Repairs underway after broken window at Downtown JEA building fell to the sidewalk
Alex Jubin walks by the building just about every day and he said he saw the broken glass all over the sidewalk.
'I saw all the debris and stuff from it, and it caused a big scene for sure,' said Jubin. 'It's a big window. It was all over the place.'
Action News Jax learned from Ryan Companies, which serves as the property manager for JEA headquarters, that a double-paned window sustained exterior damage during construction.
This caused falling debris.
Ryan Companies sent Action News Jax a statement:
'Repair efforts for the window are currently underway. Safety remains our highest priority and we appreciate the swift action of the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, which confirmed there were no injuries and assisted with street cleanup, reopening the sidewalk to pedestrians. Ryan serves as the property manager for the JEA headquarters, following the completed construction in 2022.'
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Fast Company
5 days ago
- Fast Company
Why your daily standup meetings are falling flat (and 3 ways to fix them)
The daily standup is perhaps the most recognizable ceremony observed by modern teams. Maybe that's part of the problem. People know they're supposed to be holding standups, but they don't remember why. When the reasons behind daily standups get lost, they become status updates. Instead of opportunities to keep everyone aligned behind the constant progress that should be happening, these daily meetings become platforms for people to justify their paychecks to their bosses. It's a daily version of government employees emailing the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to advocate for their continued employment. Funnily enough, the people who do the least feel compelled to talk the most. The least productive people spend more time thinking about what they'll say in front of their peers and boss than they do contributing to outcomes that matter. Come to think of it, this has been the case every single time I've found myself in a standup that wasn't quite working. There's always been someone who talks and talks, but still leaves the rest of us wondering what they actually accomplished. The next thing you know, you have long meetings that don't focus on real progress. It's easier for the boss to micromanage everyone, and harder for individuals to spend time doing what they're paid to do. If any or all of this sounds familiar, you have three ways out of the daily standup rut. 1. Mix It Up People get the idea that daily standups have to be in the morning, but that's not the case. You might be surprised by how much simply changing the time of your meeting can change the outcome. If your people start the workday fresh and fired up, let them put that energy into their work instead of making them wait around for a meeting to start. Holding the standup around noon can help break the day into parts, which helps some teams. Other teams might benefit more from holding the standup at the end of the day, like having a recap and setting an intention for the next day. As an added benefit, it's easier to remember what's worth mentioning in the Monday standup when you don't have to think back to what you did all day on Friday before the weekend. If you're unsure of when to schedule the standups, you can always ask the team about their preferences. Which parts of the day are they most prepared to do great work? Schedule the standup for some other time to protect those most productive hours. 2. Focus on Outcomes, Not Activities Traditional daily standups revolve around three questions: What did you do yesterday? What are you doing today? What's in your way? If these questions aren't being answered in your standups, it's time to reinvigorate the habit. But there's no need to get stuck on tradition or dogma, especially because it sometimes puts your focus on the wrong thing. You can probably think of questions that are more important and more relevant to your team. You should already have a tracker where all of your work is visible, whether on a traditional corkboard or in Jira or Airtable. Instead of going person by person, try gathering around the tracker and going item by item. Now you're focused on advancing the work instead of assessing individual performance. It's not about who got the most done between Mary versus Taylor versus Steve anymore. It's about tracking the progress Mary, Taylor, and Steve are making against shared problems and goals. 3. Stop Going The very best way to stop your standups from being upward status reports is to remove power differentials from the room. It's impossible to show off for the boss when the boss isn't there. The least satisfactory standups I've seen as a leader have been when I'm in there with my management team trying to run the show and keep things on track. The times when I'm most satisfied are the times when I'm just peeking in to see what's going on. But the best standups I ever joined as a manager were the ones where I kept my mouth shut. And the standups I didn't join were probably even better. Even if you're sitting in the back and being quiet, people know you're there, and the observer effect comes into play. Productive teams deserve, and even need, autonomy. Saving the standup If you think about why you're having standups, the ways to make them better might become obvious. This isn't about reporting progress upward—save that for the demo at the end of the sprint. It's about making sure everyone is aligned on what's changing and what needs to happen next. Mix up the time. Then change the format to return the focus to the items you're working on and the outcomes you're after. Make sure there's no audience for performative displays. Everything else will fall into place.
