Latest news with #WHR
Axios
4 days ago
- Health
- Axios
More Americans are dining alone — and it's hurting happiness
Americans are dining alone at record rates, according to the latest World Happiness Report (WHR). Why it matters: Sharing meals helps encourage conversation and foster community, which is closely linked to happiness. By the numbers: Roughly 1 in 4 Americans (26%) in 2023 said they ate all of their meals alone the previous day — a 53% increase from 2003. Young adults are driving the solo dining trend, multiple studies show — and they're also reporting high levels of loneliness. Zoom in: The more meals people shared, the happier they reported feeling — even when controlling for factors like income and employment, Gallup principal researcher Andrew Dugan tells Axios. The happiness jump was particularly high when comparing people who shared no meals to those who shared one meal a week, Dugan says. Yes, but: There's a difference between enjoying the food and ambience at your table for one and scarfing takeout alone at home. Solo dining can be a positive, social event, if you go into it with the right mindset. Think: Choose a communal table, chat up someone at the bar. "Even if you're introverted and in a hurry, if you act extroverted, you end up improving your mood," Jenny Taitz, clinical psychologist and author of "Stress Resets," tells Axios. The intrigue: Dugan says happiness levels max out after a certain number of shared meals.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
1 Profitable Stock on Our Watchlist and 2 to Ignore
Not all profitable companies are built to last - some rely on outdated models or unsustainable advantages. Just because a business is in the green today doesn't mean it will thrive tomorrow. Profits are valuable, but they're not everything. At StockStory, we help you identify the companies that have real staying power. Keeping that in mind, here is one profitable company that generates reliable profits without sacrificing growth and two best left off your watchlist. Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 2.8% Credited with introducing the first automatic washing machine, Whirlpool (NYSE:WHR) is a manufacturer of a variety of home appliances. Why Do We Avoid WHR? Underwhelming unit sales over the past two years indicate demand is soft and that the company may need to revise its strategy Diminishing returns on capital from an already low starting point show that neither management's prior nor current bets are going as planned 9× net-debt-to-EBITDA ratio makes lenders less willing to extend additional capital, potentially necessitating dilutive equity offerings Whirlpool's stock price of $77 implies a valuation ratio of 8.3x forward P/E. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why WHR doesn't pass our bar. Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 2% Serving as the crucial middleman in the technology supply chain, TD SYNNEX (NYSE:SNX) is a global technology distributor that connects thousands of IT manufacturers with resellers, helping businesses access hardware, software, and technology solutions. Why Are We Wary of SNX? Sales tumbled by 2.4% annually over the last two years, showing market trends are working against its favor during this cycle Earnings per share fell by 3.4% annually over the last five years while its revenue grew, showing its incremental sales were much less profitable 8.1 percentage point decline in its free cash flow margin over the last five years reflects the company's increased investments to defend its market position At $121.43 per share, TD SYNNEX trades at 9.1x forward P/E. To fully understand why you should be careful with SNX, check out our full research report (it's free). Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 14.7% With roots dating back to 1869 and a focus on creating cleaner industrial operations, CECO Environmental (NASDAQ:CECO) provides technology and expertise that helps industrial companies reduce emissions, treat water, and improve energy efficiency across various sectors. Why Could CECO Be a Winner? Impressive 17.2% annual revenue growth over the last two years indicates it's winning market share this cycle Projected revenue growth of 22.6% for the next 12 months is above its two-year trend, pointing to accelerating demand Adjusted operating margin expanded by 10.8 percentage points over the last five years as it scaled and became more efficient CECO Environmental is trading at $27.31 per share, or 21.2x forward P/E. Is now the right time to buy? See for yourself in our in-depth 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 Growth Stocks for this month. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 176% over the last five years. 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 for free. 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
Globe and Mail
05-05-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Better Dividend Stock: Whirlpool vs. UPS
