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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Aden Holloway made eight 3-pointers and scored 26 points off the bench, and No. 5 Alabama overwhelmed South Dakota State with 19 made 3-pointers in a 105-82 victory on Sunday. Labaron Philon added 21 points, six assists and two steals for Alabama (11-2), while Mark Sears had 20 points and five assists. Grant Nelson scored 17 points. Oscar Cluff scored 21 points and Isaac Lindsey had 11 for South Dakota State (9-6). South Dakota State: Cluff entered Sunday averaging 16.6 points and 10.8 rebounds, but had failed to hit double digits in either category in either of his last two games before returning to form Sunday with 21 points and 15 rebounds. Alabama: Holloway’s 8-for-19 performance was a welcome sight after making four of his 15 attempts in his previous three games. Holloway, in his first season at Alabama after transferring from Auburn, saw his scoring average dip under 9 points per game before 13 points in the previous game and 26 on Sunday. Sears and Holloway hit 3-pointers less than 30 seconds apart just past the midway point of the first half, completing a 17-0 run and putting Alabama up by 23 points. The Jackrabbits never got the deficit lower than 14 after that. Alabama committed six turnovers, after having committed at least 14 in six of its last seven games. Alabama begins Southeastern Conference play at home against Oklahoma on Saturday; South Dakota State beings Summit League play on Thursday at home against Denver. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball
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ATLANTA (AP) — Jimmy Carter, the peanut farmer who won the presidency in the wake of the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, endured humbling defeat after one tumultuous term and then redefined life after the White House as a global humanitarian, has died. He was 100 years old. The longest-lived American president died on Sunday, more than a year after entering hospice care , at his home in the small town of Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, Rosalynn, who died at 96 in November 2023 , spent most of their lives, The Carter Center said. “Our founder, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, passed away this afternoon in Plains, Georgia,” the center said in posting about his death on the social media platform X. It added in a statement that he died peacefully, surrounded by his family. Businessman, Navy officer, evangelist, politician, negotiator, author, woodworker, citizen of the world — Carter forged a path that still challenges political assumptions and stands out among the 45 men who reached the nation’s highest office. The 39th president leveraged his ambition with a keen intellect, deep religious faith and prodigious work ethic, conducting diplomatic missions into his 80s and building houses for the poor well into his 90s. “My faith demands — this is not optional — my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can, with whatever I have to try to make a difference,” Carter once said. A president from Plains A moderate Democrat, Carter entered the 1976 presidential race as a little-known Georgia governor with a broad smile, outspoken Baptist mores and technocratic plans reflecting his education as an engineer. His no-frills campaign depended on public financing, and his promise not to deceive the American people resonated after Richard Nixon’s disgrace and U.S. defeat in southeast Asia. “If I ever lie to you, if I ever make a misleading statement, don’t vote for me. I would not deserve to be your president,” Carter repeated before narrowly beating Republican incumbent Gerald Ford, who had lost popularity pardoning Nixon. Carter governed amid Cold War pressures, turbulent oil markets and social upheaval over racism, women’s rights and America’s global role. His most acclaimed achievement in office was a Mideast peace deal that he brokered by keeping Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin at the bargaining table for 13 days in 1978. That Camp David experience inspired the post-presidential center where Carter would establish so much of his legacy. Yet Carter’s electoral coalition splintered under double-digit inflation, gasoline lines and the 444-day hostage crisis in Iran. His bleakest hour came when eight Americans died in a failed hostage rescue in April 1980, helping to ensure his landslide defeat to Republican Ronald Reagan. Carter acknowledged in his 2020 “White House Diary” that he could be “micromanaging” and “excessively autocratic,” complicating dealings with Congress and the federal bureaucracy. He also turned a cold shoulder to Washington’s news media and lobbyists, not fully appreciating