11-15-2013
http://247wallst.com/special-report/2013/11/15/ten-companies-paying-americans-the-least/
Ten Companies Paying Americans the Least
By Michael B. Sauter, Thomas C. Frohlich and Alexander E.M. Hess
1. Walmart
> U.S. workforce: 1.4 million
> CEO compensation: $20.7 million
> Revenue: $469 billion
> Net income: $17.0 billion
> No. of U.S. stores: 4,759
Hourly wages for sales associates are less than $9.00
Walmart recently announced it would launch Black Friday sales at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day.
Critics of Walmart see this as adding insult to injury — forcing retail workers who already earn low wages to cut holidays short.
2. McDonald’s
> U.S. workforce: 739,055
> CEO compensation: $13.8 million
> Revenue: $27.6 billion
> Net income: $5.5 billion
> No. of U.S. stores: 14,157
Between 2008 and 2012, sales and profit margins at McDonald’s have increased.
Despite the company’s growth, employees are still hurting.
McDonald’s encourages employees to enroll in food stamps and welfare programs.
3. Target
> U.S. workforce: 361,000
> CEO compensation: $20.6 million
> Revenue: $73.3 billion
> Net income: $3.0 billion
> No. of U.S. stores: 1,778
In response to Target opening on Thursday, in advance of Black Friday, Target workers drafted a petition last year to “save Thanksgiving.”
More than 300,000 people signed the petition.
4. Kroger
> U.S. workforce: 343,000
> CEO compensation: $11.1 million
> Revenue: $96.8 billion
> Net income: $1.5 billion
> No. of U.S. stores: 2,418
5. Yum! Brands
> U.S. workforce: 694,712 (est.)
> CEO compensation: $14.2 million
> Revenue: $13.6 billion
> Net income: $1.6 billion
> No. of U.S. stores: 18,069
Brands has continued to expand, opening more than five new restaurants a day outside the United States in 2012.
However many American workers have expressed frustration that the company’s success has not led to an increase in their pay.
This summer, fast-food workers at Yum! Brands and other fast-food chains staged protests across the country, demanding higher wages.
6. Sears Holdings
> U.S. workforce: 246,000
> CEO compensation: $1.3 million (Louis D’Ambrosio, former CEO)
> Revenue: $39.9 billion
> Net income: -$930 million
> No. of U.S. stores: 2,073
Hourly wages were less than $8.00. However, Sears Holdings may not have the necessary ability to increase its employees’ pay.
Sales have slipped in the past few years, plunging from $47.8 billion in fiscal 2008 to less than $40 billion in the most recent year.
The company has also failed to post an operating profit in either of the past two full fiscal years.
7. Darden Restaurants
> U.S. workforce: 203,389 (est.)
> CEO compensation: $6.4 million
> Revenue: $8.6 billion
> Net income: $412 million
> No. of U.S. stores: 2,105
The parent company of chains such as Olive Garden and Red Lobster, rose from just $7.2 billion in 2009 to $8.6 billion in fiscal 2013.
Instead of raising wages, the company’s funds have been used effectively “to fund growth concepts and enhance total shareholder returns.
Yet the results have not been enough for investors, some of whom have pushed for the company to split and continue to cut costs faster.
8. Macy’s
> U.S. workforce: 175,700
> CEO compensation: $13.8 million
> Revenue: $27.7 billion
> Net income: $1.3 billion
> No. of U.S. stores: 844
9. TJX Companies
> U.S. workforce: 138,211 (est.)
> CEO compensation: $21.8 million
> Revenue: $25.9 billion
> Net income: $1.9 billion
> No. of U.S. stores: 2,355
The TJX Companies Inc. operates Marshalls, TJ Maxx and HomeGoods in the United States.
They buy unsold inventory from manufacturers and other retailers and resell it at a discount.
TJX’s sales have grown in the past four consecutive fiscal years as the retailer also boosted its operating profit margin.
Despite the company’s success, sales associates at its stores earn less than $8 an hour.
10. Starbucks
> U.S. workforce: 120,000
> CEO compensation: $28.9 million
> Revenue: $13.3 billion
> Net income: $1.4 billion
> No. of U.S. stores: 5,415/7,049/13,493
In an interview with CNBC in March, Schultz cautiously supported a minimum wage hike.
Baristas at Starbucks are paid an average of less than $9 an hour. Schultz has downplayed the relevance of these figures.
