Markets at Record Levels; More Bad News for J.C. Penney
The Dow Industrials closed yesterday above the 15,000 level for the first time. It's the Dow's 16th record this year. The S&P 500 also set another record.
Whole Foods
5 Stocks to Watch This Week
With news coming from Disney, Tesla and more, there will be plenty of to move the market this week. Let's go over some of the items likely to get the attention of Wall Street.
5 Surprising Companies Going Green
When one thinks of green businesses, names like Whole Foods and Patagonia spring to mind. But there are other big firms whose major environmental efforts may surprise you.
Your Next Vacation Could Be to Whole Foods
Whole Foods is branching out into the hospitality business, planning a health resort that will open in Austin, Texas.
13 Stocks to Start Investing With in 2013
If you're keeping your savings in low-return but "safe" investments, this is the year you need to get your money off the sidelines and into some solid stocks. No stock is risk-free, but these 13 picks are the best we can find for novice investors looking to get their feet wet in the market.
Wall Street Watch: Activision Blizzard Earnings Get Bonus Points
Activision Blizzard,the company behind the "Call of Duty," "Skylanders," and "World of Warcraft" video game franchises posted better than expected results after Wednesday's market close. Adjusted earnings more than doubled to $0.15 a share as revenue rose nearly 20% to $751 million.
Why Groupon May Start Looking Like a Better Deal This Week
Daily deals leader Groupon had one of the worst post-IPO performances of the past year: Since it went public last November at $20, it has shed roughly 80% of its value. But analysts expect a small profit out of Groupon when it reports on Thursday.
Can Restaurant Sales Predict Who Will Win the Presidential Election?
A recent Los Angeles Times article surveyed the eating habits -- and political affiliations -- of American restaurant goers, which made us wonder: If a restaurant chain's sales are booming, are the politics it's associated with gaining favor too?
How to Invest in Obamacare: Find Asset Growth in Weight Loss
If the Affordable Care Act performs as advertised, tens of millions of Americans will benefit directly. But there will be other beneficiaries, too -- and some will make good investments. For example: Weight Watchers.
Why Your Organic Food Isn't as Organic as It Used to Be
Organic foods used to be niche products: hard to find and with limited selections. Now, organic is booming, and it's everywhere from Safeway to Costco. But the standards for what can be called "organic" have changed.
Where Walmart Builds, Higher Home Prices Follow
Many people react to the news that Walmart is coming to their neighborhood with dismay. The "Bully of Bentonville" lays waste to local businesses, increases traffic, and can lead to higher crime rates. But here's a twist: Where Walmart builds, property values go up.
As Affluent Consumers Pay Up, High-End Grocers Pay Out
The economic recovery may not be ripe yet, but affluent shoppers are having no problems paying a premium for high-end groceries. Shares of upscale supermarket operator The Fresh Market hit fresh highs on Wednesday after the company posted blowout quarterly results.
Corporate Social Responsibility: Good for Business, Good for Us
The widespread push on corporate social responsibility is about more than just good PR -- it's also about good business and taking care of customers. And it's a virtuous cycle that's paying off.
What to Watch This Week: Buffett and Credit, Autos and Newbies
Let's go over some of the items that will help shape the week that lies ahead on Wall Street: Warren Buffett talks; plastic wins; organic food does too; GM reads its odometer; and recent IPOs check in.
5 Companies Americans Can Be Proud Of
Call it conscious capitalism or just good business, but these five companies have all prospered in every measure over the last decade by doing good for their employees, suppliers, customers or the general public.
Cross Pollution and Child Labor Off Your Grocery List
Take a look at the receipts in your wallet. They show what you paid for the items you bought, but what's missing are the true costs -- to people and the environment. But, good news: Sustainable and fair trade products don't have to cost you more. Consider, for example, a banana ...
Could This Radical College Change the World Economy?
