Celebrity backed Oatly which IPO-ed for $17 a share in 2021 is now trading just above $2. That hurts! Although revenue grew marginally to $183m in Q3 2022, it was almost 15% lower than expected. Year on year net income fell to a larger loss of $212m from $60m. The funky, barista loving plant milk …
Oatly experiences sharp growth pains. Is private equity thirsty enough to pounce? Read More »
Colgate Palmolive has come under fire from activist shareholder Dan Loeb’s Third Point hedge fund. He now holds a $1 billion stake in the company. Thirdpoint invests in companies undergoing spinoffs and pushes for “corporate change”. Loeb’s stake in Colgate is around 6% of the fund’s assets. Activist investors are becoming increasingly active in the …
Activist Dan Loeb barks loudly at Colgate’s door. Should they let him in? Read More »
The first time Tokyo listed Olympus appointed a foreign CEO it ended in tears. Michael Woodford’s tenure was short-lived. Woodford questioned huge fees paid to unknown companies which had links to criminal entities. Dismissed, he sued Olympus. The case concluded with a substantial out of court settlement in Woodward’s favour. Then Olympus was synonymous with …
Olympus looks to the future appointing its second foreign CEO Read More »
Last week the FT carried an interview with John Reid, the outgoing CEO of Mars. What few metrics are published by Mars (the company is one of the world’s largest, privately owned businesses), it seems that Reid’s tenure has been an unqualified success. Global revenues now exceed $45b and have leapt dramatically under Reid’s tenure. …
As Mars’ CEO retires, what big bets will his successor wage? Read More »
Earlier this week Kellogg announced plans to break itself into 3 companies. It seems that Kellogg is no longer doing breakfast, at least in North America where its cereal business is to be renamed and spun off. Although cereal sales slowed some of their downward trend during Covid, sales were still down 13% in 2021 …
Kellogg bets the house on snacking; it no longer does breakfast-in North America! Read More »
Revlon is blushingly close to bankcruptcy according to the WSJ. It’s a salutary tale of a legacy cosmetics business with somewhat jaded brands that’s failed to adjust fast enough to a new paradigm: selling to the Instagram consumer. Amongst Revlon’s core portfolio of brands it’s noticeable that neither Elizabeth Arden nor Elizabeth Taylor are no …
Revlon’s most dazzling cheek blush cannot conceal its reddening debt Read More »
Founded in 1978 in Vermont, Ben & Jerry’s ice cream was sold to FMCG giant Unilever in 2000. Under Unilever’s stewardship the business has grown, and dig deep into the 2021 annual report, has sales over Euros 1 billion (US$1.13bn). Export has been a large growth contributor. The brand is sold in over 35 countries, …
Most of us know Tupperware. It’s an iconic brand marketing storage and serving containers for use in the kitchen and around the home. The company is well diversified. Although it’s a US business, Asia-Pacific was the biggest region in 2021 accounting for 28% of revenue. North America and EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) are …
Tupperware party’s cancelled. Management pulls full year guidance; analysts wrong footed Read More »
Raising prices is never easy and something most managers fret over. Raising prices in Japan has been rare, but it’s fast becoming wide spread. The central bank is keen to see inflation, it has set a 2% target and the Government has long been exhorting companies to raise salaries. Now there are problems with the …
Meiji takes the plunge on price increases. Watch the Yen! Read More »
Late last week the WSJ revealed the much anticipated IPO for yogurt brand Chobani was delayed (again) and four senior executives including the President and COO were leaving, effective this week. Chobani has been a darling of the food industry and I have previously blogged about its rapid rise. The business claims 20% market share …
Chobani’s delayed IPO and sudden executive exits suggest culture clashes Read More »
