Subject: Friday Morning Briefing
From: Talk Business <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 13 May 2016 11:31:52 +0000
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VALUE OF ARKANSAS HOME SALES SETS NEW RECORD IN THE FIRST QUARTER: The number of homes sold in Arkansas’ four large markets totaled 5,118 in the first quarter of 2016, just below the pre-recession 2007 high when 5,126 homes were sold. However, the value of homes sold set a new first quarter high.

The combined value of homes sold in the first quarter was $866.59 million, up 12.8% compared to the same period in 2015 and up 31.2% compared to the same period in 2014, according to Talk Business & Politics' Arkansas Home Sales Report, which is sponsored by Deltic Timber Corp. The previous high was $809.897 million set in the first quarter of 2007. Unit sales were up 10.33% in the quarter compared to the first quarter of 2015.

Read more analysis per market for Central Arkansas, Northwest Arkansas, Fort Smith and Jonesboro at this link (http://talkbusiness.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=4403c46412536341322b6e88c&id=0898ac6e71&e=b5f4886f5f) .

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DILLARD’S 1Q PROFITS FALL 29% AS SALES FALL FLAT, STOCK HITS 52-WEEK LOW IN THURSDAY’S SESSION: As many traditional retailers struggle with poor sales and changing shopper habits, Dillard’s Inc. on Thursday reported (http://talkbusiness.us2.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=4403c46412536341322b6e88c&id=a1f621ea4f&e=b5f4886f5f) that its first quarter earnings were down 29% from a year ago as sales of furniture and home fixtures, ladies’ accessories and lingerie fell flat. For the 13-week period ended April 30, Dillard’s reported net income of $77.4 million, or $2.17 per share, compared to net income of $109.6 million, or $2.66 per share, from the same period a year ago. Net sales, which includes the operations of the department store chain’s CDI Contractors construction business, fell slightly to $1.5 billion, from $1.57 billion a year earlier.

AT&T INVESTS MORE THAN $500 MILLION IN ARKANSAS NETWORK UPGRADES OVER PAST THREE YEARS: AT&T said Thursday (http://talkbusiness.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=4403c46412536341322b6e88c&id=297d2313d7&e=b5f4886f5f) it has invested more than $550 million in the wireless and telecom giant’s Arkansas wireless and wired networks between 2013 and 2015, including several wireless network upgrades, new cell sites and network capacity, and new wireless high-speed Internet connections.

WALMART TWEAKS ‘SHIPPING PASS’ OFFERING DURING ITS PILOT PHASE, HOPES TO BETTER COMPETE WITH AMAZON: Walmart is going to use its own expansive e-commerce distribution network and employ several regional carriers to help it shave one day from its 3-day home delivery guarantee for Shipping Pass subscribers, while also lowering the annual fee to $49 from $50 previously charged. Most analysts say Walmart’s Shipping Pass is a step toward what Amazon has already mastered in its Prime subscription, which offers 2-day guaranteed delivery as well as access to media, movies, documentaries, television series and other media via streaming devices. Basic Amazon Prime costs $99 or $9.99 per month which is twice the cost of Shipping Pass. Read more here (http://talkbusiness.us2.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=4403c46412536341322b6e88c&id=c737be6756&e=b5f4886f5f) .

SEARCY HOSPITAL JOINS MAYO CLINIC NETWORK: Unity Health, a Searcy-based health system, announced Thursday (May 12) that it is the first medical provider in Arkansas to join the Mayo Clinic Care Network. The arrangement means Unity Health doctors will have access to electronic consulting with physicians with the Mayo Clinic, one of the country’s top-ranked medical providers by U.S. News & World Report. Patient medical information such as MRI scans will be transmitted to those doctors. Unity Health also will have access to the AskMayoExpert database with information on disease management and care guidelines. How else will the affiliation work? Read more here (http://talkbusiness.us2.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=4403c46412536341322b6e88c&id=0c68380eb0&e=b5f4886f5f) .

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OBAMACARE RULING’S STAY LEAVES IMPACT UNCLEAR: A ruling Thursday by a federal district judge invalidating funding for part of the Affordable Care Act won’t affect Arkansas’ health insurance markets yet because the judge stayed her own decision until it is reviewed by a higher court. At issue is District Judge Rosemary Collyer’s decision in U.S. House of Representatives v. Burwell regarding the ACA’s Section 1402. That section of Obamacare requires insurers offering health plans on insurance exchanges to reduce costs for those earning up to 250% of the federal poverty level, with the cost-sharing reduction then reimbursed by the government.