Yahoo
04-08-2025
- Yahoo
Procter & Gamble Offers Modest Growth With Limited Upside Potential
Procter & Gamble is a leading consumer goods company specializing in daily-use products. Its business is organized into five segments covering ten categories: Beauty (Skin & Hair Care), Grooming (Gillette razors), Health Care (Oral and Personal Care), Fabric & Home Care (laundry and surface cleaners), and Baby/Feminine/Family Care (diapers, feminine hygiene, tissue). Fabric & Home Care is the largest division (~36% of sales) with brands like Tide, Ariel, and Dawn. Baby/Feminine/Family Care accounts for ~24% (Pampers, Always, Charmin). Many P&G brands are global market leaders with a strong share (often >25%) in their categories. Approximately 48% of sales are in the U.S. and 52% international. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 5 Warning Sign with EGO. In Q3 FY2025, P&G reported net sales of $19.8 billion, down 2% from a year earlier. On an organic basis (excluding currency fluctuations and acquisitions/divestitures), sales increased by 1% year-over-year. Reported net earnings were $3.8 billion (implying roughly a 19.2% net profit margin), and GAAP diluted EPS was $1.54, up 1% from $1.52 a year ago. These results were roughly in line with analysts' expectations; consensus forecasts were for approximately $1.55 EPS on sales of around $20.36 billion. As a result, EPS essentially met the $1.55 consensus, while revenue came in about $580 million below estimates. After the release, P&G's stock fell ~4.5% pre-market on the modest revenue shortfall, but markets appeared to accept that EPS was essentially on-target. Despite the flat sales, P&G's operating efficiency improved. Core (non-GAAP) gross margin eased only slightly (~30 basis points lower than a year ago), and core operating margin actually expanded by about 90 basis points. This reflects productivity gains and cost controls that offset commodity cost pressures. For example, management cites ~$280 million of productivity savings in the quarter. As a result, operating cash flow was $3.7 billion, virtually matching net income, and free cash flow was very strong (adjusted cash-flow productivity ~75%). The company returned $3.8 billion of cash to shareholders in the quarter via dividends of $2.4 bn and buybacks of $1.4 bn, consistent with its long-term policy (notably, FY2025 guidance contemplates about $10 bn in dividends and $6-7 bn in buybacks). Year-over-year, the slight sales decline reflected mixed category performance. P&G's Beauty and Grooming segments saw modest gains, but Baby/Feminine/Family Care (which includes Pampers) had a low-single-digit organic decline due to volume weakness. The company notes that much of the top-line change was driven by pricing (+2% price impact), while volumes/mix were roughly neutral. The bottom line benefited from offsetting factors: cost discipline and pricing action supported earnings, but headwinds (notably currency and increased marketing spend in some segments) kept margin gains limited. P&G updated its guidance for FY2025 to reflect current market conditions. It now expects fiscal-year net sales to be roughly flat (all-in sales in line with FY2024) and organic sales growth of about +2%. For earnings, management raised its core EPS guidance to about $6.72$6.82 (versus $6.59 prior-year core EPS), implying only 24% core EPS growth year-over-year. (The FY2024 GAAP EPS was $6.02, so the 68% increase guidance on GAAP EPS translates to $6.38$6.50 if there are no charges.) These mid-single-digit projections represent a slight downward revision from earlier targets, reflecting known headwinds. Management cites a roughly $200 million FY2025 EBIT headwind from commodity costs, plus about a $200 million FX drag, and additional modest impacts from lost benefit of minor divestitures (together ~ $0.20 in EPS headwind). Moreover, ongoing U.S. tariffs on imported materials are expected to cost the company on the order of $600 million in FY2026 (roughly $0.15$0.20 per share) unless reversed. In light of these challenges, P&G is emphasizing cost cuts and reinvestment. Management reiterated that it will pull every leverpricing, productivity, and innovationto defend margins and support its brands. Notably, the company has announced an accelerated two-year restructuring plan (beginning FY2026) to cut about 7,000 jobs (~6% of its workforce) and exit low-growth brands and markets. Pre-tax charges for this spring cleaning program are expected to total $1.0$1.6 billion over two years. Management says the goal is to free up capital to turbo-charge core, high-value brands like Tide, Pampers, and Old Spice. In the very near term, P&G is focusing on tough market conditionsslowing consumer value growth in the U.S. and Europeand is guiding modestly below its earlier pace. Still, it is maintaining its long-term cash return policy and has reiterated a combined ~$1617 billion plan for dividends and buybacks this fiscal year, signaling confidence in its cash generation. P&G's long-term growth thesis rests on stable fundamentals plus targeted reinvestment. Over time, the company has consistently delivered about 2% core EPS growth annually (8 years in a row through FY2024) and 4% organic sales growth (six straight years), even through recessions. Management's strategy is to focus on share gains in developed markets and growth in emerging regions. The FY2025 guidance (low single-digit sales growth) is modest, but management emphasizes plenty of upside opportunities beyond that baseline. For example, in the U.S. and Europe, P&G estimates billions of dollars of incremental market potential by expanding penetration and consumption. The CFO noted roughly $5 billion of untapped sales in North