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Health

Singapore minister on Covid-19 vaccination program, opening of borders

SINGAPORE – Singapore aims to immunize 75% of its population by early October to gradually relax border restrictions as the coronavirus becomes endemic over time, trade minister Gan Kim Yong told CNBC on Tuesday.

“Covid-19 is likely to be endemic in the future. That is why vaccination is so important. Because the transmission will continue and you will be confronted with a new variant from time to time when the virus mutates, “Gan told the” Squawk Box “from CNBC Asia.”

He said the goal is to vaccinate at least two-thirds of the country by August 9, when Singapore celebrates its national day, which marks the country’s independence after separating from Malaysia in 1965.

Data from the scientific publication Our World In Data showed that by July 3, nearly 37% of Singapore’s 5.6 million residents were fully vaccinated. This is a significantly higher percentage compared to more populous neighbors like Malaysia and Indonesia, who each vaccinated nearly 8% fully. and 5% of their population.

Vaccines can help limit transmission to some extent and reduce the severity of the disease, the minister said. This ensures that Singapore’s hospitals and medical facilities are not overwhelmed and would allow the country to “continue to live with Covid-19”.

Singapore’s national vaccination program runs vaccinations from Pfizer and Moderna, but some private clinics have been allowed to administer Sinovac for those who prefer the Chinese-made vaccine.

Travel corridors and reopening of borders

Vaccination rate will be an important marker in easing border restrictions to allow non-resident travelers to enter Singapore, Gan said.

“We hope that by the end of September or beginning of October we can cover 75% or more (of the population). Then we can open up our borders more to allow more.” Visitors to Singapore come both for business and pleasure, “added Gan.

Discussions about the establishment of travel corridors with Hong Kong and Australia have not yet produced any concrete results this year.

A bubble agreement would have enabled people from Hong Kong or Australia to travel to Singapore and vice versa without quarantine.

“We decided not to call it a travel bubble because it tends to burst,” said Gan. “We will continue to do our best to discuss with our partners and the discussion is moving forward.”

Singapore and its partners need to be prepared for potential travel corridors by making sure infection rates stay low and vaccination rates high, Gan said.

The city-state plans to conduct studies that will allow vaccinated travel between Singapore and several other destinations, he added. First, it will be done in small groups to test the process, and if those efforts are successful, it will be expanded to let more travelers into the country, Gan said.

“This will be very important for us to do it safely, build trust and allow us to refine our actions and process to ensure we can continue to protect Singapore and our visitors,” he added .

Loosen restrictions further

Singapore tightened restrictions in May as locally transmitted cases spiked and the highly contagious Delta variant was discovered in the city-state. These strict measures included a ban on eating in restaurants and grocery stores and restricting public social gatherings to two people.

Some of those measures have since been relaxed as cases are now under control and only a handful of unrelated infections are reported in the community each week.

We always believe that we have to find a very careful balance between protecting life on the one hand and preserving livelihoods on the other.

Gan Kim Yong

Minister for Trade and Industry

“We have to be careful and take a cautious approach as we open up our economy and our community,” said Gan, the former health minister and still co-chair of Singapore’s Covid-19 task force.

“This is to ensure that we can continue to keep public health under control and ensure the safety of Singaporeans,” he said, adding, “We always believe that we can strike a very careful balance between protecting life and protecting ourselves Life “must find a livelihood on the other side.”

If things keep moving steadily forward, Gan said Singapore will allow in-person dining for up to five people from July 12th. Currently, only groups of two people are allowed to dine together outside of homes.

Categories
Business

‘A Quiet Place’ sequel has highest pandemic opening weekend field workplace

Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds and Noah Jupe star in “A Quiet Place Part II.”

Paramount

The box office was anything but quiet over the weekend.

John Krasinski’s “A Quiet Place Part II,” the sequel to his 2018 directorial debut, garnered $48.4 million over the weekend so far, the highest of any film release during the pandemic. The haul was just shy of the $50 million “A Quiet Place” tallied in 2018.

The Paramount film is currently on pace to pick up around $58 million for the four-day Memorial Day weekend.

“This is the start of the second act in movie-going’s rebound and the kind of performance that seemed unimaginable just a few months ago,” said Shawn Robbins, chief analyst at Boxoffice.com. “For ‘A Quiet Place Part II’ to open near the level of its pre-pandemic predecessor despite ongoing capacity limits and other regional restrictions speaks volumes about not just interest in the sequel itself, but also the power of moviegoing.”

“Audiences are increasingly eager to reintegrate that shared theatrical experience back into their daily lives,” he said.

The sequel has been widely praised by critics and earmarked as a must-see film, especially in theaters. In reviews, critics touted how seeing the film in a theater heightened the experience because sounds — whether on the screen or in the seats nearby — made the thriller more suspenseful.

Heading into the holiday weekend, more than 70% of theaters were open. As vaccination rates continue to rise and the number of coronavirus cases decline consumer confidence in returning to movie theaters has spiked. Not to mention, studios are finally releasing new content.

Analysts are optimistic that this could be the first weekend the domestic box office could top $100 million since the pandemic began. The last time the box office reached that figure over a weekend was March 6, 2020.

“The momentous success of ‘A Quiet Place Part II’ delivered a knockout punch to those who had figured that the pandemic would accelerate the oft-predicted downward spiral and eventual demise of the movie theater,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore.

The strong performance of “A Quiet Place Part II” could be aided by Disney’s “Cruella,” which was also released this weekend. Current estimates indicate that the film could secure nearly $30 million. The studio is expected to release its box office data later on Sunday.