Collyer ruled that while the ACA authorized Section 1402, it never appropriated the money. Thus the billions of dollars already paid through that part of the act have been paid in violation of the Constitution. She enjoined any further reimbursements from taking place but then stayed her own decision pending appeals. Read more here (http://talkbusiness.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=4403c46412536341322b6e88c&id=7f305897c4&e=b5f4886f5f) .

NOTES FROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL: SECOND ELDRIDGE AD TYING TRUMP AND BOOZMAN LEADS TO FUNDRAISING CALLS - Conner Eldridge unveils another online ad against Sen. John Boozman; Senator Tom Cotton gets a national look at a possible 2020 Presidential run, while also pairing up with Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren on an effort; and Gov. Asa Hutchinson scores well in popularity, especially compared to his other state counterparts. Read the latest political notes at this link (http://talkbusiness.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=4403c46412536341322b6e88c&id=1d873c3357&e=b5f4886f5f) .

AEDC VISITS PARAGOULD, DIRECTOR PRAISES AREA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TEAMS: Arkansas Economic Development Commission Executive Director Mike Preston said Thursday (May 12) that the growth in Northeast Arkansas has been keyed by the work in both Jonesboro and Paragould. Preston, along with members of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, were at the Paragould Community Center Thursday for their monthly meeting. Read more about the meeting at this link (http://talkbusiness.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=4403c46412536341322b6e88c&id=ae7403abeb&e=b5f4886f5f) .

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OBAMA ADMINISTRATION RELEASES FIRST-EVER RULES TO CUT METHANE EMISSIONS IN OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY: The Obama administration on Thursday proposed the first-ever regulations to address methane emissions from both new and existing sources in the oil and gas sector as a further step in the president’s mission to take action on climate change and protect public health. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is finalizing a set of standards that will reduce methane, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and toxic air emissions in the oil and natural gas industry.

Thursday’s actions are part of President Obama’s Climate Action Plan to reduce methane emissions, and keeps his administration on track to achieve its goal of cutting methane emissions from the oil and gas sector by 40% to 45% from 2012 levels by 2025. Methane, the key constituent of natural gas, is a greenhouse gas (GHG) with a global warming potential more than 25 times greater than that of carbon dioxide, the EPA said. To learn more about the new rules, including EPA fact sheets, click here (http://talkbusiness.us2.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=4403c46412536341322b6e88c&id=074e7ecb47&e=b5f4886f5f) .

EIA PROJECTS 48% INCREASE IN GLOBAL ENERGY USE BY 2040: The U.S. Energy Information Administration's recently released International Energy Outlook 2016 (http://talkbusiness.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=4403c46412536341322b6e88c&id=2739ccf9ff&e=b5f4886f5f) projects that world energy consumption will grow by 48% between 2012 and 2040.

Most of this growth will come from countries that are not in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), including countries where demand is driven by strong economic growth, particularly in Asia. Non-OECD Asia, including China and India, accounts for more than half of the world's total increase in energy consumption over the projection period. Concerns about energy security, effects of fossil fuel emissions on the environment, and sustained, long-term high world oil prices support expanded use of non-fossil renewable energy sources and nuclear power.

Renewables and nuclear power are the world's fastest-growing energy sources over the projection period. Renewable energy is expected to increase by an average 2.6% per year through 2040; nuclear power is expected to increase by 2.3% per year.

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"Our disappointing sales pressured our gross margin and net income performance, although inventory was relatively flat at quarter end." - Dillard’s CEO William Dillard.

"In order for Arkansas to continue to thrive and serve its residents, it’s imperative we have companies that invest through thoughtful innovation. AT&T is making ongoing investments in its fast, reliable network. With this, our residents and businesses have the tools to compete and grow." - Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson.

"Walmart’s initiatives are merely watered down copies of exactly how Amazon is winning the retail battle. To say it another way, Walmart is trying to compete with Amazon by simply copying some version of what it already does." - Seeking Alpha contributor Josh Arnold, who also works as a senior analyst at Capital One.

"Telemedicine is something that is, I think, here to stay and really potentially a tremendously helpful technology." - Dr. Ryan Uitti, M.D., professor of neurology at Mayo Clinic and medical director for the Southeast Region of the Mayo Clinic Care Network.
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