. via Gazette.Net

The U.S. Tax Court has ruled that Menard Inc. owes about $200,000 less than the $5.7 million, plus interest, the government has claimed. via Chicago Tribune

Sharper Image Corp. and Lillian Vernon Corp. this week became the latest retailers to declare bankruptcy in an increasingly stark retail environment. via Daily Herald

“Bombay Company Inc. has tremendous brand equity in the global marketplace and we believe consumers will continue to embrace the classic styles of the brand moving forward.”

James Salter, Chief Executive Officer, Hilco Consumer Capital Corp., today announced the completion of the acquisition of all intellectual property and the URL of the Bombay Company, Inc., excluding Canada. via Earth Times

“The downgrade also reflects the increased financial risk due to the company's debt-financed acquisition strategy.”

- Rona Inc. (TSX:RON), a major Canadian retailer and distributor of home-improvement products, is looking 18 months down the road for a rebound in the slumping industry.

Softening demand for hardware, renovation and gardening products put a dent in the Montreal-based company's fourth-quarter results but CEO Robert Dutton said Wednesday that Rona is well placed to weather the slowdown.

"The retail sector is beginning to suffer and our whole home-improvement sector, which has historically been a leading indicator, has been decreasing for some time," Dutton said in a conference call. Read more

Luxury goods group Waterford Wedgwood has warned that its financial results for the year to the end of March will be much worse than expected. via RTE Business

“Sales have simply failed to normalize given the sustained pressure on the company's two core product categories, air purifiers and massage chairs, while macroeconomic pressures have heightened the challenges for the company”

Published: February 20th, 2008 06:15 AM Last Modified: February 20th, 2008 06:16 AM Troubled retailers Sharper Image Corp. via Anchorage Daily News

“We just generally liked the Flower Mound and Argyle area. The feasibility analysis showed that there is a large demand for a very upscale product on a smaller lot. So this was a big step in letting us implement that.”

The upscale neighborhoods that have been a fixture in different parts of Flower Mound will now have a presence on the west side of town. via Plano Star Courier

“The year was marked by rapid expansion in our store base as we added a net 215 new stores, a 16 percent increase over the previous year”

Aaron Rents Inc., which sells and rents furniture and other household goods, said Tuesday its fourth-quarter profit fell but beat Wall Street estimates as a rapid expansion drove sales 14 percent higher. via Canadian Business Magazine

The American Foundation of Counseling Services in Green Bay will host the first Ethics in Business Awards with presenting sponsor Green Bay Packaging. via Green Bay Press-Gazette

- Russel Metals Inc. (TSX:RUS) has announced the promotion of Brian Hedges from chief financial officer to chief operating officer.

In another promotion of a long-serving employee, Marion Britton, previously chief accounting officer, becomes CFO.

Hedges has been with the metal distribution company for 13 years, Britton for 23 years.

"Their promotions are an extension of our succession planning as Brian has assumed an increasing role in our operations and growth strategy and Marion has assumed greater responsibilities in the financial area," president and chief executive officer Bud Siegel stated Monday. Read more

“We want it to be more balanced. We welcome Ferris, we want them to expand and prosper. We want that for any business in our community”

Public invited to comment Feb. 28 at 10 a.m. VERONA - Sherrill officials say they welcome Ferris Industries; it's the $1.4 million tax break they would like to see reduced. via The Oneida Daily Dispatch

“We are excited to welcome Bob to the New York International Auto Show”

Robert Nardelli, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Chrysler LLC since August 2007, will deliver the keynote at the upcoming New York International Auto Show. via Automotive

“What Nardelli is doing is applying lessons from GE first to Home Depot and then to Chrysler”

DETROIT -- Think of it as 'Nardelli: The Sequel.'

And like in many big-budget follow-ups, Bob Nardelli, six months into his role as Chrysler LLC's top executive, is following much of the same storyline from his days of running Home Depot.