Although, the film could bring in much less. After all, it was made available in theaters and through Disney+ for $30 on the same day. Some consumers may have ventured out to the cinema to see the film, but others may choose to stay on the couch and stream. Plus, the film is getting mixed reviews.

Categories
Health

Native bar opening in rural Illinois was tied to no less than 46 new Covid circumstances, CDC says

Residents line up for COVID-19 testing at Pritzker College Prep High School in the Hermosa neighborhood on November 30, 2020 in Chicago, Illinois.

Scott Olson | Getty Images News | Getty Images

A local bar that opened in a rural Illinois county in early February was linked to at least 46 new cases of coronavirus and a school closure that affected 650 children, according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The county’s per capita number doubled due to the cash opening, according to the CDC. Before the event, the district had an average of up to 42 cases per 100,000 inhabitants for seven days. The daily case average more than doubled 14 days after it opened, the CDC said.

The case, highlighted in a research report released Monday, provides further evidence of how weddings and gatherings in restaurants and nightclubs have the potential to become widespread events for Covid-19.

After routine case examinations, local health officials identified a group of cases linked to a handful of people at the bar opening, including a participant who had been diagnosed with asymptomatic Covid-19 the day before and who was still walking. There were also four people there that night who had symptoms and who later tested positive for the virus.

“These results show that opening settings such as bars where masking and physical distancing are challenging can increase the risk for community transmission,” the CDC said.

One bar attendee who later tested positive identified 26 close contacts he had while attending school for indoor exercise or personal lessons. Two student athletes also tested positive, causing local officials to shut down the school district after more than a dozen employees were potentially exposed.

Another bar attendee was working at a long-term care facility where an employee and two residents were rated positive days after the event. At least one resident was hospitalized before being released the same day. Nobody was vaccinated.

As of February 26, 12 people in eight different homes who were in contact with people who were at the bar that night tested positive for Covid-19, including five school-age children, according to the study. No one was admitted to the hospital.

“This research further shows that inconsistent mask usage and inadequate physical distancing indoors can increase the risk of transmission,” the CDC wrote. “”[Covid-19] The broadcast that originates from a company like a bar affects not only the customers and employees of the bar, but can also affect an entire community. “

The CDC said there were at least four caveats to the results. First, the interviews were voluntary and many community members did not provide full information, so the number of cases reported in the study is likely to be fewer than the actual number of cases.

It was also likely that not all asymptomatic cases were counted and not all contacts were tested. Information on individual behaviors such as wearing masks and social distancing was not collected from those with positive results. Finally, no samples were available for sequencing the entire genome, which is why it could not be determined whether variant Covid strains were responsible for the increase in transmission.

According to the CDC, a multi-component approach such as enforcing the correct wearing of masks, social distancing, reducing indoor capacity, adequate ventilation and contact tracing should be implemented to prevent the virus from spreading before settings such as bars and restaurants are opened.

Categories
Business

‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ tops field workplace with $32.2 million opening

Godzilla and King Kong fight in Warner Bros.’s “Godzilla vs. Kong.”

Source: Warner Bros.

The box office at home is back.

Warner Bros. and Legendary’s “Godzilla vs. Kong” had a pandemic best opening over the weekend, raising $ 32.2 million on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The film, which was released domestically on Wednesday, grossed $ 48.5 million in the United States and Canada.

Internationally, “Godzilla vs. Kong” increased its box office results by a further US $ 71.6 million. Since it opened in overseas markets last week, the film has grossed $ 285.4 million.

“The results for ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ are absolutely stunning and represent a kind of ‘welcome back’ to an industry that has been working its way back from the fringes for over a year,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore.

“Godzilla vs. Kong” opened in more than 3,000 theaters in North America over the weekend, most of the films during the pandemic. Not only did the film release the biggest opening weekend since the coronavirus pandemic began, it also had the biggest opening day on Wednesday at $ 9.6 million and the biggest single day on Saturday at $ 12.5 million.

“For anyone who has questioned the pent-up demand for admissions, this achievement is another sign of how resilient the theater industry can be,” said Shawn Robbins, chief analyst at Boxoffice.com.

According to Comscore, only 55% of theaters in North America were open over the weekend, compared to the total number of theaters open in 2019. Most of these cinemas are around 50% full.

“It should send a message to the studios again that the global audience is hungry for big box office releases,” said Robbins. “If ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ can break out in a still hampered domestic market with a simultaneous streaming release on these numbers, imagine what other blockbuster competitors can achieve in the coming months, if a reasonable window for exclusivity of the theater is given. ” Day one.”

“A sleeping giant is really starting to wake up,” he said.

Categories
Business

Godzilla vs. Kong China field workplace headed for sturdy opening weekend

A still image from Warner Bros. “Godzilla vs. Kong.”

Source: Warner Bros.

“Godzilla vs. Kong” is on its way to a monster opening weekend at the Chinese box office. This is welcome news for an industry ravaged by the coronavirus pandemic.

According to initial estimates, the film, in which two of the cinema’s most famous monsters compete against each other, secured around US $ 21.5 million on the country’s opening day.

The sequel is currently running just before its predecessor “Godzilla: King of the Monsters”, which brought in around 18 million US dollars on its first day of cinema in China in 2019. Ultimately, $ 66.7 million was raised for the entire weekend.

The film will be released internationally this weekend, but will be available in North American theaters and on HBO Max on March 31st. “Godzilla vs. Kong” will be on the streaming service for 31 days after its release and then switch to premium video by demand.

“The release of this film is very welcome news for the film industry, even if the domestic streaming element is involved,” said Shawn Robbins, chief analyst at Boxoffice.com. “Overall, the Asian markets were strong drivers of the franchise’s box office expertise, with China alone contributing around a third of global revenues to ‘Kong: Skull Island’ and ‘Godzilla: King of the Monsters’.”