America and $10 billion in Europe if consumption can be raised to best-in-class levels. Similarly, in its Enterprise emerging-market regions (e.g., China, India, Latin America), driving consumption up to the levels currently seen in Mexico alone represents a $1015 billion sales opportunity. These remarks underscore that despite near-term headwinds, P&G sees significant runway in core categories and geographies. P&G also plans to continue investing in product superiority and marketing to support its brand franchise. As CEO Jon Moeller said on the Q3 call, the company remains confident in the longer-term growth prospects for its brands and will keep funding innovation across all price tiers. In practice, this means maintaining R&D, trialing new products (e.g., premium skin care SK-II in China), and reinforcing leading brands even as the company trims lesser ones. P&G's consumer-centric model has proven durable: it has rewarded shareholders with consistent dividends and buybacks (over $13B returned YTD FY2025) and long-term EPS growth. The company targets roughly 90% free cash flow conversion and a capital returns rate near 90% (dividends plus buybacks) in the long run. Provided management executes the productivity initiatives without eroding brand equity, P&G should sustain low-to-mid-single-digit growth with high margins. One wildcard is the broader economic and regulatory environment. Trade tensions remain unpredictable. The CFO has noted that recent tariffs could shave a few cents per share by late FY2026, unless they are eased. Slower global GDP growth and any recession could dampen consumer spending on even basic goods. On the other hand, P&G's defensive categories tend to hold up well in downturns, and the firm still carries significant pricing power (as seen in the +1% organic growth this quarter despite volume softness). In short, barring major disruptions, we see P&G as a steady grower: modest near-term sales growth with margin headwinds, offset by strong cash flow and strategic cost savings, leading to stable EPS growth and shareholder returns over time. P&G shares trade at a premium valuation relative to typical consumer staples. The current forward P/E is around 2223 (mid-July 2025). This is roughly in line with P&G's recent history (its five-year median forward P/E is ~23.9 times) but well above the ~17 times median for the broader consumer-goods industry. In absolute terms, P&G's forward multiple is higher than most of its smaller peers. For example, Kimberly-Clark (NYSE: KMB) trades around 18 forward earnings and Clorox (NYSE: CLX) around 19x, both substantially lower. Even Church & Dwight (NYSE: CHD, not cited) and smaller personal-care names generally sit in the mid-to-high teens. The notable exception is Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE: CL), which currently trades near 25 forward earnings, slightly above P&G. Thus, P&G is valued near the high end of its peer group, reflecting its scale, dividend pedigree, and past growth record. Compared to its history, the stock is only modestly above its five-year average P/E, implying it is not dramatically stretched but not cheap either. On yield metrics, P&G yields around 2.4% on its dividend, roughly in line with its 5-year average of about 2.5%. That yield is below the ~3% yields of some consumer staples (e.g., KMB, WMT) but acceptable given P&G's growth. Share buybacks add a few tenths of a percent to returns. Overall, P&G's valuation reflects market expectations for only low single-digit top-line growth, which seems justified by current trends. Unless the company can reignite faster growth or dramatically improve margins, the stock's upside may be limited to a few percent annually (plus dividend). In contrast, a downside scenario might occur if volume declines accelerate or if macro pressures intensify. P&G remains a high-quality consumer staple with a leading portfolio, strong margins, and an exemplary dividend track record. Its Q3 FY2025 results showed modest organic growth and stable EPS despite challenging conditions, and the company has signaled only mid-single-digit growth ahead. The most significant near-term developments are the planned cost-reduction program, including 7,000 job cuts and brand exits, which should improve long-term profitability if executed well. However, these moves also carry execution risk (investors will watch if key brands suffer from underinvestment). The sizable shareholder returns (>$16B planned this year) continue to underpin the stock. From a valuation standpoint, P&G is not cheap: its forward P/E is near the high end of its historical and peer ranges. This implies the market expects only modest growth, essentially holding the stock as a defensive income play. In our view, a fair conclusion is that P&G is fairly valued: it offers dependable free cash flow and moderate EPS growth (24% annually as guided) with low risk but limited upside in the share price absent a positive catalyst. Key points to monitor will be whether the restructuring yields a sustainable margin lift and whether end-market consumption improves. If P&G can sustain its multi-year growth algorithm (e.g., ~4% organic, ~2%+ EPS growth) despite headwinds, then the current valuation is reasonable. Conversely, any surprise acceleration of volume growth or margin expansion could justify a higher multiple. For now, investors should view P&G as a stable core holding its brands and cash flows remain robust, but it is not a quick-growth story. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Business Insider
30-07-2025
- Business Insider
AI-Powered Ads Set to Catalyze Yet Another META Earnings Beat
