Delaware court revives Blue Bell Creameries shareholder suit

Delaware's Supreme Court has overturned the dismissal of a shareholder lawsuit against one the country's largest ice cream makers after a 2015 listeria outbreak that killed three people.

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The court ruled Tuesday that a judge erred because the plaintiff had not demanded that the board of Blue Bell Creameries take action itself before the lawsuit was filed. That demand requirement can be waived if a plaintiff raises reasonable doubts about the impartiality of directors because of close ties to management. Former CEO Paul Kruse is a defendant in the suit.

The court also said the lawsuit adequately alleges that the board at Blue Bell failed to implement any system to monitor food safety performance or compliance.

The Brenham, Texas, company suffered significant financial losses due to the outbreak.

GOP Pollster Appears To Blame Hotel’s Broken Elevator On Socialism

A Republican pollster’s bizarre attempt to blame socialism for a broken elevator at a privately-owned five-star hotel in Vienna saw what one person on Twitter joked was him “getting publicly owned.”

Frank Luntz was widely mocked Tuesday following his complaint about the Hotel Imperial, which culminated with his plea: “Please don’t bring European-style socialism to America.”

Luntz may have been attempting sarcasm with the post ― as some tweeters speculated:

But sarcasm often doesn’t translate well on Twitter.

And Luntz, a regular contributor on the widely watched conservative cable network Fox News who last month predicted Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) would win the 2020 Democratic nomination, found himself “ratioed”:

The closely held Dubai-based Al Habtoor Group reportedly bought the hotel, also known as The Imperial, for $78.8 million from U.S.-based Starwood Hotels and Resorts in 2016. Starwood, a subsidiary of Marriott International, continues to operate the business.

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EARNINGS SUMMARY: Details of Barnes & Noble Inc Q4 Earnings Report

Below are the earnings highlights for Barnes & Noble Inc (BKS):

-Earnings: -$18.73 million in Q4 vs. -$21.07 million in the same period last year.
-EPS: -$0.26 in Q4 vs. -$0.29 in the same period last year.
-Analysts projected $0.22 per share
-Revenue: $755.43 million in Q4 vs. $786.08 million in the same period last year.

Harley-Davidson To Launch Smaller Capacity Motorcycles In China

Harley-Davidson, in collaboration with Qianjiang Motorcycle co., plan to launch smaller engine capacity bikes of 338 CC in China by 2020. This is part of the company’s strategic move to expand its bike production to Asian countries.

Harley said Qianjiang is experienced in developing premium small displacement motorcycles, and it has established supply base and proven capabilities in emerging markets.

Matt Levatich, President and Chief Executive Officer, Harley-Davidson said, “Our More Roads plan is all about bringing our brand of freedom to more people, in more places, in more ways.”

“More Roads” plan was announced in July 2018. Harley-Davidson has recorded 27 percent growth in sales in China compared to the previous year.

By 2027, the iconic bike brand expects to achieve 50 percent growth in annual international business. The smaller capacity bikes at lower price than its usual models would offer more acceptability and higher sales in Asian countries.

The new 338 CC model will have the distinctive look of Harley, special sound and feel. The smaller engine will be produced at Qianjiang facility with the quality standards specified by Harley-Davidson.

Mobility scooter SCAM ALERT

It certainly caught silver surfer John Roberts’ eye. But all our warnings about “if something seems to good to be true then it usually is” kicked in and he resisted getting out his bank card.

As an almost, but not quite, scam victim John alerted us about his close shave and to warn others.

A quick trawl of this type of mobility aid online shows the very cheapest is still around £400 and they are usually in the £1,000 – £4,000 bracket. 

A day after John spotted the ad it disappeared.

++ If you’ve been affected by this issue or feel you’ve been a victim of injustice, please contact consumer champion Maisha Frost on [email protected] ++; 

The links were variously to Chicago and Colorado based domains.

When we tried to click on, access was  denied. 

But scams like this always reappear and John keeps being pestered now by emails, he says, urging him to “complete his purchase”.

“It’s so easy to get carried away,” he said. “I hope this experience can help protect others.” 

Trump administration rolls back Obama rule targeting coal-fired power plants, issues less ambitious replacement

Trump administration rolls back Obama rule targeting coal-fired power plants, issues less ambitious replacement.

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A 2% High Yield Default Rate is Projected in 2020

This article was originally published on ETFTrends.com.

According to a new Fitch Ratings report, a 2 percent high yield default rate is projected for 2020 based on a record low 12 percent ‘CCC’ share of issues and only 5 percent of outstanding debt due before 2021. The forecast takes into account continued economic growth, but heightened recession risks. “Fitch expects a 4% […]

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