Latest news with #Barry
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Two local gems named 2025 Illinois Made Makers
CENTRAL Ill. (WMBD) — Two local businesses, Tres Rojas Winery in Washington and Sarah Beth's Homemade Dips & Market in Hanna City, have been named to the 2025 class of Illinois Made Makers by the Illinois Office of Tourism. The Illinois Made program was launched in 2016. It highlights small businesses that showcase Illinois' unique culture, creativity, and craftsmanship. This year's group features 20 exceptional businesses from across the state, including seven outside the Chicago area, with the Peoria region once again proving its role as a hub for local innovation. Lisa Barry, co-owner of Tres Rojas Winery, expressed her surprise and excitement upon learning of the honor. 'I was quite surprised to get the email. I know that the Peoria Visitors Bureau had nominated us last year and we weren't selected. I had no idea we were resubmitted again. So to get the email saying that—like, is this real? Wow. We were thrilled,' Barry said. For Sarah Beth, co-owner of Sarah Beth's Homemade Dips & Market, the news came as an unexpected delight. 'It was a surprise. We actually saw it in the media before I even opened the email,' she shared. Beyond the products they offer, both business owners emphasize the joy of connecting with their customers. 'The people—sharing our wine with people and finding out what they like and their stories,' Barry said. 'To my understanding, it's the little interactions with people every day that help you live a longer, happier life. So I think I'll be set.' Sarah Beth echoed that sentiment, saying, 'Having people come back and tell us how much they love what we created—you know, I started this dabbling with dip mixes. My husband's come into it. He's right there with me. We're in this together. And as I said before, we talk about it all the time. That's what we love most.' Honorees in the Illinois Made program receive a handcrafted commemorative plate created by Mississippi Mud Pottery of Alton, Illinois. They also benefit from statewide promotional efforts aimed at inspiring residents and visitors to discover Illinois' hidden gems. With the addition of Tres Rojas Winery and Sarah Beth's Homemade Dips, the Illinois Made program now honors 277 small businesses. 'Now Tres Rojas Winery and Sarah Beth's Homemade Dips join the ranks of 17 other amazing businesses in the seven counties that Discover Peoria serves,' J.D. Dalfonso, CEO of Discover Peoria said. 'We look forward to seeing which local businesses will be recognized each year.' To view the full list of 2025 Illinois Made Makers, visit here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Best Buy wants AI to offer customers fewer — but more relevant — search results
This story was originally published on CX Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily CX Dive newsletter. Best Buy will roll out an AI-powered search experience across its website and app in the coming year for customers and employees, executives said on a Q1 2026 earnings call Thursday. The updated search engine uses AI prompts to guide customers to more specific searches, according to CEO Corie Barry. The experience is designed to produce fewer but higher-quality results that offer more information and better reflect customer intent. The electronics retailer will update the in-store shopping experience as well. Plans range from special experiences for the Switch 2 console product launch to department-based training for associates. Offering Best Buy customers a great experience creates opportunities for incremental profit streams across the business, according to Barry. While the electronic retailer's performance has been improving as CX initiatives roll out, the company was unable to maintain its return to sales growth as it had in the fourth quarter of 2025. Comparable sales fell 0.7% year over year in the first quarter of 2026, according to a company earnings report. Revenue was down 0.9% year over year to nearly $8.8 billion, but domestic online sales were a bright spot — up 2.1% year over year. About 3 in 5 Best Buy customers visit Best Buy's digital platforms at some part of their shopping journey, and the channel accounts for one-third of domestic revenue transacted, according to Barry. This is in line with what Barry reported in fourth quarter 2025. Best Buy's third-party marketplace, which is slated to launch in the summer, could take advantage of this strong digital baseline. 'We believe our marketplace launch is even more important in this environment as it provides ultimate flexibility in product assortments, price points, vendors and SKUs,' Barry said during the call. 'We can offer customers the broadest and most relevant experience possible, particularly when combined with our upgraded search capability.' The company will enhance the post-purchase experience for its third-party marketplace by letting customers choose between returning products directly to the seller or through a Best Buy store, according to Barry. All products sold on the marketplace will honor Best Buy's return window. Even if digital is the focus, stores remain an integral part of Best Buy's business, and CX investments are paying off there as well. Best Buy will train its workers to improve their expertise. The company completed a program for major appliances associates in March, and it plans to do the same in July with home theater workers to ensure they are well-prepared to help customers. 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
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
BBY Q1 Earnings Call: Revenue Misses Expectations, Management Highlights Tariff Headwinds and Marketplace Launch
