Hey Snackers,
Russia has targeted civilian areas in Ukraine to demoralize the country’s resistance, after President Putin’s invasion slowed. Russian forces launched rockets into a central square of Ukraine’s second-largest city, killing at least 10 people.
Stocks continued to fall, while gold and bitcoin gained. Oil jumped, too, topping $100/barrel again on concerns of supply cuts from Russia. The US and other world powers will tap into national reserves in a push to ease prices.
Corporate exodus… A growing list of Western companies are responding to the war in Ukraine, from offering gestures of goodwill to cutting business ties with Russia. Yesterday, Visa and MasterCard blocked Russian banks from using their payment systems, to comply with US sanctions that restrict domestic companies from doing biz with certain Russian firms. But not every retaliatory move has been about sanctions:
Corporate resistance can take time to unfold… Corporate boards worldwide are calculating the risk vs. reward of doing biz in or with Russia. While many companies want to pressure Putin to stop the war, ditching operations in a major country isn’t always easy — and could also hurt share prices. That could be partly why some US companies with high exposure in Russia haven’t acted yet. A tragic consequence: some corporate actions are hurting innocent Eastern Europeans now.
Just don’t do it… Retailers like Foot Locker need brands like Nike. But brands don’t always share the love. Foot Locker shares have fallen nearly 30% since last Thursday. That’s when the sneaker retailer said it expected sales to slip this year as top vendor Nike sells fewer shoes in its stores. The sneaker giant says it won’t fully abandon Foot Locker, but will reduce inventory to ensure scarcity and sell more top kicks directly to buyers.
Kicked to the curb… Nike makes twice as much profit selling shoes directly as it does wholesale, so it’s not surprising that it’s focusing less on retailers. By investing in its own stores and apps, Nike has more than doubled its D2C sales since 2011, to 35% last year. At the same time, Nike has been unlacing retailer relationships:
Markdowns scuff brand image… Nike’s D2C push is all about control. If Nike can control its supply, it can control its brand image — and if Nike can elevate its brand image, it can sell shoes for higher prices. But Nike can pitch Jordans as luxury items only if they’re not available in Foot Locker’s clearance bin. As the Swoosh moves up market, it could expand past partnerships with luxe brands like LVMH, whose profits are soaring despite inflation.
Authors of this Snacks own: Bitcoin and shares of Amazon, Microsoft, Google, Disney, Uber and Apple
ID: 2060999