their influence on his political fortunes. “It didn’t take us long to realize that the underestimation existed, but by that time we were not able to repair the mistake,” Carter told historians in 1982, suggesting that he had “an inherent incompatibility” with Washington insiders. Carter insisted his overall approach was sound and that he achieved his primary objectives — to “protect our nation’s security and interests peacefully” and “enhance human rights here and abroad” — even if he fell spectacularly short of a second term. And then, the world Ignominious defeat, though, allowed for renewal. The Carters founded The Carter Center in 1982 as a first-of-its-kind base of operations, asserting themselves as international peacemakers and champions of democracy, public health and human rights. “I was not interested in just building a museum or storing my White House records and memorabilia,” Carter wrote in a memoir published after his 90th birthday. “I wanted a place where we could work.” That work included easing nuclear tensions in North and South Korea, helping to avert a U.S. invasion of Haiti and negotiating cease-fires in Bosnia and Sudan. By 2022, The Carter Center had declared at least 113 elections in Latin America, Asia and Africa to be free or fraudulent. Recently, the center began monitoring U.S. elections as well. Carter’s stubborn self-assuredness and even self-righteousness proved effective once he was unencumbered by the Washington order, sometimes to the point of frustrating his successors . He went “where others are not treading,” he said, to places like Ethiopia, Liberia and North Korea, where he secured the release of an American who had wandered across the border in 2010. “I can say what I like. I can meet whom I want. I can take on projects that please me and reject the ones that don’t,” Carter said. He announced an arms-reduction-for-aid deal with North Korea without clearing the details with Bill Clinton’s White House. He openly criticized President George W. Bush for the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He also criticized America’s approach to Israel with his 2006 book “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid.” And he repeatedly countered U.S. administrations by insisting North Korea should be included in international affairs, a position that most aligned Carter with Republican President Donald Trump. Among the center’s many public health initiatives, Carter vowed to eradicate the guinea worm parasite during his lifetime, and nearly achieved it: Cases dropped from millions in the 1980s to nearly a handful. With hardhats and hammers, the Carters also built homes with Habitat for Humanity. The Nobel committee’s 2002 Peace Prize cites his “untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.” Carter should have won it alongside Sadat and Begin in 1978, the chairman added. Carter accepted the recognition saying there was more work to be done. “The world is now, in many ways, a more dangerous place,” he said. “The greater ease of travel and communication has not been matched by equal understanding and mutual respect.” ‘An epic American life’ Carter’s globetrotting took him to remote villages where he met little “Jimmy Carters,” so named by admiring parents. But he spent most of his days in the same one-story Plains house — expanded and guarded by Secret Service agents — where they lived before he became governor. He regularly taught Sunday School lessons at Maranatha Baptist Church until his mobility declined and the coronavirus pandemic raged. Those sessions drew visitors from around the world to the small sanctuary where Carter will receive his final send-off after a state funeral at Washington’s National Cathedral. The common assessment that he was a better ex-president than president rankled Carter and his allies. His prolific post-presidency gave him a brand above politics, particularly for Americans too young to witness him in office. But Carter also lived long enough to see biographers and historians reassess his White House years more generously. His record includes the deregulation of key industries, reduction of U.S. dependence on foreign oil, cautious management of the national debt and notable legislation on the environment, education and mental health. He focused on human rights in foreign policy, pressuring dictators to release thousands of political prisoners . He acknowledged America’s historical imperialism, pardoned Vietnam War draft evaders and relinquished control of the Panama Canal. He normalized relations with China. “I am not nominating Jimmy Carter for a place on Mount Rushmore,” Stuart Eizenstat, Carter’s domestic policy director, wrote in a 2018 book. “He was not a great president” but also not the “hapless and