Electronics retailer Best Buy (NYSE:BBY) fell short of the market's revenue expectations in Q1 CY2025, with sales flat year on year at $8.77 billion. Its non-GAAP EPS of $1.15 per share was 5% above analysts' consensus estimates. Is now the time to buy BBY? Find out in our full research report (it's free). Revenue: $8.77 billion (flat year on year) Adjusted EPS: $1.15 vs analyst estimates of $1.09 (5% beat) Adjusted Operating Income: $333 million vs analyst estimates of $303.1 million (3.8% margin, 9.9% beat) Management lowered its full-year Adjusted EPS guidance to $6.23 at the midpoint, a 2.7% decrease Operating Margin: 2.5%, down from 3.5% in the same quarter last year Locations: 1,107.8 at quarter end, down from 1,117 in the same quarter last year Same-Store Sales were flat year on year (-6.1% in the same quarter last year) Market Capitalization: $15.14 billion Best Buy's first quarter results were shaped by mixed category performance and continued shifts in consumer behavior. CEO Corie Barry described how growth in computing, mobile phones, and tablets was offset by ongoing softness in home theater, appliances, and drones. Online sales remained a bright spot, with nearly 32% of domestic revenue coming from digital channels and delivery times continuing to improve. Management acknowledged that customers are highly value-focused and remain attracted to predictable sales moments, with Barry noting, 'customers continued to be deal-focused and attracted to more predictable sales moments.' Operational execution, inventory management, and digital investments played key roles in stabilizing results, despite a cautious consumer environment. Looking ahead, Best Buy's outlook is shaped by ongoing tariff uncertainty and changing consumer technology needs. Management lowered full-year adjusted EPS guidance and cited continued inflation and tariff dynamics as primary headwinds. Barry emphasized that 'there is still uncertainty related to tariff levels, timing, and countries involved in addition to the potential actions of others in the industry.' The company is focused on mitigating tariff impacts through vendor partnerships, manufacturing flexibility, and assortment adjustments. Management expects growth in computing and gaming categories, driven by technology upgrades and product launches, while also investing in marketplace initiatives and retail media to diversify profit streams. These strategies are intended to position Best Buy for long-term resilience amid market challenges. Management attributed first quarter performance to category mix shifts, digital engagement improvements, and evolving supply chain strategies in response to the current tariff environment. Growth in computing and tablets: Strong customer demand for computing and tablet products drove comparable sales growth in these categories, supported by upgrade cycles and interest in AI-enabled devices. Barry noted positive momentum tied to end-of-life support for Windows 10 and new product innovations. Omnichannel and digital expansion: Online sales grew year-over-year for the second consecutive quarter, with faster delivery times and a higher mix of sales through digital channels. Management highlighted improvements in search and app experiences as key contributors to digital engagement. Tariff mitigation strategies: The company has reduced its reliance on China as a sourcing region, now representing about 30–35% of product costs, compared to 55% earlier in the year. Efforts include leveraging vendor manufacturing flexibility, negotiating costs, diversifying sourcing, and adjusting assortment to lessen the impact of tariffs on both costs and prices. Marketplace and retail media initiatives: Best Buy is preparing for a mid-year launch of its third-party marketplace, having already exceeded its annual seller onboarding target. The Best Buy Ads business expanded digital ad inventory and partnerships, including new offerings with Meta, aiming to drive incremental profitability through both traffic and new advertisers. Operational efficiencies and cost control: Investments in supply chain technology, AI-driven customer care, and procurement optimization have resulted in cost savings and improved customer satisfaction. CFO Matt Bilunas pointed to a favorable indirect tax settlement and disciplined expense management as drivers of better-than-expected profitability. Best Buy's near-term outlook is influenced by tariff pressures, consumer demand uncertainty, and the scaling of new digital profit streams. Tariff and supply chain risk: Management highlighted that ongoing trade policy negotiations and varying tariff levels could impact both product costs and consumer pricing throughout the year. The company is actively working with vendors to mitigate these impacts, but acknowledged that cost increases may flow through to customers in select categories. Marketplace and advertising growth: The upcoming U.S. marketplace launch and expansion of the retail media business are expected to benefit gross profit rates, especially in the second half of the year. Management believes marketplace contributions will help offset category margin pressures, while new ad partnerships are set to broaden revenue sources. Category innovation and upgrade cycles: Best Buy expects continued growth in computing and mobile phones, supported by replacement cycles (such as end-of-life for Windows 10 and Mac upgrades), new gaming launches, and increased interest in AI-enabled and wearable products. Management sees these trends as key drivers for comp sales improvement, particularly as the year progresses. In the coming quarters, the StockStory team will be