As the competition between home improvement heavyweights Lowe's and Home Depot intensifies, customer service is emerging as one of the key features on which they will need to innovate. Lowe's latest attempt is a new incentive program for customers paying with the store's credit card.
In this economy, cash-strapped consumers have become more budget conscious and less concerned about appearing cheap. As a result, better-known brands have steadily been losing ground to store-branded food products.
American Italian Pasta shares surged more than 26% Monday morning after snack-products company Ralcorp Holdings agreed to buy it at $53 per share in cash -- a 27% premium to Friday's close. But Ralcorp also lowered its guidance.