At EARTH University, students don't produce papers. They produce -- organically grown crops they harvest and sell -- along with other entrepreneurial agricultural products. Is this hands-on education in working the soil and changing the world a model for a better future.
McDonald's Works to Take Animal Cruelty off the Menu
McDonald's has finally caught up with consumer sentiment on the subject of factory farming and the inhumane treatment of animals. The fast food giant is using its massive leverage to push its pork suppliers to phase out cruelly confining gestation crates for their pigs.
Walmart's New Health Food Push: Too Hard to Swallow?
Walmart, which has long been associated with cheap, high-calorie, low-nutrition foods, wants to get healthy: Its new "Great for You" initiative aims to show shoppers it can help them eat healthy on a budget. But can the retail tiger change its spots -- or it's rep?
Stores Go Both High-Tech and Homey to Lure You In
Retailers are spicing up their brick-and-mortar stores to keep you walking through the door. Their game plan? To design environments that are equal parts high-tech and homespun. But will the changes be enough to keep physical stores from being reduced to showrooms for e-commerce sites?
Whole Foods Sells 'LIFE Jackets' for Kenyan Kids
Whole Foods is asking its shoppers to help a good cause -- with "LIFE Jackets." They're reusable cup sleeves to protect your hands from hot beverages, and all proceeds go to Kenyan women and special-needs children.
McDonald's McRib's Deep, Dark Secret: Animal Cruelty
McDonald's reintroduction of the McRib sandwich has made news headlines and mouths water. However, the fans eagerly awaiting the limited-time opportunity to wolf down McRibs may not realize that McDonald's pork products contain a secret, unappetizing ingredient: pain.
Some Whole Foods Stores Stop Accepting Paper Checks
If you're one of the many people planning to start using more paper checks to avoid incurring a monthly debit-card fee, think again. While many merchants continue to accept paper checks, some are moving in the opposite direction, among them national grocery store chain Whole Foods.
5 Dates to Watch This Earnings Season
It's been awfully quiet on the earnings front in recent weeks, and there's a reason: This is the time of year when accountants are nailing down the financials for the fiscal quarters that ended in September. Later this week, the conference calls will begin trickling in, and then it will be a deluge of quarterly reports until early November.
More Retirement Plans Get a Conscience
Americans may soon get the opportunity to invest more conscientiously in their workplace retirement accounts: A new survey shows that more and more employers are adding socially responsible investment choices to their plans, screening companies based on social and environmental impact.
How to Invest Like J.R. Ewing
It's a tough admission to make, but we're all friends here: Lately, I've taken to watching old DVDs of Dallas. It's become a vice I can't shake. And, much to my surprise, I'm learning a lot about investing from the adventures of the oil-rich Ewing family, especially the sly, conniving older brother, J.R.
Wealthy Shoppers Pay Premiums for Preferred Companies
By now we're all accustomed to hearing about the "two-speed economy," in which the wealthy flourish and the less affluent fall farther and farther behind. The widening gap between rich and poor has not been lost on the stock market: The valuations of luxury goods companies are much higher than those of lower-end firms.
Whole Foods Works to Eradicate Rotten Bananas
The sweet taste and sunny hue of the banana contrast sharply with the high environmental and social costs its cultivation extracts in Latin America: pollution, deforestation, poor working conditions. Whole Foods Market is working to change that, in partnership with a non-profit international school in Costa Rica called EARTH University.
LivingSocial Users Eat Up Whole Foods Deal
If the line at your local Whole Foods Market is a little longer than usual over the next few days, don't blame it on a surge in popularity of soymilk or organic cherries. Instead, you can thank LivingSocial's national deal which offered $20 worth of groceries for just $10.
Starbucks CEO Invites Concerned Citizens to Chat
Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz has grand plans to cut through the partisan noise and remind our country's politicians of their problem-solving duties: On Tuesday, he's hosting a gigantic, public telephone town hall, and asking all "concerned Americans" to join his movement and participate.