The 6.8% dividend yield of UPS (NYSE: UPS) stock and the 9.1% dividend yield of Whirlpool (NYSE: WHR) stock are obviously attractive for passive income-seeking investors. However, there's no such thing as a free lunch, and their yields reflect some doubt in the marketplace around the sustainability of their dividends. That said, which stock is better, and what risks do you need to know about before buying the stock? Whirlpool stock analysis (9.1% dividend yield) Both Whirlpool's and UPS' shares are down heavily this year, as they've both suffered a deterioration in their trading conditions. Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue » WHR data by YCharts. For Whirlpool, it comes down to a combination of stubbornly high interest rates and competitor behavior in light of President Donald Trump's reelection. Relatively high interest rates curtail the housing market and, in turn, discretionary demand (which tends to be higher-margin than replacement demand) for housing appliances. Consequently, Whirlpool's first-quarter organic sales rose just 2.2% year over year, with organic sales flat in its key major domestic appliance North America business. Whirlpool's sales were also highly likely affected by competitor behavior in the fourth quarter of 2024 and the first quarter of 2025. CEO Marc Bitzer said on the recent earnings call: "Asian appliance producers significantly increased imports into the U.S. ahead of the tariffs in the first quarter and fourth quarter, essentially loading the U.S. industry. This market disruption will likely continue into Q2 as competitors attempt to sell through their inventory." With the first and second quarters negatively affected by such actions, 30-year mortgage rates still above 6.5%, and general uncertainty in the economy concerning tariffs, this casts some doubt on management's decision to maintain its full-year guidance. Whirlpool's full-year guidance implies that its dividend is sustainable. For example, the guidance calls for sales of $15.8 billion with an ongoing earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) margin of 6.8%, implying an ongoing EBIT of $1.07 billion, dropping down to $500 million to $600 million in free cash flow (FCF). That's more than enough to cover the the $384 million in dividends that Whirlpool paid last year. That said, there's a significant risk to the dividend if Whirlpool falters this year. The company has $4.8 billion in long-term debt and $1.85 billion in debt maturing this year, of which it plans to pay down $700 million and refinance $1.1 billion to $1.2 billion. Any significant deterioration in the FCF outlook may cause management to cut the dividend to shore up its balance sheet, not least in paying down debt. UPS stock analysis (6.8% dividend yield) Continuing the theme of looking at dividend sustainability, UPS management is clear on three things regarding the matter: Its longstanding aim is to pay out 50% of its earnings in dividends, and it's committed to sustaining and growing the dividend The current dividend of $6.56 per share is barely covered by the Wall Street analyst consensus for UPS earnings in 2025 of $7.11, implying a payout ratio of 92% Management expects $5.7 billion in FCF in 2025, barely covering the $5.5 billion cash dividend Whether you look at the payout ratio in terms of earnings (as management does) or FCF, UPS' ability to pay its dividend is beginning to look stretched. At the same time, UPS management is trying to finesse a 50% reduction in delivery volume by the second half of 2026, while dealing with a deteriorating demand environment. This could cloud UPS' ability to generate earnings and cash flow over the near term. In its key U.S. domestic market, the decline in its average daily volume (ADV) in February and March was "higher than we expected," according to CEO Carol Tome on the earnings call. Moreover, UPS guidance for the second quarter calls for a U.S. domestic year-over-year ADV decline of 9%. Management declined to update its full-year guidance. UPS or Whirlpool? On balance, UPS' dividend looks more sustainable than Whirlpool's, so it wins the contest. UPS has $19.5 billion in long-term debt, which looks manageable compared to guidance for $5.7 billion in FCF in 2025. Whirlpool's $4.8 billion in long-term debt is far higher than its estimated FCF of $500 million to $600 million in 2025. However, there's a good chance both could cut their dividends by the end of the year. That doesn't mean they are unattractive stocks; it just means anyone buying in for the dividend alone needs to prepare for potential disappointment. Should you invest $1,000 in United Parcel Service right now? Before you buy stock in United Parcel Service, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and United Parcel Service wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $623,685!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $701,781!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor 's total average return is906% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to164%for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of April 28, 2025 John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Lee Samaha has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon. The Motley Fool recommends United Parcel Service and Whirlpool. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