watching (1) how effectively Best Buy navigates further tariff changes and adjusts sourcing strategies, (2) the impact of the U.S. marketplace launch and expanded retail media offerings on gross profitability, and (3) category trends in computing, gaming, and wearables as upgrade cycles and product launches unfold. Progress in cost containment and operational efficiency initiatives will also be important to monitor. Best Buy currently trades at a forward P/E ratio of 10.7×. In the wake of earnings, is it a buy or sell? See for yourself in our full research report (it's free). Donald Trump's victory in the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election sent major indices to all-time highs, but stocks have retraced as investors debate the health of the economy and the potential impact of tariffs. While this leaves much uncertainty around 2025, a few companies are poised for long-term gains regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate, like our Top 5 Strong Momentum Stocks for this week. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 183% over the last five years (as of March 31st 2025). Stocks that made our list in 2020 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,545% between March 2020 and March 2025) as well as under-the-radar businesses like the once-small-cap company Exlservice (+354% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today. Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
The Guardian
a day ago
- Health
- The Guardian
Digested week: Mum, Dad, Barry and Herbie the dog, the list of talking dead grows ever longer
late, I've been spending a lot of time talking to the dead. Or, to be more accurate, talking at them. The dead tend not to say much in reply. I haven't been seeing a medium. I find myself starting conversations with my mum. Mostly the ones we never had or never finished. Not just the ones that her Alzheimer's prevented us from having but the ones that were too difficult for us to have when she was not anxious, disturbed or confused. I'm not religious and I don't believe in life after death, but I would like to know that all was well between us. That we had said enough to one another to last an eternity, as her ashes lie next to my dad in a churchyard with breathtaking views of the South Downs. That she is now free of her illness and everything that troubled her. Mum's death has, bizarrely, brought my dad back to life. He has been dead for more than 25 years but I now chat to him regularly. Regretting that he has missed the best of me and my children. Regretting that he could never tell me about his experiences serving in the navy during the second world war. I often asked him while he was alive but he could never speak about it. The death count continues to rise. Today I learned that another good friend had died in his sleep. Barry could be stubborn, self-destructive and infuriating but he was also one of the warmest, most generous, talented and funny men you could meet. On holidays with him, he would without fail wait to the halfway point before declaring we had now 'broken the back of it'. That never failed to crack me up. My kind of guy. Now he really has broken the back of it and I miss him. I will add him to my list of the talking dead. I also regularly chat to Herbie. Less so about the great existential questions and more about how I navigate my life on a daily basis. What to do, when to do it. Just like I used to do when he was alive. I trusted him and he trusted me. And oddly, he's the only one of the dead who ever talks back to me. In dogs I find salvation. It's recess in parliament, so Westminster has been relatively quiet. Just a few low-key announcements from government ministers to keep the news cycle happy but nothing of any great importance. The only politician to attempt to break the silence has been Nigel Farage, who held a press conference today. He still hasn't got the hang of being an MP. He was away on holiday in France last week when parliament was still sitting, so had nothing to say on the trade deal with the EU. Or perhaps he planned it that way. Nige knows better than anyone that most people now reckon that Brexit has been at best a disappointment, so he is keen not to draw any attention to it. Anyway, Farage is back and keen to suck up some airtime. Normally Nige has nothing to say, except telling everyone how well Reform is going while pinning the blame for everything that is wrong with the country on immigrants and wokery. This time, he actually tried to make a speech that wasn't about foreigners but about wider Reform policy. And it could just have been the biggest miscalculation Farage has made in his political career. Here's hoping. Nige thought he was trying to appeal to Labour voters by promising an end to the two-child benefit cap and increasing the threshold for basic-rate income tax to £20,000. What he was really doing was making tax cuts and spending promises that totalled between £50bn and £80bn. And when he was asked by journalists how he was going to pay for this, Nige got predictably tetchy. He would tell us all in a year or so. Once he had worked it out on the back of his fag packet. But it would involve efficiency savings and reversing net 'stupid' zero. As the half-witted Dicky Tice likes to call the climate crisis. This was suicidal economics on a scale that made Liz Truss look almost sane. The emperor had just revealed himself. And he was wearing no clothes. It was probably the most Spursy finish to a season in the club's history. First, victory over Manchester United in Bilbao. A first European trophy in more than 40 years. A first trophy of any description in 17 years. For some fans, that alone is