James Mammarella

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He's Got Prospects

It might be cool for activist investor Bill Ackman to hand out business cards that simply said: “William Ackman – Activist Investor.” Seems the guy takes his role to heart. One of the very few hedge funders who on occasion at least projects the appearance of humility – in February he famously issued an “I’m sorry” letter to participants in a Target-heavy fund that drastically underperformed – Ac... More

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Walmart Hall of Mirrors?

When something gets as big as Wal-Mart, it would be strange if there were no conflicting interpretations of its actions. I recently I posted my reaction to the “Stimulus Package” that Walmart indicated its hourly employees would be receiving in various forms – bonuses, 401(k) increases, merchandise discounts – to a total of as much as $2 billion. My reaction was positive. The idea didn’t seem enti... More

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Now THAT’s Merchandising!

Dutch general merchandiser HEMA (which stands for Hollandse Eenheidsprijzen Maatschappij Amsterdam – thank you, Wikipedia!) sells a wide range of stuff at cheap prices and sports a perky ambiance.   Goods seem to be in the Wal-Mart/Kmart area of the fashion spectrum, in other words not exactly trend-forward.   But HEMA’s internet marketing – there’s some heat there. This: http://producten.hema.nl/... More

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Wal-Mart Stimulus Package

Sometimes the world seems simple.   Last week, Walmart said it would cut a check for $2 billion payable to its hourly wage employees. How’s that for a stimulus package?   As reported by Andria Cheng at MarketWatch, the Walmart incentive plan will comprise more than $900 million in bonus payments – about double the prior-year amount – plus a bundle of 401(k) benefits and discounts on merchandise.  ... More

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Strange but True

And I thought felt was just boiled, compressed wool.   Turns out there is far more food for thought – and product inspiration – in the “Fashioning Felt” exhibit at the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum on New York’s Museum Mile.   The Cooper-Hewitt, a branch of the Smithsonian, has with this show assembled the works of traditional artisans, mold-breaking artists, architectural types, apparel,... More