Hilton's ego may have taken a bruising blow from its settlement with Starwood, but its finances likely won't, analysts say. As part of the deal, Hilton has agreed to take itself out of the boutique-hotel-style market to settle allegations that it stole trade secrets from Starwood.
Bedbugs are back, and they're worse than ever. While pesticides have kept the pests under control for decades, EPA decisions to ban several classes of chemicals have benefited the bugs. And between lawsuits and pricey eradication, the bloodsuckers are biting Americans in the wallet.
Every company promises a better product -- a better burger, a better search engine, a better hotel room. For these companies, their secret for a superior product is worth millions -- or even billions.
Strapped with more debt than the struggling lodging industry would let Blackstone Group repay, the private equity firm has made a deal with its lenders. The restructuring will likely cut investors' returns, but it means Blackstone won't have to sell assets.