enough for all to be forgiven. Last gasp redemption. A season to remember. The end justifies everything. A final to be remembered and treasured. Even if the match itself was instantly forgettable. Two mediocre teams chasing the ball while having forgotten what to do with it. Just that Spurs were slightly less poor than United on the night. The single goal that decided the final was worthy of the game. A scrappy affair. Uefa credited the goal to Brennan Johnson, even though he didn't seem to get a lace to the ball. The decisive last touch appeared to come off the United defender Luke Shaw for an own goal. The only moment of quality was the remarkable goalline clearance by Spurs' Micky van de Ven. Still, glory is glory, and some fans are still celebrating. Bank the win etc. For others, me included, the enjoyment is tinged with scepticism. The season ended much as it had played out: with yet another home defeat in the Premier League. More a capitulation, than a loss. A 4-1 defeat to a Brighton side that had come to play football. We had come to while away 90 minutes before resuming the Europa League celebrations, at the same time cementing a 17th place finish. One above the relegation zone and four points adrift of 16th. The data showed that Spurs fans had paid more than fans from every other club to watch their side lose last season. There again, it's not the losing I mind. I quite enjoyed our relegation year in 1977. It's been the sense that no one but me was that bothered by our league form. I want my support not to be taken for granted. I want changes. A new manager. Time to say thanks but no thanks to Ange Postecoglou. It turned out the only club he knew how to beat was Manchester United, which he did four times. If only he could have worked out how to beat Ipswich and Leicester. We need new players. Ones with the ability to solve problems mid-game that the manager can't. Above all, I don't want to have to wait another 17 years for another trophy. I might not have that long. You should never overestimate the intelligence of the very rich. In Thailand there is a new fashion among the super-wealthy for acquiring lion cubs as pets. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to have occurred to this brain-dead elite that lion cubs grow into adult lions, and that adult lions can't necessarily be trusted around the house. You can't sit them down in front of the TV all day, because before long they have switched channels to David Attenborough documentaries and are watching their relations tearing wildebeest apart in the Maasai Mara. And that kind of thing gives them ideas, and before you know it they are making themselves sandwiches from the remains of humans. So there comes a moment when the pet owners have the stunning revelation that maybe it wasn't a great idea to try to house-train a lion and they want to offload their miserable pets to a zoo. Or to someone even more half-witted than they are. Imagine the thought processes involved. Assuming there are any. We'll draw the line at a pet hippo because that's obviously not going to work – it won't fit in the bath – but a lion will make the perfect addition to family life. It can spend the afternoons in the crabapple tree and help itself to the neighbour's pet rabbit. What happened to thinking of what the animal needs rather than just your own narcissistic desires? We find ourselves petless for the first time in more than 40 years and the house feels empty. I miss Herbie terribly. He should be sitting next to me as I write. As it is, I only have his paw print for company. People ask if we are going to get another dog but it is just too soon to think about that. The queen may have had 10 days of mourning but Herbie deserves at least 10 months. Weirdly, I did have a dream in which a new dog featured. He was brown and white and had Herbie's blessing. Maybe next year. Time to announce the halfwit of the week. Step forward Robert Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary and tireless campaigner to remove Kemi Badenoch as leader of the Tory party and replace her with himself. AKA Pratman. While all of his shadow cabinet colleagues were spending recess doing nothing except firing off the odd press statement to which no one paid any attention, Honest Bob put on his black and grey hooded one-piece to turn himself into a one-man vigilante on the London tube. Along with his very own Robin, who was there to film him, our caped crusader went to Stratford station to confront fare-dodgers and restore law and order to the capital's streets. Despite haranguing a few people, he didn't appear to make any citizen's arrests. Transport for London appeared unimpressed, pointing out that Pratman had broken laws of his own by filming on the tube network. But Honest Bob was undeterred. In next week's instalment, he hopes to tackle the city's crime wave by apprehending shoplifters and anyone caught working in a Turkish barber shop. Perhaps he might like to investigate a cold case rather closer to home. In 2020, a young Conservative housing minister was caught rushing through a planning permission to former pornographer, Richard Desmond, in order to save him a massive large tax bill. Even though the local council and departmental officials had recommended the permission be refused. Dirty Des was so thrilled with the junior minister that he made a donation to the Tory party. However, the planning permission was eventually rescinded after it was deemed to be 'unlawful because of apparent bias'. So who was this housing minister? None other than Pratman himself. Honest Bob. He wants to bang up offenders for dodging a £4.60 fare. But Tory donors are free to escape a £40m tax demand.