At the beginning of the weekend, analysts were optimistic that Godzilla vs. Kong could deliver strong results in China. After all, the country is currently the leading box office manager for ticket sales in 2021, and has been instrumental in driving ticket sales for the latest Godzilla and King Kong films.

Strong ticket sales in China

According to Comscore, China’s box office made $ 2.64 billion in ticket sales between January 1 and March 21, most of all territories.

By comparison, Japan, the second largest cash collector, made just $ 292.6 million in ticket sales in the first three months of the year. The domestic box office, which ranks third, has just under $ 200 million in ticket sales.

Domestically, the film industry has been hard hit by the pandemic, leading to long-term closings of major theaters and the postponement of blockbuster films. Only recently, theaters in key cities like Los Angeles and New York City received local permits to reopen.

With movie theaters now open and a steady surge in vaccinations, the industry is hoping box offices in the US and Canada will rebound.

“With much of the world waiting for theaters to reopen more stably and for vaccine implementation to further boost consumer sentiment, the film’s current presence in Chinese cinemas is one of the most important steps to take in the long-term industry global upswing, “said Robbin.

The Chinese box office has accelerated over the past decade, threatening to overtake North America as the highest-earning area in the world. In 2012, China had ticket sales of just $ 2.7 billion. By 2019, that number was $ 9.2 billion, just two billion behind North America.

Because of the pandemic, China overtook North America last year, raising $ 3.1 billion, compared to $ 2.25 billion domestically.

China’s strong ticket sales in 2021 are particularly due to the fact that more theaters are open, the audience capacity is higher, and more new films are being released.

While theaters in the US and Canada are 25% to 50% full, many theaters in China are allowed to open at 75%. This enables them to generate a significantly higher amount every weekend at the box office.

“What the Chinese market is telling me is not necessarily that it is outperforming, but it shows the performance that an open film market should be,” said Josh Grode, CEO of Legendary. “It’s a strong sign around the world that people really enjoy going to the movies and enjoying a social experience.”

Legendary co-produced “Godzilla vs. Kong” alongside Warner Bros. and has distribution rights in China.

“There is something to be said about the shared experience.” Said Grode. “Go inside, let the lights go out, scream and shout and be entertained and fed on the energy of the person next to you.”

A monster showdown

Audiences in China are also leaning towards premium ticketing for upgraded seating and screens that cost more. IMAX, for example, has a massive presence in China and continues to increase the number of screens operated in the region.

In 2014, when Godzilla was released, IMAX had fewer than 150 screens in China. Now that Godzilla vs. Kong is out there are around 700 screens.

“There’s a big appetite for the right film and a special appetite for premium,” said Richard Gelfond, CEO of IMAX. “You want to see something very special.”

Godzilla and King Kong fight in Warner Bros.’s “Godzilla vs. Kong.”

Source: Warner Bros.

Hollywood action films tend to draw large crowds to Chinese theaters and often make up a significant portion of ticket sales, especially in recent years.

Looking at “Godzilla” from 2014, domestic ticket sales reached $ 200.6 million, or about 39% of the movie’s total worldwide sales. Ticket sales in China were under $ 80 million, or 15%.

Fast forward to 2019 when Godzilla: King of the Monsters was released, China accounted for 36% of the movie’s global box officer at $ 137.6 million, and North America accounted for $ 110.5 million in ticket sales 29% off.

“The legendary monster film genre has had a special resonance in the international market for decades,” said Paul Dergarabedian, Senior Media Analyst at Comscore. “China, in particular, has been an incredibly important source of revenue and fan-based enthusiasm for the franchise and has been appropriately at the center of the marketing and sales effort for the film.”

“There’s no denying that the sheer size and scale of these two larger-than-life characters makes it necessary to see the film best on the largest screen possible,” he said.

Categories
Business

10 retailers which are opening new retailers

Ein Dick’s Sportartikelgeschäft

Craig Warga | Bloomberg | Getty Images

In einer 180-Grad-Wende ab 2020 übertreffen die Expansionspläne der Einzelhändler die Pläne zur Schließung des Geschäfts in diesem Jahr.

Laut einem Tracking von Coresight Research haben US-Einzelhändler seit Jahresbeginn 3.199 Neueröffnungen und 2.548 Schließungen angekündigt. Zum Vergleich: Das Unternehmen verzeichnete im vergangenen Jahr satte 8.953 Schließungen sowie 3.298 Neueröffnungen, als die Covid-Pandemie die Einzelhandelsbranche belastete und Dutzende von Unternehmen in den Bankrott trieb.

Jetzt scheint das Land jedoch um eine Ecke zu gehen. Die Einführung des Covid-Impfstoffs nimmt weiter zu, eine weitere Runde von Stimulus-Checks landet auf den Bankkonten vieler Amerikaner, und die Unternehmen prognostizieren im Großen und Ganzen eine starke Erholung des Verbrauchers. Die National Retail Federation prognostiziert, dass die Einzelhandelsumsätze in den USA in diesem Jahr zwischen 6,5% und 8,2% wachsen könnten, wobei sich die Wirtschaft auf dem schnellsten Stand seit zwei Jahrzehnten beschleunigt.

Der Immobilienmarkt bietet Unternehmen, die wachsen wollen, im Jahr 2021 eine Chance. Sie werden wahrscheinlich weniger Miete zahlen und flexiblere Mietbedingungen haben. Eine Flut von offenen Stellen hat die Vermieter verzweifelter gemacht, Raum zu füllen und Verträge zu unterzeichnen, die sie niemals als Präpandemie angesehen hätten.