weak” caricature voters rejected in 1980, Eizenstat said. Rather, Carter was “good and productive” and “delivered results, many of which were realized only after he left office.” Madeleine Albright, a national security staffer for Carter and Clinton’s secretary of state, wrote in Eizenstat’s forward that Carter was “consequential and successful” and expressed hope that “perceptions will continue to evolve” about his presidency. “Our country was lucky to have him as our leader,” said Albright, who died in 2022. Jonathan Alter, who penned a comprehensive Carter biography published in 2020, said in an interview that Carter should be remembered for “an epic American life” spanning from a humble start in a home with no electricity or indoor plumbing through decades on the world stage across two centuries. “He will likely go down as one of the most misunderstood and underestimated figures in American history,” Alter told The Associated Press. A small-town start James Earl Carter Jr. was born Oct. 1, 1924, in Plains and spent his early years in nearby Archery. His family was a minority in the mostly Black community, decades before the civil rights movement played out at the dawn of Carter’s political career. Carter, who campaigned as a moderate on race relations but governed more progressively, talked often of the influence of his Black caregivers and playmates but also noted his advantages: His land-owning father sat atop Archery’s tenant-farming system and owned a main street grocery. His mother, Lillian , would become a staple of his political campaigns. Seeking to broaden his world beyond Plains and its population of fewer than 1,000 — then and now — Carter won an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating in 1946. That same year he married Rosalynn Smith, another Plains native, a decision he considered more important than any he made as head of state. She shared his desire to see the world, sacrificing college to support his Navy career. Carter climbed in rank to lieutenant, but then his father was diagnosed with cancer, so the submarine officer set aside his ambitions of admiralty and moved the family back to Plains. His decision angered Rosalynn, even as she dived into the peanut business alongside her husband. Carter again failed to talk with his wife before his first run for office — he later called it “inconceivable” not to have consulted her on such major life decisions — but this time, she was on board. “My wife is much more political,” Carter told the AP in 2021. He won a state Senate seat in 1962 but wasn’t long for the General Assembly and its back-slapping, deal-cutting ways. He ran for governor in 1966 — losing to arch-segregationist Lester Maddox — and then immediately focused on the next campaign. Carter had spoken out against church segregation as a Baptist deacon and opposed racist “Dixiecrats” as a state senator. Yet as a local school board leader in the 1950s he had not pushed to end school segregation even after the Supreme Court’s Brown v. Board of Education decision, despite his private support for integration. And in 1970, Carter ran for governor again as the more conservative Democrat against Carl Sanders, a wealthy businessman Carter mocked as “Cufflinks Carl.” Sanders never forgave him for anonymous, race-baiting flyers, which Carter disavowed. Ultimately, Carter won his races by attracting both Black voters and culturally conservative whites. Once in office, he was more direct. “I say to you quite frankly that the time for racial discrimination is over,” he declared in his 1971 inaugural address, setting a new standard for Southern governors that landed him on the cover of Time magazine. ‘Jimmy Who?’ His statehouse initiatives included environmental protection, boosting rural education and overhauling antiquated executive branch structures. He proclaimed Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the slain civil rights leader’s home state. And he decided, as he received presidential candidates in 1972, that they were no more talented than he was. In 1974, he ran Democrats’ national campaign arm. Then he declared his own candidacy for 1976. An Atlanta newspaper responded with the headline: “Jimmy Who?” The Carters and a “Peanut Brigade” of family members and Georgia supporters camped out in Iowa and New Hampshire, establishing both states as presidential proving grounds. His first Senate endorsement: a young first-termer from Delaware named Joe Biden. Yet it was Carter’s ability to navigate America’s complex racial and rural politics that cemented the nomination. He swept the Deep South that November, the last Democrat to do so, as many white Southerners shifted to Republicans in response to civil rights initiatives. A self-declared “born-again Christian,” Carter