The CEO has become a billionaire by turning Starbucks from a small coffee retailer into one of the world’s most famous brands.
Schultz is often viewed as a progressive executive, due to his support of gay marriage and his request that customers not bring guns into Starbucks locations.
==============================================================================
11-19-2013
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/walmarts-employee-food-drive-reveals-120012647.html
Wal-Mart's Employee Food Drive Reveals What's Wrong With America
By Henry Blodget
Yesterday, it was revealed that employees at a Cleveland Wal-Mart are holding a holiday food drive for other Wal-Mart employees.
This situation says everything about what's wrong with the U.S. economy right now.
Wal-Mart is one of the richest companies in the world.
Wal-Mart has a market value of $260 billion and made $17 billion in profit last year.
But Wal-Mart does not pay its employees enough to buy food for the holidays.
America's corporations and investors have never had it better. The stock market is setting new highs, and corporate profits and profit margins are higher than they have ever been. Average Americans, meanwhile, have rarely had it worse. Wages as a percent of the economy are at an all-time low, and fewer people are working as a percent of the population than at any time in the past 30 years.
In a healthy economy at healthy companies, customers should get good products and prices, shareholders should get a good return, and employees should earn a good living.
But, right now in America, customers are getting good products and prices, shareholders are getting absolutely fantastic returns, and employees are getting screwed.
Corporate profit margins are at an all-time high. Companies are making more per dollar of sales than they ever have before. (And some people are still saying that companies are suffering from "too much regulation" and "too many taxes."
In short, our current "profit maximization" philosophy is creating a country of a few million overlords and 300+ million serfs.
That's not what has made America a great country. It's also not what most people think America is supposed to be about.
http://www.businessinsider.com/wealth-and-income-inequality-in-america-2013-4
AMERICA TODAY: 3 Million Overlords And 300 Million Serfs
One of the most disturbing trends in this country is the rise of extreme wealth and income inequality.
America is rapidly becoming a country of a few million overlords and three hundred million serfs.
The best way to fix inequality is not to tax most of the overlords' money and give it to the serfs. That just inflames "class warfare" and gets people yelling about "socialism."
The best way to fix inequality is to persuade the overlords that it is in their best interests to share more of their wealth by paying their employees more for their hard work.
http://247wallst.com/special-report/2013/11/15/ten-companies-paying-americans-the-least/
Ten Companies Paying Americans the Least
By Michael B. Sauter, Thomas C. Frohlich and Alexander E.M. Hess
1. Walmart
> U.S. workforce: 1.4 million
> CEO compensation: $20.7 million
> Revenue: $469 billion
> Net income: $17.0 billion
> No. of U.S. stores: 4,759
Hourly wages for sales associates are less than $9.00
Walmart recently announced it would launch Black Friday sales at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day.
Critics of Walmart see this as adding insult to injury — forcing retail workers who already earn low wages to cut holidays short.
2. McDonald’s
> U.S. workforce: 739,055
> CEO compensation: $13.8 million
> Revenue: $27.6 billion
> Net income: $5.5 billion
> No. of U.S. stores: 14,157
Between 2008 and 2012, sales and profit margins at McDonald’s have increased.
Despite the company’s growth, employees are still hurting.
McDonald’s encourages employees to enroll in food stamps and welfare programs.
3. Target
> U.S. workforce: 361,000
> CEO compensation: $20.6 million
> Revenue: $73.3 billion
> Net income: $3.0 billion
> No. of U.S. stores: 1,778
In response to Target opening on Thursday, in advance of Black Friday, Target workers drafted a petition last year to “save Thanksgiving.”
More than 300,000 people signed the petition.
4. Kroger
> U.S. workforce: 343,000
> CEO compensation: $11.1 million
> Revenue: $96.8 billion
> Net income: $1.5 billion
> No. of U.S. stores: 2,418
5. Yum! Brands
> U.S. workforce: 694,712 (est.)
> CEO compensation: $14.2 million
> Revenue: $13.6 billion
> Net income: $1.6 billion
> No. of U.S. stores: 18,069
Brands has continued to expand, opening more than five new restaurants a day outside the United States in 2012.
However many American workers have expressed frustration that the company’s success has not led to an increase in their pay.
This summer, fast-food workers at Yum! Brands and other fast-food chains staged protests across the country, demanding higher wages.
