Archive for July 14th, 2010

Savvy corporations are keeping their powder dry …

July 14, 2010

Corporate cash has been piling up.

3,000 non-financial firms have $1.641 trillion dollars in cash and equivalents.

More important, the 500 largest non-financial firms have $1.8 trillions dollars in cash.

  • The top 50 firms account for over half of this dollar amount, accounting for $823.642 billion dollars.
  • The top 20 firms, ranging from Berkshire to United Health Group account for most of this — $635.386 billion dollars.
  • Berkshire & GE have almost 15% of the cash …

 

Source: Corporate Cash: Top 20 Firms = $635 Billion,   By Barry Ritholtz , July 12th, 2010
http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2010/07/corporate-cash-top-20-firms-635-billion/

Thanks to Tags for feeding the lead.

Posted in Financial Crisis | Leave a Comment »

Walk clockwise around grocery stores !

July 14, 2010

Why?

Because you’ll save money.

Researchers have discovered that “shoppers open their wallets wider when moving through a store in a counter-clockwise direction.”

On average, they spend $2 more per visit.

Why??

One theory is that most shoppers are right handed … and like most basketball players, they go to their right better…. so, impulse items stocked to their right along “walls of value” are easier to grab and throw in the cart.

If you are right handed, walk clockwise and the “wall of values” will on your left,  and will be less tempting.

Source: Priceless, William Poundstone, Hill & Wang, 2010, p.149

Posted in Mktg - Consumer Behavior, Mktg - Merchandising In-store | Leave a Comment »