North Wales Live
02-05-2025
- North Wales Live
Tragedy as man found dead in river after night out in Caernarfon
A man was tragically found dead in a river near Caernarfon town centre following a night out, an inquest heard today. Huw Melfyn Williams was found dead in the Afon Seiont on December 15 last year, two days after he had gone out for drinks with colleagues. An inquest held in Caernarfon on Friday, May 2 heard that it remains unclear how he ended up in the water, or how he died. A pathologist found no clear evidence that Mr Williams, of Tan y Coed, Gardolbenmaen, had drowned, and a coroner said there was no evidence he intended to take his own life. Kate Robertson, senior coroner for North West Wales, gave a narrative conclusion, and said she "regrettably" couldn't say for certain what had happened. You can sign up for all the latest court stories here Mr Williams had been a volunteer with the Welsh Highland Railway (WHR) and was on a night out with two colleagues on Friday, December 13. Catherine Paige, one of the colleagues, told how Mr Williams had volunteered for the WHR for 18 months and worked for four days a week. He loved "every second" of the work and was thoughtful and helpful. But latterly his lower leg had gone "purple" and he was persuaded to go for treatment. Catherine, known as Cathy, said: "He was extremely strong but did not like a fuss. Why journalists cover inquests and why it's crucial that we do Reporting on an inquest can be one of the hardest types of stories a journalist can write. More often than not, they are emotionally charged proceedings attended by grief-stricken people who are desperate for answers. Sometimes, inquests can seem quite clinical due to a coroner's need to remain impartial and level-headed so that they can draw a conclusion from desperately sad events. As painful as these proceedings are for those who have lost a loved one, the lessons that can be learned from inquests can go a long way to saving others' lives. Families are often surprised - and sometimes angry - when they see a reporter in attendance. Understandably they worry the nature of their loved one's death will be sensationalised and that a news story will forever tarnish their memory. Responsible and ethically minded journalists will do what they can to report inquests sensitively, while not shying away from the often upsetting facts. It is vital that the public don't forget that inquests are a type of judicial inquiry; they are after all held in a coroner's court. The press has a legal right to attend inquests and has a responsibility to report on them as part of their duty to uphold the principle of 'open justice'. But in doing so journalists must follow the guidance provided by the Independent Press Standards Organisation and set out in Editors' Code of Conduct. It's a journalist's duty to make sure the public understands the reasons why someone has died and to make sure their deaths are not kept secret. An inquest report can also clear up any rumours or suspicion surrounding a person's death. But most importantly of all, an inquest report can draw attention to circumstances which may stop further deaths from happening. Inquests are not criminal courts - there is no prosecution or defence - they are fact-finding tribunals which seek to answer four key questions: Who is the person who died? Where did they die? When did they die? How did they die? They do not apportion blame. Once these questions are answered a coroner will be able to record a conclusion. The wider lessons that can be learned from an inquest can have far-reaching consequences - but if journalists do not attend them how can the public be made aware? The harsh reality is they can't. Coroners often do not publish the results of an inquest. Should journalists shy away from attending inquests then an entire arm of the judicial system - and numerous others who need to answer vital questions - is not held to account. Inquests can often prompt a wider discussion on serious issues, the most recent of these being mental health and suicide. Editors actively ask and encourage reporters to speak to the family and friends of a person who is the subject of an inquest. Their contributions help us create a clearer picture of the person who died and also provides the opportunity to pay tribute to their loved one. Often families do not wish to speak to the press and of course that decision has to be respected. However, as has been seen by many brilliant campaigns run by newspapers and websites up and down the country, the input of a person's family and friends can make all the difference in helping to save others. Without the attendance of the press at inquests questions will remain unanswered, debates unargued