Both at Home Depot and Chrysler, General Electric veteran Nardelli set out to rapidly change corporate culture by shaking up the top executive ranks and bolstering the role of the human resources department. He put greater emphasis on inventory management and customer satisfaction and working to expand global operations. Read more

“Improvement initiatives in and of themselves are not enough. Companies must also implement appropriate best practices and measure business results”

The first performance management solution to effectively link and immediately present operations and business metrics as they change, myDIALS surpasses the capabilities of current dashboard technology and ... via Market Wire

“The company can't afford to pay it”

Business Virginia Beach Direct retailer Lillian Vernon Corp. said today it is laying off 185 workers half of its year round workforce and looking at a sale of the company because of financial difficulties. via PilotOnline.com

A bankruptcy judge has approved Global Home Products LLC Chapter 11 plan -- paving the way for the former parent of glassware maker Anchor Hocking to exit bankruptcy protection. via WHIO-AM Dayton

A worker at the Clairol hair care products plant is being treated for tuberculosis, with co-workers expected to be tested Tuesday, the Stamford Health Department said. via WNBC-TV New York

“Doctors don't want to be on the (Suboxone.com) list, because of the stigma - they don't want to be known for treating opiate addicts”

Five years after the release of a much-heralded drug that blocks opiate addicts' cravings, state officials are grappling with how to regulate the treatment. via The Times-Tribune

“We need to continue to do belt-tightening”

Nastech Pharmaceutical said Tuesday it will cut its workforce by nearly a third, as the company still seeks to steady itself after Procter & Gamble pulled out of a lucrative joint research effort late last ... via The Seattle Times

“Because Longaberger is manufactured here, we get more publicity.”

NEWARK - The Longaberger Co. laid off 200 employees in its basket-making operations Tuesday and announced the elimination of 25 senior-management positions. via Coshocton Tribune

“Reckitt Benckiser had a great year in 2007”

Anglo-Dutch consumer goods giant Reckitt Benckiser said on Wednesday that net profit surged last year by almost 40 percent, driven by successful product launches. via XtraMSN Real Estate

“The Jamaica Savings Bank represents the prosperous past of Jamaica Avenue”

A nearly century-old, wood-frame synagogue in Queens whose original members included cosmetics magnate Estee Lauder was designated a historical landmark Tuesday along with a 110-year-old Beaux Arts-style bank ... via Canadian Business Magazine

“We are very pleased with our fourth quarter results. We enjoyed strong growth in our U.S. and Latin America regions, improving sales trends in Asia Pacific and we are well underway with our plans to enhance our European business performance.”

Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal - by Carissa Wyant Staff Writer Cleaning products maker Ecolab Inc. via Bizjournals

“We formulated Clorox Plus Coldwater Bleach to keep your whites vibrant just like Clorox's original formula has done for millions of laundry loads throughout the years.”

The Clorox Company has rolled out new Clorox Plus Coldwater Bleach. The first-ever bleach specifically formulated to enhance detergent's cleaning power in cold water, Clorox Plus Coldwater Bleach boosts the ... via Retail Merchandiser

“Strong demand from Canadian residents and international tourists for well-designed products made Toronto the logical choice for DWR's first international location.”

Design Within Reach Inc. will open its first international location later this month, in Toronto. via VMSD

Consumer products maker Church & Dwight Co. Inc. said Tuesday its expects its 2008 earnings per share to just beat Wall Street estimates, helped by price increases and laundry detergent sales. via International Business Times

Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc. today reported fourth-quarter revenue of $306.1 million, a 6 percent improvement over the prior-year period and ahead of company guidance. via MLM Business Opportunities Blog

“Rapid start-up while continuing to subject ourselves to the appropriate level of controls”

A senior United Nations official today emphasized the importance of tackling the "twin challenges" peacekeeping faces regarding planning and speed. via United Nations

DETROIT, Feb 7, 2008; Reuters reported that U.S. automaker Chrysler LLC plans to cut its product lineup by around a half and dramatically shrink its dealership network as part of plans to sell its three brands ... via The Auto Channel

“Goldfish has similar credit characteristics to our existing UK business. The combination provides an attractive opportunity to deploy our expertise across a larger number of cards and customers.”

Barclays HAS bought the Goldfish credit card business from Discover Financial Services of the US for a knock-down price of $70m . Britain's biggest credit card lender will get 1.7 million accounts with about ... via The Independent

The Amway Corporation is warning people about a group called the "Amway Children Charity Foundation," which is soliciting donations through e-mails. The warning, in the form of a press release posted at ... via WZZM-TV Grand Rapids

Gaiam, Inc. recently announced that it has determined that an initial public offering of a minority interest in Gaiam's Real Goods Solar subsidiary would optimize Real Goods Solar's potential and create ... via Clean Edge

“Another executive's office is a nail salon, another one doubles as a hotel room, and then another has what we call, 'the seedy motel room.' ”

This is not your Grandma's soap opera. Faced with dramatic viewership declines and a graying audience, Procter & Gamble Productions, which owns one of television's pioneering shows, "Guiding Light," is ... via Pittsburgh Post-Gazette