“Die meisten Einzelhändler, die die Anfänge von Covid überlebt haben, versuchen nun, ihre neuen Geschäftseröffnungsprogramme wieder aufzufüllen”, sagte Bill Read, Executive Vice President von Retail Specialists, einem Maklerunternehmen mit Sitz im Südosten. “Die Nachfrage nach neuen Geschäften ist derzeit sehr robust. Nachholbedarf hat jeder in Eile.”

Hier sind 10 der Einzelhändler, deren Ladeneröffnungen für dieses Jahr geplant sind.

Ulta Beauty

Die Käufer stehen vor Ulta Beauty vor der Eröffnung am Black Friday um 6 Uhr morgens an.

Aimee Dilger | LightRocket | Getty Images

Marktkapitalisierung: 18,13 Milliarden US-Dollar
12-monatige Aktienperformance:
Plus 119%

Ulta Beauty plant, im Jahr 2021 etwa 40 neue Netto-Geschäfte zu eröffnen. Der Einzelhändler hat in diesem Jahr rund 70 Millionen US-Dollar für die Eröffnung und den Umbau von Geschäften vorgesehen. Die Pläne sehen vor, 11 Standorte umzubauen und 10 zu verlegen.

Als die Covid-Pandemie eintraf, wurden die für 2020 geplanten Ladeneröffnungen verschoben, teilte das Managementteam von Ulta den Analysten während einer Telefonkonferenz Anfang März mit. Infolgedessen werden viele der jetzt für 2021 geplanten Eröffnungen voraussichtlich im ersten Quartal stattfinden, hieß es. Ab der zweiten Hälfte dieses Jahres führt Ulta auch eine kleinere Version seines Geschäfts an mehr als 100 Zielstandorten ein.

“Wir sehen die Aussichten für den physischen Einzelhandel weiterhin optimistisch und positiv und werden weiterhin hervorragende Standorte im ganzen Land finden”, sagte Ulta-Präsident David Kimbell. “Wir sehen viel Wachstum vor uns.”

Kimbell wird die derzeitige CEO von Ulta, Mary Dillon, ersetzen, wenn sie im Juni zurücktritt.

Sephora

Die Menschen stehen am 1. Dezember 2020 in New York City zu einem Sephora-Laden in der Mall at the Hudson Yards.

Noam Galai | Getty Images

Sephora von LVMH plant, in diesem Jahr mehr als 60 freistehende Geschäfte zu eröffnen, von denen die meisten nicht in Einkaufszentren sein werden. Unabhängig davon ist das Schönheitsgeschäft auf dem besten Weg, im Herbst an Kohls Standorten rund 200 Pint-Läden zu eröffnen, die bis 2023 auf mehr als 850 Standorte anwachsen werden.

Die Geschäftsstrategie konzentriert sich darauf, das Risiko in Vorort-Einkaufszentren zu verringern und den Kunden auf andere Weise näher zu kommen. Mit dem Umzug in Kohl’s endet eine jahrelange Beziehung zur Kaufhauskette JC Penney.

Die Make-up-Verkäufe waren während der Pandemie stark rückläufig, und immer mehr Verbraucher bevorzugen einen wartungsarmen und ungezwungenen Lebensstil. Sephora setzt jedoch darauf, dass die Nachfrage nach Kosmetika wieder stark ansteigen wird.

Burlington Stores

Burlington Coat Factory Store

John Greim | Getty Images

Marktkapitalisierung: 20,38 Milliarden US-Dollar
12-monatige Aktienperformance:
Plus 135%

Burlington Stores plant für 2021 75 neue Netto-Filialen. Die Off-Price-Einzelhändler planen, etwa 100 neue Standorte zu eröffnen und 25 zu schließen oder zu verlegen. Während eines Gesprächs mit Analysten im März gab das Management bekannt, 18 für 2020 geplante Filialeröffnungen verschoben zu haben dieses Jahr wegen der Pandemie.

Etwa ein Drittel der diesjährigen Eröffnungen wird ein kleineres Format sein, das Burlington pilotiert. Dies sind ungefähr 25.000 Quadratfuß gegenüber den typischen 50.000 bis 80.000 Quadratfuß. Das Unternehmen hat sich zum Ziel gesetzt, die Lagerbestände niedrig zu halten und die Kosten zu senken.

“Wenn Sie weniger Inventar im Geschäft haben, benötigen Sie weniger physischen Platz”, sagte der Geschäftsführer Michael O’Sullivan. “Dies hat erhebliche wirtschaftliche Vorteile … die Erweiterung des Pools potenzieller Immobilienstandorte und die Möglichkeit, profitable Geschäfte an mehr Standorten in den USA zu eröffnen.”

Amazonas

In Amazonas erstem Amazon Fresh-Lebensmittelgeschäft in Los Angeles.

Amazonas

Marktkapitalisierung: 1,531 Billionen US-Dollar
12-monatige Aktienperformance:
Plus 63%

Laut einem aktuellen Bloomberg-Bericht eröffnet Amazon stillschweigend weitere Lebensmittelgeschäfte von Amazon Fresh.

Amazon Fresh debütierte im September in Los Angeles. Der Bloomberg-Bericht besagt, dass der elfte solcher Laden Anfang dieses Monats eröffnet wurde und Amazon an mindestens zwei Dutzend weiteren arbeitet. Ein Sprecher antwortete nicht sofort auf die Anfrage von CNBC nach einem Kommentar zu dem Bericht.