drew snickers by referring to Scripture in a Playboy magazine interview, saying he “had looked on many women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times.” The remarks gave Ford a new foothold and television comedians pounced — including NBC’s new “Saturday Night Live” show. But voters weary of cynicism in politics found it endearing. Carter chose Minnesota Sen. Walter “Fritz” Mondale as his running mate on a “Grits and Fritz” ticket. In office, he elevated the vice presidency and the first lady’s office. Mondale’s governing partnership was a model for influential successors Al Gore, Dick Cheney and Biden. Rosalynn Carter was one of the most involved presidential spouses in history, welcomed into Cabinet meetings and huddles with lawmakers and top aides. The Carters presided with uncommon informality: He used his nickname “Jimmy” even when taking the oath of office, carried his own luggage and tried to silence the Marine Band’s “Hail to the Chief.” They bought their clothes off the rack. Carter wore a cardigan for a White House address, urging Americans to conserve energy by turning down their thermostats. Amy, the youngest of four children, attended District of Columbia public school. Washington’s social and media elite scorned their style. But the larger concern was that “he hated politics,” according to Eizenstat, leaving him nowhere to turn politically once economic turmoil and foreign policy challenges took their toll. Accomplishments, and ‘malaise’ Carter partially deregulated the airline, railroad and trucking industries and established the departments of Education and Energy, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He designated millions of acres of Alaska as national parks or wildlife refuges. He appointed a then-record number of women and nonwhite people to federal posts. He never had a Supreme Court nomination, but he elevated civil rights attorney Ruth Bader Ginsburg to the nation’s second highest court, positioning her for a promotion in 1993. He appointed Paul Volker, the Federal Reserve chairman whose policies would help the economy boom in the 1980s — after Carter left office. He built on Nixon’s opening with China, and though he tolerated autocrats in Asia, pushed Latin America from dictatorships to democracy. But he couldn’t immediately tame inflation or the related energy crisis. And then came Iran. After he admitted the exiled Shah of Iran to the U.S. for medical treatment, the American Embassy in Tehran was overrun in 1979 by followers of the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Negotiations to free the hostages broke down repeatedly ahead of the failed rescue attempt. The same year, Carter signed SALT II, the new strategic arms treaty with Leonid Brezhnev of the Soviet Union, only to pull it back, impose trade sanctions and order a U.S. boycott of the Moscow Olympics after the Soviets invaded Afghanistan. Hoping to instill optimism, he delivered what the media dubbed his “malaise” speech, although he didn’t use that word. He declared the nation was suffering “a crisis of confidence.” By then, many Americans had lost confidence in the president, not themselves. Carter campaigned sparingly for reelection because of the hostage crisis, instead sending Rosalynn as Sen. Edward M. Kennedy challenged him for the Democratic nomination. Carter famously said he’d “kick his ass,” but was hobbled by Kennedy as Reagan rallied a broad coalition with “make America great again” appeals and asking voters whether they were “better off than you were four years ago.” Reagan further capitalized on Carter’s lecturing tone, eviscerating him in their lone fall debate with the quip: “There you go again.” Carter lost all but six states and Republicans rolled to a new Senate majority. Carter successfully negotiated the hostages’ freedom after the election, but in one final, bitter turn of events, Tehran waited until hours after Carter left office to let them walk free. ‘A wonderful life’ At 56, Carter returned to Georgia with “no idea what I would do with the rest of my life.” Four decades after launching The Carter Center, he still talked of unfinished business. “I thought when we got into politics we would have resolved everything,” Carter told the AP in 2021. “But it’s turned out to be much more long-lasting and insidious than I had thought it was. I think in general, the world itself is much more divided than in previous years.” Still, he affirmed what he said when he underwent treatment for a cancer diagnosis in his 10th decade of life. “I’m perfectly at ease with whatever comes,” he said in 2015 . “I’ve had a wonderful life. I’ve had thousands of friends, I’ve had an exciting, adventurous and gratifying existence.” ___ Former Associated Press journalist Alex Sanz contributed to this report. Bill Barrow, The Associated Press'I'm an ex-Premier League referee - I know our officials don't understand football'Lil Wayne, GloRilla, Camila Cabello to perform at College Football National Championship