I've been bullish on Meta Platforms (META) for years, and since it is now my largest holding by far, I am particularly excited about its Q2 results, scheduled for release after tomorrow's market close. After a fantastic Q1 that crushed expectations in late April, Meta's stock has climbed above $100 per share; yet, I believe the stock remains a bargain, given its AI-fueled growth and overall investments to secure dominance in AI. Elevate Your Investing Strategy: Take advantage of TipRanks Premium at 50% off! Unlock powerful investing tools, advanced data, and expert analyst insights to help you invest with confidence. For its upcoming results, investors will be eager to see if Meta can maintain its momentum, and given the company's relentless focus on maximizing monetization potential and advertising efficiency, I feel this is going to be another blockbuster quarter. The stock also appears reasonably valued to this day despite the recent share price gains. Thus, I remain firmly Bullish on the stock. Q1 Recap: AI and User Engagement Power Record Results To get a sense of where Meta's coming from heading into its Q2 results, keep in mind that Q1 was nothing short of spectacular, with revenue soaring to $42.3 billion, up 16% YoY, while beating estimates by nearly $1 billion. The company's Family Daily Active People (DAP) hit 3.43 billion, up 6%, showcasing sticky user engagement across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. AI-driven content recommendations fueled a 5% rise in ad impressions and a 10% increase in average ad prices, with Instagram Reels alone posting 20% year-over-year growth. In the meantime, Meta AI, approaching 1 billion monthly active users and over 3 billion across its app suite, has become a cornerstone of personalized content delivery, enhancing engagement and ad performance. Profitability was equally impressive, with Meta's operating margin expanding to 41% from 38% last year, driven by cost discipline and economies of scale within the Family of Apps segment. Despite Reality Labs posting a $4.2 billion operating loss, the core ad business generated $21.8 billion in operating income, powering a 35% surge in net income to $16.6 billion and a 37% jump in EPS to $6.43, well ahead of Wall Street's $5.25 forecast. One notable contributor here was Meta's notable investment in AI infrastructure, including models like Llama, which continues to optimize ad delivery and user retention, setting the stage for sustained growth without compromising gross margins. What Investors Should Watch Out for in Q2 As Meta heads into its Q2 earnings, Wall Street appears to be filled with optimism, as evidenced by the share price; yet, I would argue that expectations are tempered given the rather conservative estimates. Specifically, consensus projects Q2 revenue of $44.79 billion, only a 14.6% YoY increase, all while EPS is forecasted at $5.86, reflecting 13.5% growth over Q2 of 2024. Now, these figures do align with Meta's guidance of $42.5-$45.5 billion in revenue, supported by a 1% foreign currency tailwind. However, they are pretty conservative in my view, given Meta's ongoing momentum, as well as the fact that Meta has consistently beaten its outlook. In fact, Meta has beaten EPS and revenue estimates nine times in a row and is odds-on to make it ten out of ten this week. Regardless, I will be looking for progress on several key areas. First, the impact of AI on ad performance, primarily through tools like Advantage+ and the subsequent effect on conversions. Second, engagement metrics, especially time spent on Instagram and Facebook, will signal whether Meta's recommendation systems are keeping users increasingly engaged. Third, I will be checking for updates on WhatsApp monetization, with its 100 million business users that could unlock significant revenue potential. Finally, capital expenditure guidance, expected to be $64-$72 billion for 2025, will be scrutinized as Meta ramps up AI infrastructure investments. Valuation: Still a Bargain Despite the Run-Up While entering an earnings report following a rally can raise caution, I believe Meta's valuation still presents a compelling opportunity. At approximately 28x Wall Street's FY2025 EPS estimate of $25.73, the stock looks attractively priced for a company with a track record of 35%+ annual EPS growth—and 37% growth in Q1 alone. According to TipRanks data, META's profit margin has climbed consistently from just above 12% in Q4 2022 to over 36% today. My own forecast places 2025 EPS in the $29–$30 range, supported by continued ad strength, AI-driven efficiencies, and expanding margins. Even based on the Street's more conservative $25.47 estimate, Meta's forward P/E remains below that of peers like Microsoft and Amazon, despite outpacing Apple and Alphabet in earnings growth. Is META a Good Stock to Buy Now? Wall Street remains quite optimistic on Meta, with the stock carrying a Strong Buy consensus rating based on 41 Buy and four Hold recommendations over the past three months. Notably, not a single analyst rates the stock a Sell. However, META's average stock price target of $761.55 suggests a somewhat constrained 6.12% upside from current levels. Meta's AI-Powered Dominance Set to Continue All things considered, Meta continues to execute at an elite level, with strong fundamentals, accelerating AI tailwinds, and a clear path to monetization across its core platforms. While expectations for Q2 are modest, I see plenty of room for upside given the company's track record of consistent outperformance. Between robust engagement, ad efficiency gains, and compelling valuation, I view Meta as one of the best opportunities in large-cap tech today. I'll be watching closely on Wednesday, but my conviction remains Bullish heading into the big announcement tomorrow afternoon.