Amazon, dem auch die High-End-Lebensmittelkette Whole Foods gehört, sieht die Möglichkeit, leerstehende Immobilien zu übernehmen, um sich den Kunden näher zu bringen. Bloomberg berichtete, dass einige der Fresh-Läden beispielsweise leere Toys R Us-Standorte füllen. Hunderte wurden dunkel, nachdem die Spielzeugkette im September 2017 Insolvenz angemeldet hatte. Die Fresh-Läden sind zwischen 25.000 und 45.000 Quadratfuß groß, sagte Bloomberg.

Es ist nicht nur Amazon, der wachsen will. Lebensmittel bleiben eine wettbewerbsfähige Kategorie, vom Low-End bis zum High-End: Aldi, Lidl, Sprouts Farmers Market und Trader Joe’s haben auch in diesem Jahr Neueröffnungen angekündigt. Dollar General, der auch Lebensmittel verkauft, plant die Eröffnung von 1.000 Geschäften, darunter einige mit dem Popshelf-Label.

Fabletics

Schauspielerin Kate Hudson

Stefanie Keenan | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty Images

Fabletics in Privatbesitz plant, in diesem Jahr zwei Dutzend neue Geschäfte in den USA zu eröffnen, die bis zum Jahresende auf 74 steigen werden.

Die Sportbekleidungsmarke für Frauen (und in letzter Zeit auch für Männer) plant, erstmals international Geschäfte in London und Berlin zu eröffnen. Einige Geschäfte verfügen über technische Funktionen wie ein Leggings-Fit-Tool und Vor-Ort-Demos des Hydrow-Rudergeräts. Fabletics hat sich mit dem Hersteller von Heimfitnessgeräten zusammengetan, um seine Produkte in Geschäften und online zu vermarkten und der exklusive Bekleidungsanbieter für Hydrow-Trainer zu sein.

“Eines der Dinge, nach denen wir suchen, wenn wir einen Standort eröffnen, ist … wie hoch ist die aktuelle Mitgliederdichte, die wir in der Nähe dieses Geschäfts haben”, sagte Adam Goldenberg, CEO und Mitbegründer von Fabletics, in einem Interview . “Wir nutzen das Einzelhandelsgeschäft gerne als Ort, um mit unseren Mitgliedern zu interagieren und coole Events zu veranstalten.”

American Eagle’s Aerie und Offline

Matthew Mitchell, Mitte, spricht mit Kunden, während Sierra Phillips am 15. Mai 2020 ein Denim-Display im American Eagle / Aerie-Geschäft im Easton Town Center in Columbus, Ohio, anpasst.

Andrew Spear | Die Washington Post | Getty Images

Marktkapitalisierung: 5 Milliarden Dollar
12-monatige Aktienperformance:
Plus 224%

American Eagle hat mit seiner Marke Aerie für Dessous und Loungewear für Teenager und junge Frauen eine enorme Dynamik erlebt, was insbesondere während der Pandemie zu einem allgemeinen Geschäftsaufschwung beigetragen hat. Das Unternehmen geht davon aus, dass es in diesem Jahr rund 60 Aerie-Standorte eröffnen wird, darunter 25 bis 30 Offline by Aerie-Geschäfte. Offline ist eine neue Sportmarke, die das Unternehmen im vergangenen Sommer eingeführt hat.

“Wir freuen uns sehr über die Einkaufszentren”, sagte der Vorstandsvorsitzende Jay Schottenstein während einer Telefonkonferenz zu den Ergebnissen Anfang März. “Dies ist wahrscheinlich die beste Gelegenheit für uns, neue Standorte zu finden, die uns angeboten werden … zu erschwinglichen Mieten für uns.”

Die Wachstumsrate von Aerie hat die von American Eagle übertroffen. Während des vierten Quartals stieg der Umsatz von Aerie gegenüber dem Vorjahr um 25% auf 337 Mio. USD, während der Umsatz von American Eagle um 9% auf 943 Mio. USD sank.

Dicks Sportartikel

Kajaks werden vor einem Geschäft von Dick’s Sporting Goods Inc. in West Nyack, New York, ausgestellt.

Craig Warga | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Marktkapitalisierung: 7,22 Milliarden US-Dollar
12-monatige Aktienperformance:
Plus 333%

Dick’s Sporting Goods plant, in diesem Jahr sechs neue gleichnamige Geschäfte sowie sechs Standorte zu eröffnen, an denen neue Konzepte getestet werden. In den kommenden Wochen soll beispielsweise in Rochester, New York, ein einzigartiger, erlebnisreicher Standort namens House of Sport eröffnet werden, der eine Leichtathletik im Freien sowie eine Indoor-Kletterwand umfasst .

Laut seiner Website hat Dick’s Sporting Goods heute etwas mehr als 850 Standorte. Neben den Sportgeschäften außerhalb des Einkaufszentrums betreibt der Einzelhändler Golf Galaxy und Field & Stream.

“Wir haben unser Ziel für neue Geschäfte sehr selektiv ausgewählt, und die Wirtschaftlichkeit war sehr gut”, sagte Finanzvorstand Lee Belitsky während einer Telefonkonferenz zu den Ergebnissen Anfang März. “Wir werden in keiner Weise davon abgehalten, neue Geschäfte zu eröffnen, aber wir wollen weiterhin selektiv sein.”

TJX

Das Spiegelbild der Käufer ist in einem Fenster eines TJ Maxx-Geschäfts in Peoria, Illinois, zu sehen.

Daniel Acker | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Marktkapitalisierung: 80 Milliarden Dollar
12-monatige Aktienperformance:
Bis 60%

TJX plant, in diesem Jahr 122 neue Netto-Filialen zu eröffnen, womit sich die Gesamtzahl bis zum Ende des Geschäftsjahres auf fast 4.700 Standorte erhöhen soll. Das Markenportfolio von TJX umfasst die Rabattketten TJ Maxx, Marshalls, HomeGoods und HomeSense. Wie eine Reihe seiner Kollegen sieht das Unternehmen die Möglichkeit, dank Störungen in der Branche gute Immobilien zu einem angemessenen Preis zu landen.