Sir Cliff Richard’s recipe for Christmas gravy has been branded “absolutely vile” after he shared it on morning television. The legendary singer, 84, has claimed that his bizarre recipe is probably the “greatest in the world”, but then again should we really trust the man that unleashed Mistletoe and Wine onto the world ... His recipe, which features all four kinds of stock cubes; beef, chicken, lamb and vegetable, as well as teriyaki and soy sauce, has gone viral after being featured on British TV show This Morning. Chopped and fried onions are added while a splash of Worcestershire sauce is then thrown in to add extra flavor, because clearly it would be bland otherwise and not at all an assault on the senses. “I don’t know it’s the best gravy, but it could be the best gravy in the world,” he said on the show. “I’m thinking of trying to get in contact with a company. You know how Paul Newman has his own thing in America? I thought we could have a Cliff Richard gravy and underneath it should say: ‘Probably the greatest gravy in the world.’” British TV chef Tom Brown was left flummoxed by the bizarre recipe, telling The Telegraph: “I am not really sure what the correlation is between teriyaki sauce and gravy. I am not taking any cooking tips off Cliff Richard anytime soon. It sounds absolutely vile. “I think pop stars should stick to singing songs and chefs should stick to cooking and not try and be rock stars.” Viewers on social media were just as baffled, with one tweeting: “This is the worst thing I have ever heard.” While another remarked: “I will most certainly not be attending his Christmas dinner.” Meanwhile, last year on the same show, Sir Cliff Richard sparked fury among viewers after his “fat shaming” remarks. ITV anchor Alison Hammond, 48, called out the Summer Holiday singer, 83, for his blunt comments made about the late king of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley. Sir Cliff was discussing his “one chance” to meet The Wonder Of You hitmaker with Alison and co-host Dermot O’Leary, along with special guest presenter Sarah Ferguson. Sarah asked if Cliff had ever met Elvis, to which he replied: “No I did not. “I had one chance through a journalist when I was promoting Devil Woman in the States,” the singer continued. “He said ‘Oh I know Elvis’ because he knew I was influenced. He said ‘would you want to meet him?’ and I said: ‘Yeah.’ At the end of the interview though I said, ‘Can we put it off?’ because he had put on a load of weight. And I thought if I am going to have a photo with him and it’s going to be hanging on my refrigerator he’s got to look good. So I put it off – and then of course he died.” Alison let out a small giggle and sniped: “You should never have put it off, just because they are a little bit heavier.” Cliff tried to show his regret as he added: “If you’re a fan of anyone’s and you get the chance to meet them, meet them – even if they have put on weight.”TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are determined to not get ahead of themselves. Sunday’s 30-7 rout of the New York Giants started a seven-game, regular season-ending stretch in which the Bucs (5-6) will face six opponents that currently have losing records. The victory coming out of the team’s bye week stopped a four-game skid and moved the three-time defending NFC South champions within one game of first-place Atlanta in the division. The Falcons swept the season series, so the Bucs essentially trail the Falcons by two games with six remaining. They’re in a good position to chase their fifth consecutive playoff berth, but can hardly assume they’ll benefit from having an easy remaining schedule. “We’re hoping it builds confidence. We have belief that we’re still sitting and controlling our own destiny,” quarterback Baker Mayfield said of beating the Giants. “But it’s not just going to happen,” Mayfield added. “So, we have to take it one week at a time. And you find the recipe for success within your work week. ... You try to emulate that week after week and continue to build it.” The Los Angeles Chargers, who entered Monday night’s game against Baltimore at 7-3, are the only opponent remaining on Tampa Bay’s schedule that currently has a winning record. RELATED COVERAGE Rams WR Demarcus Robinson arrested on suspicion of DUI after loss to Eagles Jackson accounts for 3 TDs, John Harbaugh moves to 3-0 vs. brother as Ravens beat Chargers 30-23 Chargers struggle to score after RB J.K. Dobbins hurts his knee in his reunion game with Ravens The Bucs will face division