FountainVest Seeks $1.32 Billion in Arc'teryx Maker Share Sale
Affiliates of FountainVest Partners are offering 35 million shares of Amer for $37.20 to $37.73 each, according to terms of the deal seen by Bloomberg News. The buyout firm was part of a consortium that acquired Amer for $5.2 billion in a deal completed in 2019.
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Bloomberg
14 minutes ago
- Bloomberg
Trump's Interest Rate Obstacle Is Bigger Than Powell
Economics The Big Take Higher rates are the result of far more than Fed decisions. Debt, demographics, and deglobalization are all driving the price of money up. By President Donald Trump wants lower interest rates. Achieving that objective will require overcoming bigger obstacles than Fed Chair Jerome Powell. There are structural forces that drive the cost of borrowing, and right now they're pointing up. Governments and businesses are piling on debt to pay for tax cuts, military spending, and AI investments — which means more demand for credit. As the Baby Boomers retire and China decouples from the US, the pool of saving to finance those loans is drying up.
Yahoo
32 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Starbucks' problems may be too big to fix
Starbucks' problems may be too big to fix originally appeared on TheStreet. In its early days, Starbucks' approach was unique. Unlike rivals like Dunkin', Tim Hortons, and breakfast diners, its mission wasn't to provide one coffee for everyone as fast as possible. Instead, it treated making coffee like a craftsman makes fine furniture, focusing on the highest-quality product, regardless of how long it takes. That approach helped Starbucks grow from a single store in Seattle, Washington, to a coffee powerhouse with 32,000 stores located in just about every nook and cranny of the globe, including: Over 18,000 stores in North America. About 2,800 stores in Europe. More than 6,500 stores in China. Roughly 1,300 stores in the Middle East and North Africa. 1,800 locations in Latin America, including more than 70 in Colombia, putting Starbucks about as close to the coffee's origins as possible. With that kind of growth, and plenty of shareholders eager for ever-increasing profits, it's pretty unsurprising that Starbucks has dealt with growing pains. The company has faced controversies over worker pay (and what they wear), as well as customer complaints over inconsistent drink tastes, food freshness, and, more generally, the rise of a less-relaxed cafe vibe, too focused on boosting transactions and profit margin. The situation has left many scratching their heads, wondering if Starbucks' new CEO, Brian Niccol, can get things back on track. Longtime hedge fund manager Doug Kass is among the doubters. He recently sent a particularly harsh message about Starbucks, suggesting Niccol's strategy to get Starbucks back to its roots is unlikely to pan out. Starbucks comes under fire from Wall Street Starbucks' () stock price financed a good chunk of the company's global expansion. Investors eagerly bought shares early in the company's growth phase to profit from the opportunity for its customer-first approach to dislodge market share from rivals like Tim Hortons and Dunkin'. Longtime shareholders have been handsomely rewarded, given that Starbucks shares have surged since its IPO in 1992. A $10,000 investment then would be worth over $3 million many investors' love affair with Starbucks has faded since the company has mostly saturated major U.S. markets like New York and California, reducing chances for sales growth. Its share price is up just 15% over the past five years, while the S&P 500 has climbed 89%. In 2025, Starbucks' stock price has fallen nearly 5%. With Starbucks stores seemingly everywhere, longtime hedge fund manager Doug Kass suggests the company's strategy nowadays is less about reimagining coffee houses and more about milking as much money out of existing locations as possible. Such an approach can boost earnings in the short term, but it poses a significant long-term risk to Starbucks' brand. '[Starbucks] morphed into overpriced purveyors of food/coffee — while the quality of their product offering has deteriorated and the selling cost of the product has risen,' wrote Doug Kass in a post to investors on TheStreet Pro. It's not just the coffee, either. While many may think Starbucks bakes its treats on site, many are previously frozen. 'I couldn't create a danish as unappealing,' said Kass, who has managed money professionally for about 50 years. Starbucks' worker relationship has soured over time Some Starbucks employees agree that the company's mission has lost its way. It was once highly recognized as a pioneer in employee pay, offering solid wages and a 'partner' approach to its workers. Employees, however, have increasingly explored unionization in recent years, saying the faster-paced environment is taking a heavy toll on its once-lauded baristas, and pay hasn't kept pace. Starbucks' response to unionization has drawn fire from worker advocates who suggest management has engaged in union-busting decisions. For example, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has accused the company of firing or disciplining workers, including the high-profile case involving the 'Memphis 7,' seven workers terminated after advocating unionization. That case went to the Supreme Court, where an earlier court decision to grant an injunction supporting the workers was reversed in Starbucks' favor, and the case was sent back to the lower courts. The first corporate Starbucks location to unionize was in Buffalo in 2021, led by Starbucks Workers United. As of August 2025, workers at over 600 Starbucks stores across the U.S. have voted to unionize, according to Workers United. Starbucks turnaround plan faces uphill battle The company's frayed relationship with some employees isn't the only problem CEO Brian Niccol is trying to fix. Niccol joined Starbucks as CEO in 2024 after over six years at the helm of Chipotle. Shortly after Niccol took over as Starbucks' CEO, he acknowledged 'a shared sense that we have drifted from our core' and announced his 'Back To Starbucks" plan to get the company back on track, focusing on a 'welcoming coffeehouse where people gather and where we serve the finest coffee, handcrafted by our skilled baristas.' However, those comments and Niccol's plans sound hollow to Kass. 