“Mit der Zunahme der Ladenschließungen durch einige Einzelhändler sind wir in einer hervorragenden Position, um in einigen unserer Zielmärkte neue Geschäfte zu eröffnen”, sagte der Vorstandsvorsitzende Ernie Herrman Ende Februar gegenüber Analysten. “Darüber hinaus sehen wir zusätzliche Möglichkeiten, bestehende Geschäfte an wünschenswertere Standorte zu verlegen und günstigere Konditionen zu suchen, wenn die Mietverträge ablaufen.”

Während Off-Price-Ketten wie TJ Maxx und Marshalls während der Pandemie unter dem Fehlen einer Internetpräsenz gelitten haben, sagen Analysten voraus, dass diese Unternehmen einen starken Aufschwung erleben könnten, da die Amerikaner versuchen, ihre Kleiderschränke aufzufrischen und in die Läden zurückzukehren, um einzukaufen, insbesondere in der Umgebung Schlüsselmomente wie Schulanfang.

Fünf unten

Käufer kaufen am Mittwoch, dem 25. Juli 2018, außerhalb eines Five Below-Geschäfts in Bloomington, Illinois, in ein Fahrzeug ein.

Daniel Acker | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Marktkapitalisierung: 11 Milliarden Dollar
12-monatige Aktienperformance:
Plus 276%

Five Below plant, 2021 zwischen 170 und 180 neue Geschäfte zu eröffnen. Neunzig bis 100 davon sollen in der ersten Jahreshälfte entstehen. Das Unternehmen hat sich zum Ziel gesetzt, landesweit mehr als 2.500 Standorte zu erreichen. Laut seiner Website hat es heute mehr als 1.000 Geschäfte.

“Wir spielen wieder offensiv”, sagte der Vorstandsvorsitzende Joel Anderson im Januar während einer virtuellen ICR-Konferenz. “Wir fühlen uns großartig, dass wir den Ladenmotor wieder in Gang gebracht haben.”

Und da Five Below neue Standorte eröffnet und alte umgestaltet, testet Five Below auch einen Prototyp im hinteren Teil einiger Geschäfte, in denen Esport-Events stattfinden, die bei den Tween- und Teen-Verbrauchern, auf die es abzielt, immer beliebter werden. Es ist eine Partnerschaft mit Nerd Street Gamers eingegangen, einem nationalen Netzwerk von Sporteinrichtungen und wettbewerbsfähigen Gamer-Events, um die Räume zu betreiben.

Gaps alte Marine, Athleta

Marktkapitalisierung: 11,62 Milliarden US-Dollar
12-monatige Aktienperformance:
Plus 284%

Gap Inc. plant, in diesem Jahr 30 bis 40 neue Old Navy-Geschäfte sowie 20 bis 30 Athleta-Standorte zu eröffnen. Das Unternehmen setzt sein Wachstum auf diese beiden Marken, die in den letzten Jahren von den Verbrauchern stärker nachgefragt wurden. während sein Namensvetter Gap Label und Banana Republic wegen ihrer Abhängigkeit von Arbeitskleidung Probleme hatten. Das Unternehmen ist auf dem besten Weg, in diesem Jahr weltweit rund 100 Geschäfte von Gap und Banana Republic zu schließen, davon 75 in Nordamerika.

“Unsere Gespräche mit Vermietern sind recht gut vorangekommen, und wir machen schnelle und effektive Fortschritte bei unseren Immobilienzielen”, sagte Finanzvorstand Katrina O’Connell Anfang März gegenüber Analysten.

Gap prognostiziert, dass es 2021 wieder zu einem Umsatzwachstum zurückkehren wird, in der Hoffnung, dass die Kunden bald in ihre Geschäfte zurückkehren und mehr Geld für Bekleidung ausgeben werden, wenn sie einige soziale Aktivitäten wieder aufnehmen. Es bereitet sich auch darauf vor, mit der Sängerin Kanye West eine mit Spannung erwartete Bekleidungslinie auf den Markt zu bringen.

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Business

Retailers are opening extra shops than they shut, aided by low-cost lease

Sportswear retailer Fabletics plans to open two dozen stores in the U.S. this year, bringing the total to 74.

Source: Fabletics

For the first time in years, retailers across the country are planning to open more stores than close.

From Ulta Beauty and Sephora to Dick’s Sporting Goods, Five Below and TJ Maxx, companies are recovering from the Covid pandemic and dusting expansion plans that have been put on hold. In the most recent example, sporting goods retailer Fabletics announced Thursday that it will open two dozen stores in the United States this year. Even Toys R Us, the popular toy chain that filed for bankruptcy in 2017 and eventually liquidated, has a new owner looking to open stores before the 2021 holidays.

Retailers are looking to duplicate brands that have remained strong during the recession sparked by the pandemic. Or they look forward to testing new concepts that can attract new customers. And cheaper rents make these opportunities irresistible.

According to a recording from Coresight Research, US retailers have announced 3,199 new openings and 2,548 closings since the beginning of the year. The company recorded a whopping 8,953 closings and just 3,298 new openings last year as the pandemic weighed on the retail industry and bankrupted dozens of businesses.

Looking back, there were a total of 4,548 openings announced by retailers in 2019 and 3,747 in 2018, Coresight said. So far, the openings in 2021 are well on their way to reaching the top every year before.