rival Carolina (3-8) twice in the next six weeks. They’ll also host Las Vegas (2-9) and New Orleans (4-7) and play the Chargers and Dallas Cowboys (4-7) on the road. “We can’t get comfortable,” rookie running back Bucky Irving said. “We just got to keep our foot on the gas and keep running.” What’s working The offense continues to put up big numbers, finishing with 450 yards against the Giants. It’s the fifth time Tampa Bay has gained more than 400 yards this season. The Bucs have now scored 30-plus points six times, second in the NFL behind Buffalo’s eight. The AP Top 25 college football poll is back every week throughout the season! Get the poll delivered straight to your inbox with AP Top 25 Poll Alerts. Sign up here . What needs help There wasn’t a lot to fault in the team’s performance against the Giants, although coach Todd Bowles said both the offense and defense could have been done a better job closing out the game late. “For the most part we executed on both sides of the football,” Bowles said. “Still like to have finished the game a little better, but they came back (from the bye week) mentally tougher, and they came ready to play.” Stock up Irving averaged more than 7 yards per carry in rushing for 87 yards on 12 attempts. He also had six receptions for 64 yards, finishing with a season-high 151 yards from scrimmage. Stock down Just when it looked as if the defense was beginning to trend the right way health-wise, the Bucs lost safety Jordan Whitehead (pectoral) and linebacker Joe Tryon-Shoyinka (ankle) to injuries on Sunday. Injuries Bowles said Monday he was still awaiting an update on the severity of Whitehead’s injury. Tryon-Shoyinka has an ankle sprain. LT Tristan Wirfs (knee) sat out against the Giants and his status will be evaluated as the week progresses. Key number 11. With wide receiver Mike Evans back on the field after missing three games with a hamstring injury, Mayfield completed passes to 11 different players, tying a team record. “He obviously changed the game, even when he’s not getting the ball,” Mayfield said. “It’s huge that we have him in.” Next up At Carolina, the second of three consecutive games vs. last-place teams the Bucs will face during their stretch run. They’ll also host the Panthers on Dec. 29. “It’s an NFC South battle, and all of them are going to be hard. None of them are going to be easy,” Bowles said. “I think (coach) Dave (Canales) has done an excellent job taking on that team and it’s taking over his personality right now,” Bowles added. “They’re playing pretty good football. ... It’s going to be a tough battle.” ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Shiseido Company, Limited ( OTCMKTS:SSDOY – Get Free Report ) saw a significant decline in short interest during the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totalling 16,000 shares, a decline of 58.1% from the November 30th total of 38,200 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 414,300 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 0.0 days. Shiseido Trading Up 2.6 % Shares of SSDOY stock opened at $17.95 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $7.17 billion, a PE ratio of 897.50, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.89 and a beta of 0.35. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30, a current ratio of 1.08 and a quick ratio of 0.68. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $19.02 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $23.85. Shiseido has a 1 year low of $16.62 and a 1 year high of $33.88. Shiseido Company Profile ( Get Free Report ) Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Shiseido Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Shiseido and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .Stock market today: Wall Street hits more records following a just-right jobs report
PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Urban Outfitters, Inc. (NASDAQ:URBN), a leading lifestyle products and services company which operates a portfolio of global consumer brands including the Anthropologie, Free People, FP Movement, Urban Outfitters and Nuuly brands, today announced record third quarter net income of $102.9 million and earnings per diluted share of $1.10 for the three months ended October 31, 2024. For the nine months ended October 31, 2024, net income was $282.2 million and earnings per diluted share were $2.99. Total Company net sales for the three months ended October 31, 2024, increased 6.3% to a record $1.36 billion. Total Retail segment net sales increased 3.2%, with comparable Retail segment net sales increasing 1.5%. The increase in Retail segment comparable net sales was driven by low single-digit positive growth in both digital channel sales and retail store