6. Sears Holdings
> U.S. workforce: 246,000
> CEO compensation: $1.3 million (Louis D’Ambrosio, former CEO)
> Revenue: $39.9 billion
> Net income: -$930 million
> No. of U.S. stores: 2,073
Hourly wages were less than $8.00. However, Sears Holdings may not have the necessary ability to increase its employees’ pay.
Sales have slipped in the past few years, plunging from $47.8 billion in fiscal 2008 to less than $40 billion in the most recent year.
The company has also failed to post an operating profit in either of the past two full fiscal years.
7. Darden Restaurants
> U.S. workforce: 203,389 (est.)
> CEO compensation: $6.4 million
> Revenue: $8.6 billion
> Net income: $412 million
> No. of U.S. stores: 2,105
The parent company of chains such as Olive Garden and Red Lobster, rose from just $7.2 billion in 2009 to $8.6 billion in fiscal 2013.
Instead of raising wages, the company’s funds have been used effectively “to fund growth concepts and enhance total shareholder returns.
Yet the results have not been enough for investors, some of whom have pushed for the company to split and continue to cut costs faster.
8. Macy’s
> U.S. workforce: 175,700
> CEO compensation: $13.8 million
> Revenue: $27.7 billion
> Net income: $1.3 billion
> No. of U.S. stores: 844
9. TJX Companies
> U.S. workforce: 138,211 (est.)
> CEO compensation: $21.8 million
> Revenue: $25.9 billion
> Net income: $1.9 billion
> No. of U.S. stores: 2,355
The TJX Companies Inc. operates Marshalls, TJ Maxx and HomeGoods in the United States.
They buy unsold inventory from manufacturers and other retailers and resell it at a discount.
TJX’s sales have grown in the past four consecutive fiscal years as the retailer also boosted its operating profit margin.
Despite the company’s success, sales associates at its stores earn less than $8 an hour.
10. Starbucks
> U.S. workforce: 120,000
> CEO compensation: $28.9 million
> Revenue: $13.3 billion
> Net income: $1.4 billion
> No. of U.S. stores: 5,415/7,049/13,493
In an interview with CNBC in March, Schultz cautiously supported a minimum wage hike.
Baristas at Starbucks are paid an average of less than $9 an hour. Schultz has downplayed the relevance of these figures.
The CEO has become a billionaire by turning Starbucks from a small coffee retailer into one of the world’s most famous brands.
Schultz is often viewed as a progressive executive, due to his support of gay marriage and his request that customers not bring guns into Starbucks locations.
==============================================================================
11-19-2013
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/walmarts-employee-food-drive-reveals-120012647.html
Wal-Mart's Employee Food Drive Reveals What's Wrong With America
By Henry Blodget
Yesterday, it was revealed that employees at a Cleveland Wal-Mart are holding a holiday food drive for other Wal-Mart employees.
This situation says everything about what's wrong with the U.S. economy right now.
Wal-Mart is one of the richest companies in the world.
Wal-Mart has a market value of $260 billion and made $17 billion in profit last year.
But Wal-Mart does not pay its employees enough to buy food for the holidays.
America's corporations and investors have never had it better. The stock market is setting new highs, and corporate profits and profit margins are higher than they have ever been. Average Americans, meanwhile, have rarely had it worse. Wages as a percent of the economy are at an all-time low, and fewer people are working as a percent of the population than at any time in the past 30 years.
In a healthy economy at healthy companies, customers should get good products and prices, shareholders should get a good return, and employees should earn a good living.
But, right now in America, customers are getting good products and prices, shareholders are getting absolutely fantastic returns, and employees are getting screwed.
Corporate profit margins are at an all-time high. Companies are making more per dollar of sales than they ever have before. (And some people are still saying that companies are suffering from "too much regulation" and "too many taxes."
In short, our current "profit maximization" philosophy is creating a country of a few million overlords and 300+ million serfs.
That's not what has made America a great country. It's also not what most people think America is supposed to be about.
http://www.businessinsider.com/wealth-and-income-inequality-in-america-2013-4
AMERICA TODAY: 3 Million Overlords And 300 Million Serfs
One of the most disturbing trends in this country is the rise of extreme wealth and income inequality.
America is rapidly becoming a country of a few million overlords and three hundred million serfs.
The best way to fix inequality is not to tax most of the overlords' money and give it to the serfs. That just inflames "class warfare" and gets people yelling about "socialism."
The best way to fix inequality is to persuade the overlords that it is in their best interests to share more of their wealth by paying their employees more for their hard work.
Last edited:
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