and lives lost. "I think he was just fed up with the heavy work we did. It was very tiring," she said. On the Friday night, she met Mr Williams and another WHR worker - Erfyl Wyn Williams - in Wetherspoons in Caernarfon. They visited various pubs in the town that night with Huw Williams apparently leaning against a wall to get his balance at one point. In his statement Erfyl Wyn Williams said in the two weeks before his death Huw Williams had become "angry and agitated". He "knew all the contact details" for the Hergest Unit and for mental health support. At the end of the night of Friday, December 13 Erfyl Wyn Williams left Huw Williams outside the Palace Vaults pub while he went inside to get a drink for himself and water for Huw Williams. When he came outside, Huw Williams had gone and couldn't be contacted by phone despite repeated attempts. Neither of his colleagues could trace him so they later drove out to find him and came across police on Sunday, December 15. Police Constable Gwen Jones said CCTV footage showed Huw Williams walking along St Helen's Road at midnight then past SP Energy at 1.05am. Sergeant Jamie Aston said he saw what appeared to be a body in the river trapped against fallen trees after bad weather. He identified the body as the missing Mr Williams. Consultant pathologist Dr Mark Atkinson, who conducted a post mortem examination at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, said he could not find evidence of drowning. "The lungs were not overly waterlogged. There was no indication of swallowed water," he said. Mr Williams had a reading of just under twice the legal limit for driving but it would have taken "a lot of drink" to get to that level, said Dr Atkinson. He added: "There is some heart disease but (overall) I can't tell what happened." The coroner said it was likely Huw Williams was under the influence of alcohol when he entered the river but it couldn't be determined how he entered the water. She couldn't give the family any certainty about how the tragedy had happened, adding: "Regrettably, sometimes the evidence just is not there (but) I don't feel Huw intended to end his life."
Zawya
28-04-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Oman: Raysut Cement rekindles green energy deal with Chinese firm
MUSCAT: In a development poised to redefine Oman's approach to industrial energy efficiency, Raysut Cement Company is reactivating a strategic partnership with China's SINOMA Overseas Development Co, Ltd to launch the Sultanate of Oman's first waste heat recovery (WHR) power plant. The facility will harness thermal emissions from cement kilns to generate clean electricity — a model project aligning with global decarbonisation trends. The news surfaced directly from Raysut Cement CEO Eng Hilal al Dhamri, who confirmed a successful high-level meeting with SINOMA Overseas in Dubai. Discussions centred on moving forward with a long-stalled green energy initiative at Raysut's flagship plant in Salalah. 'Dhofar will host the first station of its kind in Oman,' said Al Dhamri in a post on social media, adding that the project will operate on heat discharged from cement production kilns. The groundwork for the WHR project was originally laid in 2018, when Raysut Cement and SINOMA Overseas Development Co, Ltd signed a memorandum to develop a 9-megawatt power facility. The system, once operational, is expected to cut the plant's reliance on grid power by up to 30 per cent and reduce CO₂ emissions by more than 50,000 tonnes annually. This revival arrives at a critical juncture. Oman is ramping up sustainability commitments under Oman Vision 2040 and its net-zero road map for 2050. Waste heat recovery is a proven industrial decarbonisation tool, already deployed across major cement markets like China and India. The Raysut–SINOMA project is expected to be a regional first, offering a replicable model for industrial-scale energy reuse in the Gulf. With environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria gaining prominence across global capital markets, Raysut Cement's move could strengthen its sustainability credentials and attract future green investment. Moreover, SINOMA Overseas Development — an internationally renowned engineering firm under the China National Building Material Group (CNBM) — brings to the table extensive experience in delivering turnkey WHR projects worldwide. Its involvement signals technical credibility and enhances the project's feasibility. No official commissioning timeline has been released, but engineering design and site preparations are expected to be revisited before the end of 2025. The Salalah plant, one of Oman's largest cement production hubs, is already primed for the system's integration. When completed, the WHR facility will not only mark a first for Oman but serve as a blueprint for the region's low-carbon manufacturing future. 2022 © All right reserved for Oman Establishment for Press, Publication and Advertising (OEPPA) Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