After a tsunami of store closures in 2020, the retail real estate landscape is tainted with vacancies. Shopping center owners and malls across the country are looking for tenants to fill this space quickly. Meanwhile, some retailers are more optimistic after weathering the dark days of the pandemic. They want to seize a market where they have more power over their landlords when they sign new contracts or bring negotiations on the table.

“There is more space available and we can achieve better terms today than we did two years ago,” said Adam Goldenberg, co-founder and CEO of Fabletics, in an interview.

A woman walks into a store in New York City on February 22, 2021.

John Smith | Corbis News | Getty Images

The trends are particularly pronounced in top retail markets like Manhattan, which are usually a mecca for tourists and commuters. Retail rents in New York City fell to historic lows last fall, falling as much as 25% from 2019, according to a semi-annual report by the Real Estate Board of New York.

And rents were still falling from the third to the fourth quarter. Average retail rents fell 1.6% quarter over quarter, said commercial real estate services company JLL. The decline was more pronounced in certain markets: For example, along Lower Fifth Avenue from 42nd Street to 49th Street, retail rents fell 7.6% quarter over quarter, JLL said. They fell 4.8% in the Madison Avenue district.

Meanwhile, empty storefronts continue to be a headache for landlords. New York City retail property vacancy rates rose 21% year over year in the fourth quarter. This is evident from a separate follow-up by CBRE.

“After the pandemic, we can again host training courses in stores and special shopping days,” said Fabletics’ Goldenberg. “There’s a real sense of community that comes from being physically present.”

Great recession pattern repeated

Many of the companies that have new openings planned this year are focused on value. They range from Dollar General and Dollar Tree to the inexpensive retailers Burlington and Ross Stores to the discounters Aldi and Lidl. However, there are specialist retailers in the mix, including Bath & Body Works from L Brands and Gap’s Old Navy.

These retailers were some of the top performing in the business. For example, during the fourth quarter of L Brands, sales in the same store at Bath & Body Works rose 22% year over year, while at Victoria’s Secret they fell 3%. At Gap, Old Navy’s fourth-quarter sales rose 7% in the same store, while the brand of the same name saw a 6% decrease. Dozens of Gap and Victoria’s Secret stores will close this year as both companies invest in building their superior brands.

Some real estate experts say the growth is reminiscent of what the industry saw from the great recession. Retailers become more confident as they plan more stores, both inside and outside of malls.

“We’re very excited about the malls,” said Jay Schottenstein, chief executive of American Eagle Outfitters, during an earnings conference call in early March. “This is probably the best opportunity for us to find new locations that are offered to us … at affordable rents for us.”

American Eagle plans to open around 60 locations this year under the banner of Aerie, the loungewear and lingerie brand for teenagers and young women. 25 to 30 of these new stores are referred to as offline by Aerie, a sports line that the company launched last summer.

Time to experiment

Part of the activity is a result of experimentation that runs through the industry. Take Burlington Stores. It opens a handful of smaller prototypes that are meant to be scaled up in the future.

It is planned to open 75 new Netto stores this year, 18 of which were new openings planned for 2020 that have been delayed by the pandemic. About a third of the new stores will be around 25,000 square feet smaller than a typical location of 50,000 to 80,000 square feet, the company said.

“This is going to be a big year for experimentation,” said Deborah Weinswig, founder and CEO of Coresight Research. “The landlords have always had this friction because they have tried to take away as much rent as possible from the tenants. Of course, that’s their job. But I think it harms innovation.”

This year, Weinswig expects companies to test everything from smaller stores to what are known as dark stores that serve solely as hubs for shoppers to pick up online orders. The experimentation could also be done in other ways. Nordstrom is testing live stream shows that can be bought, for example.

“It’s a tenant market right now,” said Perry Mandarino, head of restructuring and co-head of investment banking at B. Riley FBR. “I’ve seen examples of short-term leases with easy-outs, and reasonable rates are perfectly available.”

Still, not every retailer firmly believes Americans will be returning to stores anytime soon.

“Two years from now, when the market looks back on me, I will be seen as either visionary or slow to transition,” Lands’ End CEO Jerome Griffith said in an interview. Lands’ End only has 31 stores of its own today and has no plans to increase that number but instead is investing in e-commerce.

“I’m not positive about the foot traffic in the stores,” Griffith said. “People will do things, people will be outside, but it will be things like going to restaurants and bars and going to the movies, going to sporting events, going to concerts. But I am very careful in our stores in front . “

“We have stopped expanding the branch,” he said. “Two years ago I would have told you that this will be a big part of our growth strategy.”

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Business

Border opening, vaccine passes wanted for restoration

Clement Kwok, CEO of Hong Kong and Shanghai Hotels, said easing border restrictions and introducing vaccination cards will be critical to revitalizing the hardest-hit hotel industry.

His comments come after the company, which owns and operates a number of luxury hotels, reported a net loss of $ 250 million for 2020.

Kwok told CNBC that the group has reopened its luxury brand Peninsula Hotel in all locations except New York, but it is still at 20% to 40% occupancy. A more meaningful recovery depends on easing travel restrictions due to Covid.

“Further recovery will depend on the implementation of travel protocols and the increase in vaccinations,” Kwok said Thursday.

“We certainly hope that as vaccinations increase, there will be a protocol that if vaccinated, travel restrictions may be lower,” he said, referring to so-called “vaccination cards” for vaccinated travelers. “We hope so and look forward to it,” said Kwok.

A vaccination record is digital documentation that shows that a person has been vaccinated against a virus, in this case Covid-19.

The exterior of the Peninsula Hotel in Hong Kong.