Japan Today
2 days ago
- Business
- Japan Today
Already numb to tariff twists, U.S. importers see legal decisions as another price of doing business
By MAE ANDERSON and ANNE D'INNOCENZIO Businesses rattled by President Donald Trump's on again, off again tariffs absorbed more jolts on Thursday after a U.S. appeals court temporarily blocked a federal court order that would have halted most of his taxes on foreign imports. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of International Trade ruled late Wednesday that Trump overstepped his authority when he invoked the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act to declare a national emergency as justification for his wide-ranging tariffs. But a federal appeals court on Thursday afternoon granted a motion allowing the government to continue collecting tariffs under the emergency powers law while the Trump administration challenges the trade court's decision. Even before the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit stepped in, business owners and the National Retail Federation had said that without a definitive word in the case, the Wednesday ruling only created more uncertainty and made it harder to budget and plan. 'The ruling by the U.S. Court of International Trade blocking most of President Trump's tariffs is just another chapter in this difficult journey toward a clear, consistent and strategic trade policy," Jonathan Gold, the trade group's vice president of supply chain and customs policy, said in an emailed statement. "We urge rapid resolution as this process continues in the courts.' The president invoked the emergency powers law in early April when he imposed varying import tax rates on products from dozens of countries, including the biggest trading partners of the U.S. After financial markets showed signs of panic, Trump lowered the rate to 10% for every country except China, whose goods were taxed at 145%. Jonathan Silva, the owner of WS Game Company, said he did not intend to change his plans based on the ruling. He has the board games his company sells made in China, 'We know that this will take time for the appeals process to take place and a final ruling to be instituted,' Silva said. 'But we are hopeful that this will be the beginning of a more academic use of tariffs in the coming months and years. All we want to do is have certainty in the environment that we are operating in, as the day-to-day retaliations and pauses are not conducive to business operations.' The CEO of electronics retailer Best Buy, Corie Barry, told reporters on Thursday that the legal news did not make her more or less optimistic but rather underscored the importance of continuing to remain agile while not changing course in response to near-daily tariff developments. 'I don't think there's anything we would do differently based on the news overnight,' Barry said. 'What I really tried to work with the team on is to not actually overreact to any given moment in time, but instead to stay maniacally focused on our customers and ensure we are bringing the right assortment, price, and (promotions) to them, whatever the backdrop.' Barry told analysts that Best Buy has taken a variety of steps to offset higher tariff costs, including pushing vendors to spread out where they do manufacturing. The company is increasing some prices to absorb tariff-related costs, she said, calling the move 'a last resort.' She declined to be specific given the fluid situation. Jim Umlauf, whose business, 4Knines, based in Oklahoma City, makes vehicle seat covers and cargo liners for dog owners and others, said the court ruling did not offer reassurance but only further complicated his decision-making. 'At this point, we don't know whether the decision will hold, whether it applies to (Trump's) original 2018 tariffs, or how it will be enforced,' he said. 'Without clarity, we're left planning around a moving target. Like many others, we've already locked in quotes and made purchasing decisions assuming tariffs would remain in place. This development, rather than offering relief, introduces new logistical complications at the worst possible time.' Kelsey O'Callaghan, the founder of a Salt Lake City kitchen and bathroom accessories company called Dorai Home, said she expected the trade war to continue. The constant flux since Trump's return to office has made her 'numb,' but O'Callaghan said she has tried to make educated decisions. The company already postponed the launch of several new products, laid off the CEO and some other key employees. It paused order shipments from China in early April but resumed some on a staggered basis when the president Trump lowered the rate for Chinese goods to 30% for 90 days. Now, Dorai Home plans to test price increases to see if shoppers will still buy its products. 'In a business sense, you have to try to create as much certainty and stability as you can with the variables you can control," O'Callaghan said. But some businesses were more optimistic. Burlington Coat Factory CEO Michael B. O'Sullivan said Thursday that the tariff pause might help discount retailers like his that buy excess inventory from other retail companies. The court ruling and continued uncertainty may further fuel a production race that started when the tariff rate for Chinese products were substantially reduced, O'Sullivan said. 'There's now a huge rush on production and shipping across the industry. Now, the court decision last night could add to that rush,' he said. 'Instead of shortages, this topsy-turvy stop/start surge has the potential to create attractive buying opportunities.' © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