'When he got to Starbucks, Niccol started off by using fancy jargon to distract from the fact that Starbucks is losing to both value and premium brands/operators,' wrote Kass. 'Starbucks now faces a very expensive overhaul in its physical locations and product offerings.' Starbucks faces fierce competition from big and small rivals Starbucks' competitive advantage hasn't been lost on rivals. Big rivals like Dunkin' and McDonald's have expanded menus, including popular refreshers, while local mom-and-pop cafes have leaned hard into the artisanal coffee house back market share from those players won't be easy. As a result, Niccol's overhaul could pressure Starbucks' profits while ultimately doing little to restore Starbucks's culture, disappointing investors. 'The brand is now very weak competitively — they aren't premium (artisans, local brands, etc.) and the previous also-rans are coming in hot with smaller footprints,' said Kass. 'From a product standpoint, they sell more chemicals, sugar and ice — it's not coffee.' Undeniably, many remain loyal Starbucks fans, but there are more choices, and with less connection to the employees, the moat of loyalty isn't nearly as strong as it was in the past. 'It is the Regal Cinemas concession stand without the movies. The notion that the baristas want to hang with the customers has been lost,' said Kass. 'I suspect the turnaround in both companies will take a lot longer than the consensus expects.' To be sure, Starbucks' challenges aren't unique. Indeed, most companies experiencing the kind of success it has experienced deal with similar issues. Still, the hyper-competitive coffee market and the challenges facing Niccol leave Kass thinking that there are better alternatives for investors. 'I would not bottom fish despite the material share-price weakness,' concluded problems may be too big to fix first appeared on TheStreet on Aug 3, 2025 This story was originally reported by TheStreet on Aug 3, 2025, where it first appeared. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
42 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Monster Energy's Tatsuro Taira Defeats Hyun Sung Park at UFC Fight Night in Vegas
25-Year-Old from Okinawa, Japan, Earns Second-Round Submission Victory in Flyweight Division Bout LAS VEGAS, Aug. 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Back in the winner's circle! Monster Energy congratulates MMA athlete Tatsuro Taira on defeating Hyun Sung Park in the main event fight at the UFC Vegas 108 on Saturday night. In the flyweight division bout on the Main Card, the 25-year-old from Okinawa, Japan, stopped his opponent with a brutal submission in Round 2. UFC Vegas 108: Taira vs. Park was contested in front of a live crowd inside the UFC Apex facility in Las Vegas. Featuring six fights on the Main Card, the event was broadcast live on ESPN television and Prelims streamed on the ESPN+ service. Monster Energy's Taira (17-1) was looking to return to the victory column after suffering his first career loss against Brandon Royval at UFC Vegas 98 in October 2024. Before the split-decision loss, the young Japanese fighter was heralded as a title contender in the UFC's Flyweight division. Now he needed a win to reclaim his spot. Taira was initially slated to fight Iraqi athlete Amir Albazi in the headline event, but his opponent withdrew due to a medical issue. On short notice, 29-year-old Park (10-1) from South Korea stepped in to face Taira, putting his undefeated record of ten wins on the line and adding significant hype to the fight. Both fighters started the fight on a tentative note, keeping their distance while looking for openings. That changed when Taira landed two consecutive right hands to the head that instantly dropped Park on his back. From there, Taira controlled Park on the ground for the rest of the round while working for the right position to secure a show-stopping chokehold until the buzzer. Taira charged into the second round by body slamming Park to the canvas after landing a stunning jab to the forehead. Assuming ground control, the Japanese grappling expert locked in a body triangle behind Park's back to set the stage for a quick finish by sheer force: Moments later, Park tapped out to a brutal face crank submission just 66 seconds into Round 2, sealing a dominant win for Taira. "I'm happy, thank you!" said Monster Energy's Taira in his Octagon interview at the UFC Apex on Saturday night. What's next for the rising star from Japan? "From the last Brandon Royval fight, it's been ten months, and I'm back strong," said Taira in Las Vegas before demanding a title fight against current UFC Flyweight Champion Alexandre Pantoja. "I'll wait to see who wins between Pantoja and Joshua Van and hopefully I get the next shot," said Taira. Stay tuned for more! Monster Energy's elite UFC athletes include Jon Jones, Alex Pereira, Belal Muhammad, Dricus Du Plessis, Merab Dvalishvili, Valentina Shevchenko, Zhang Weili, Marlon Vera, Michael Chandler, Justin Gaethje, Brandon Moreno, Giga Chikadze, Johnny Walker, Sean Strickland, Dan Ige, Diego Lopes, Daniel Zellhuber, Derrick Lewis, Alexa Grasso, Raul Rosas Jr., Tatsuro Taira, Shara Magomedov, Patricio Pitbull, Maycee Barber, Aaron Pico, Patchy Mix, Jasmine Jasudavicius, and Kayla Harrison. For more on Monster Energy's MMA athletes, visit Follow Monster Energy on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, X, and TikTok. For interview or photo requests, contact Kim Dresser. About Monster EnergyBased in Corona, California, Monster Energy is the leading marketer of energy drinks and alternative beverages. Refusing to acknowledge the traditional, Monster Energy supports the scene and sport. Whether motocross, off-road, NASCAR, MMA, BMX, surf, snowboard, ski, skateboard, or the rock and roll lifestyle, Monster Energy is a brand that believes in authenticity and the core of what its sports, athletes and musicians represent. More than a drink, it's the way of life lived by athletes, bands, believers, and fans. See more about Monster Energy including all of its drinks at CONTACT: Kim Dresser C: (949) 300-5546 E: View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Monster Energy 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
