Latest news with #economicheadwinds
Globe and Mail
4 days ago
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Why Concrete Pumping Stock Is Down Big Today
Economic headwinds and bad weather conspired to cut construction activity, which in turn ate into results at Concrete Pumping Holdings (NASDAQ: BBCP). Shares of the multinational concrete provider traded down 17% as of 11 a.m. ET after the company reported results that fell short of Wall Street expectations. 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 » Headwinds weigh on results Concrete Pumping plays a key part in the construction supply chain, providing concrete and concrete waste management services at job sites in the U.S. and in the United Kingdom. But there is only so much the company can do when demand for concrete slows, a scenario that played out in the most recent quarter. The company lost $0.01 per share on revenue of $93.96 million in its fiscal second quarter ending April 30, compared to Wall Street's forecast for a $0.04 per-share profit on sales of $99 million. Concrete Pumping did a good job keeping costs in line and gross margin is actually up slightly for the first six months of fiscal 2025 compared to a year ago, but the macro story was too much to overcome. "In the second quarter, we continued to navigate a challenging construction environment, marked by persistent macroeconomic headwinds and regional weather disruptions," CEO Bruce Young said in a statement. Management is not anticipating an immediate bounce back. Concrete Pumping cut its full-year revenue forecast to $380 million to $390 million, from $425 million to $445 million, saying it is not forecasting a "meaningful" recovery in the construction market until its fiscal 2026. Is Concrete Pumping stock a buy? Even with the declines, Concrete Pumping is still a long-term winner, up 62% over the past five years. The company has a lot of debt, $387 million at quarter's end, compared to a market capitalization of $317 million, but management remains confident enough in cash flows to pursue opportunistic acquisitions and boost its share buyback program by $15 million. For investors who are bullish long-term on the need for infrastructure revitalization in the U.S. and Western Europe and who are willing to ride out a near-term storm, this decline in Concrete Pumping shares could be viewed as a buying opportunity. Should you invest $1,000 in Concrete Pumping right now? Before you buy stock in Concrete Pumping, 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 Concrete Pumping 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 $674,395!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $858,011!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor 's total average return is997% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to172%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 June 2, 2025
Times
21-05-2025
- Business
- Times
We need to cut costs but it's difficult to get my team on board
Q: We are experiencing revenue decline after several years of double-digit growth. We need to cut costs but I'm finding it difficult to get my senior leadership team on board. Most of them have not been through a downturn before. Any ideas? A: This is a very common problem. About half of UK organisations are looking to reduce costs as a result of economic headwinds, surveys suggest. This isn't easy and addressing it requires considered strategic, cultural and operational change. In good times, people get used to seeing their teams and their budgets grow. As an executive team, you need to treat this as a big change and deliver that message consistently from the top. You need to involve the whole organisation. It takes time
Condé Nast Traveler
20-05-2025
- Business
- Condé Nast Traveler
These Are the Wealthiest Cities in the US in 2025
While economic headwinds continue to buffet the lives of many Americans, causing them, among other things, to be more frugal with summer vacations, a handful of US cities continue to hold vast reserves of wealth. According to a new report on the wealthiest cities in the US released today by Henley & Partners and New World Wealth, the number of millionaires in the last decade grew by double-digit percentages in at least 10 cities across the country. In total, the US is still home to more than 6 million high-net-worth individuals, who each have investable wealth of at least $1 million. The report also shows that an impressive 34% of global liquid wealth and 37% of the world's millionaires reside in the US, as well as 36% of centi-millionaires, or those who have $100 million or more in wealth, and 33% of the globe's billionaires. America's wealth statistics were bolstered by about 3,800 high-net-worth individuals migrating to the US in 2024, including 95 centi-millionaires and 10 billionaires. Conversely, the number of US citizens looking into alternative residence or citizen programs abroad jumped by 183% from 2024 to 2025, according to HenlEy & Partners data. Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean are the most popular regions for these investment residence programs, which the report notes are a valuable option for diversifying wealth. 'The apparent paradox of wealthy US-Americans considering moves abroad, while non-Americans aggressively invest in the USA, reflects a broader global dynamic and an economic truth,' Jean Paul Fabri, chief economist at Henley & Partners, said in the report. 'The USA remains the world's best place to create and grow wealth, even if some opt to move elsewhere. For global investors, the American market represents opportunity, scale, security, and innovation—attributes that remain scarce beyond US borders.' Here's a closer look at the wealthiest cities in the US in 2025, and read about the wealthiest cities in the world for more. The top 5 wealthiest US cities Houston, Texas has climbed up the wealth ranks, growing its community of millionaires by 75% in a decade. Getty Images 5. Houston Texas's largest city has a rapidly growing population of millionaires. As a hub of the oil and gas industry, known as the 'Energy Capital of World,' Houston saw its community of millionaires grow by 75% from 2014 to 2024 for a total of 81,800 millionaires. That figure includes 210 centi-millionaires and 16 billionaires. Aside from the lucrative energy industry, Houston is attractive to investors for its appealing tax regime, according to the report. Other Texas cities rising up the wealth chain include Dallas and Austin, which grew their millionaire populations by 85% and 90%, respectively, and both made it on the top 10 list.
Washington Post
19-05-2025
- Business
- Washington Post
No booze, no flowers: Chinese officials told to tighten their belts
China's ruling Communist Party has ordered officials to cut down on government waste with a range of new rules: Expensive alcohol, cigarettes and gourmet dishes can no longer be offered at work-related meals; guests should not be seen off at airports; and conferences will no longer feature lavish flower arrangements. As China faces economic headwinds — from a continued trade war with the United States and slower growth at home — it has ordered officials to tighten their belts and 'lead the way in living a frugal life.'
Independent Singapore
08-05-2025
- Business
- Independent Singapore
RHB: Singapore retail sales growth expected to slow down in H2 2025 amid economic headwinds
SINGAPORE: Singapore's retail sector is expected to stay resilient in the first half of the year, but sales growth is expected to slow down in the second half (H2) amid economic headwinds, Singapore Business Review reported, citing RHB Bank's new report. Retail sales in March went up by 1.1% from a year ago, bouncing back from a 3.5% drop in February. Online sales, which saw the highest share of all sales since November 2024 at 13.4%, jumped 11.9% year-on-year (YoY). RHB economists pointed to government support measures, tourism-driven events, and strong online commerce as the three key factors that could keep retail sales steady in the near term. In mid-April, it was announced that Singaporean households will receive S$500 of Community Development Council (CDC) vouchers from May 13 and another S$300 in January 2026. The report also anticipated the series of international events in the city-state, including Lady Gaga's concert , to give tourism a boost — benefiting sectors such as hospitality, transport, and retail. However, it noted that the city-state's retail sector will likely be impacted by the year's soft labour market and gradual economic slowdown, with employment growth expected to weaken, especially in trade-related sectors like manufacturing and wholesale. 'Rising trade tensions could increase economic uncertainty, dampening global business investment and consumer spending,' the report stated. It added that sluggish growth forecasts in the US and China are expected to put pressure on trade-dependent Singapore. Callam Pickering, APAC senior economist at Indeed, recently warned that geopolitical and economic uncertainty may weigh upon the city-state's economy over the remainder of the year, impacting job creation. Amid these pressures, RHB cut Singapore's 2025 gross domestic product (GDP) growth forecast to 2.0%, warning it could fall further to between 0.5% and 1.0%. Although sales rose in supermarkets (3.4%), furniture (2.5%), and recreational goods (3.2%), other categories continued to drop — apparel fell 8.0%, petrol services declined 8.2%, and motor vehicle sales slowed to 3.3% YoY from 20.0% the month before. The report said retail demand will likely slow as GDP growth eases, urging caution for the months ahead. /TISG Read also: Singapore's F&B sector continues decline in March, sales down to S$960M Featured image by Depositphotos (for illustration purposes only)