Prism of Dukas | Universal Images Group | Getty Images

Currently, the group, whose flagship hotel is in Hong Kong, is largely dependent on local businesses and promotes a range of stays and experience packages.

“We were able to maintain a certain level of business during this time,” said Kwok. “But what we really need most is to see an opening.”

Putsch halts development of Yangon

In Southeast Asia, the military coup in Myanmar, which led to weeks of bloody protests, brought the construction of a planned new plot of land on the peninsula in the capital Yangon to a standstill.

“There’s really not much work going on in Yangon right now,” said Kwok, noting that the group would rethink both its immediate and long-term plans for the property.

If you know you will be investing for 100 years, you will have highs and lows during that time, and you need to have the staying power to get through the lows for the highs to come.

Clement Kwok

Managing Director, Hong Kong and Shanghai Hotels

The budget for the renovation of the hotel, which is located in the former Myanmar Railways Company building, a Grade I listed building from the 1880s, has already increased from $ 90 million to $ 130 million.

The property is adjacent to Yoma Central, a larger commercial and residential development that is also in the works.

“These cost increases were not the material that affected the work and supply chain until Covid,” said Kwok. “But even now that the website is closed, we have to assess what impact this will have on costs.”

“Full steam ahead” in London, Istanbul

Even so, Kwok said the group is “in full swing” with the opening of two additional locations in London and Istanbul.

While construction on the properties has been delayed due to Covid restrictions, Kwok said the delay was a few months rather than years and both locations are well on their way to opening in 2022.

“We don’t want to delay any of the openings in view of the timing of the global recession,” said Kwok.

“When we go to a hotel, we think of 100 years. If you know that you will invest 100 years, you will have ups and downs during that time, and you must have the staying power to get through the lows, with the ups come. “

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Entertainment

For My Subsequent Trick … Opening a New Musical in Tokyo in a Pandemic

The security measures in the rehearsal room were extensive. On daily arrival, participants packed their personal items in assigned garment bags, including the face masks that were worn during the commute. Production delivered a new mask each day that could be worn during rehearsal. No food was allowed in the room. No phone chargers. The schedule included regular “ventilation breaks”.

During my first week of quarantine in a Tokyo hotel, I attended rehearsals through Zoom. Choreographer Ste Clough was already in the studio, but the rest of the overseas creative team remained confiscated and channeled back via WhatsApp. Over the course of the week we cut off 15 minutes of the show, replaced a song, and juggled notes from different directions. We staged the first half of our non-stop musical.

On the morning of my eighth day of quarantine, I received a call from a producer. One of the actors had symptoms and had tested positive for Covid-19. The rehearsals were interrupted. The exposed – 19 performers; various producers, stage managers, and production assistants who were in the room every day; That afternoon those who had just dropped in were also tested, including our orchestrator and a vocal coach.

The more optimistic among us shared the hope that the results would confirm the precautions taken and allow work to resume in two weeks after everyone in close contact with the actor concerned had waited their quarantine period.

The next afternoon, our lead producer shared the results at a Zoom production meeting. Seven positives. Five on the stage, two off. Our efforts may have limited the spread of the virus, but certainly not prevented it. It became more and more difficult to adapt to the ever-changing circumstances. “Sometimes,” she said, “the bravest thing is to go away.”

I realized that we would have to be in the studio with as few people as possible if we were to continue. And I had to admit, I wasn’t sure if I would feel safe to be one of them. Since the remote sampling machine was already in place, I decided to return to New York.

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Business

NBA opening week is the perfect since 2012 following Covid viewership hit

Wesley Matthews # 9 of the Los Angeles Lakers watches over Luka Doncic # 77 of the Dallas Mavericks on December 25, 2020 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.

John McCoy | Getty Images

After a drop in ratings for its championship series, the National Basketball Association is celebrating its most-watched opening week since 2012, led by Christmas Day competitions.

The NBA, which started its shortened season of 72 games last week due to Covid-19, said an average of 3.4 million viewers saw their games December 22-25.

The Christmas Day game between LeBron James-led Los Angeles Lakers and Luka Doncic’s Dallas Mavericks on Disney’s ABC network topped the game with an average of 7 million viewers. On the same day, the Miami Heat-New Orleans Pelicans game averaged 3.5 million viewers, while the Los Angeles Clippers-Denver Nuggets game averaged 2.05 million viewers. These games were broadcast on Disney’s ESPN.

Although the primetime 2020 Christmas Day competition had solid ratings on ABC, it was still below last year’s Lakers-Clippers competition, which had around 8.8 million viewers on ABC and ESPN platforms.

According to the NBA, the double header had an average of 2.9 million viewers on AT & T’s TNT on December 22, making it the most-watched opening night since 2017.

Those games featured the Golden State Warriors versus the Brooklyn Nets and the Clippers versus the Lakers. The NBA said its combined viewership on TNT, ESPN and ABC for the 2020 openings grew 67% (3.4 million) compared to 2019, when the league NBA averaged 2.2 million viewers in the opening week .

The NBA told CNBC viewers that they had seen 81.5 million hours of live NBA coverage in the branches of national media partners. That’s 41.8 million hours on ESPN and TNT in the opening week of 2019.

The NBA is betting on a surge in ratings after the pandemic impacted the 2020-19 season, forcing them to return to a crowded sports TV lineup that spans the postseason of Major League Baseball, as well as the World Series and games the National Football League included. The first game of the 2020 NBA Finals received its lowest ratings since 1994, drawing 7.4 million viewers in part due to the sporting clutter.

The WarnerMedia-operated NBA television station will host national games in the next few days, with college football bowl games taking over the sports landscape. ESPN and TNT return to NBA games starting January 6th.