sales. Comparable Retail segment net sales increased 5.8% at Anthropologie and 5.3% at Free People and decreased 8.9% at Urban Outfitters. Nuuly segment net sales increased by 48.4% primarily driven by a 51% increase in average active subscribers in the current quarter versus the prior year quarter. Wholesale segment net sales increased 17.4% driven by a 20.3% increase in Free People wholesale sales due to an increase in sales to specialty customers and department stores, partially offset by a decrease in Urban Outfitters wholesale sales. For the nine months ended October 31, 2024, total Company net sales increased 6.7% to a record $3.91 billion. Total Retail segment net sales increased 4.0%, with comparable Retail segment net sales increasing 2.6%. The increase in Retail segment comparable net sales was driven by mid single-digit positive growth in digital channel sales and low single-digit positive growth in retail store sales. Comparable Retail segment net sales increased 9.3% at Free People and 7.5% at Anthropologie and decreased 10.6% at Urban Outfitters. Nuuly segment net sales increased by 53.9% primarily driven by a 50% increase in average active subscribers in the current period versus the prior year period. Wholesale segment net sales increased 12.3% driven by a 15.1% increase in Free People wholesale sales due to an increase in sales to specialty customers and department stores, partially offset by a decrease in Urban Outfitters wholesale sales. "We are pleased to announce record third quarter sales and earnings, both of which exceeded our expectations. These results were driven by outperformance across all three business segments - Retail, Subscription and Wholesale,” said Richard A. Hayne, Chief Executive Officer. "Additionally, we're optimistic about the outlook for Holiday demand and believe total comparable sales could be similar to our third quarter results,” finished Mr. Hayne. Net sales by brand and segment for the three and nine-month periods were as follows: (2) Free People includes the Free People and FP Movement brands. For the three months ended October 31, 2024, the gross profit rate increased by 105 basis points compared to the three months ended October 31, 2023. Gross profit dollars increased 9.4% to $497.3 million from $454.4 million in the three months ended October 31, 2023. The increase in gross profit rate for the three months ended October 31, 2024 was primarily due to higher initial merchandise markups for all segments primarily driven by Company cross-functional initiatives. Additionally, Retail segment merchandise markdowns improved driven by lower merchandise markdowns at Urban Outfitters, which were partially offset by an increase at Free People. For the nine months ended October 31, 2024, the gross profit rate increased by 80 basis points compared to the nine months ended October 31, 2023. Gross profit dollars increased 9.2% to $1.40 billion from $1.28 billion in the nine months ended October 31, 2023. The increase in gross profit rate for the nine months ended October 31, 2024 was primarily due to higher initial merchandise markups for all segments primarily driven by Company cross-functional initiatives. The increase in gross profit dollars for both periods was due to higher net sales and the improved gross profit rate. As of October 31, 2024, total inventory increased by $72.3 million, or 10.0%, compared to total inventory as of October 31, 2023. Total Retail segment inventory increased 8.1% due to a Retail segment comparable inventory increase of 3.7% and planned early receipts of holiday merchandise. Wholesale segment inventory increased by 41.6% due to the timing of receipts and to support increased sales. For the three months ended October 31, 2024, selling, general and administrative expenses increased by $23.2 million, or 6.7%, compared to the three months ended October 31, 2023, and expressed as a percentage of net sales, deleveraged 11 basis points. For the nine months ended October 31, 2024, selling, general and administrative expenses increased by $81.8 million, or 8.4%, compared to the nine months ended October 31, 2023, and expressed as a percentage of net sales, deleveraged 42 basis points. The deleverage in selling, general and administrative expenses as a rate to net sales for both periods was primarily related to increased marketing expenses to support customer growth and increased sales in the Retail and Nuuly segments. The dollar growth in selling, general and administrative expenses for both periods was primarily related to increased marketing expenses to support customer growth and increased sales in the Retail and Nuuly segments, as well as increased store payroll expenses to support the Retail segment stores comparable net sales growth. The Company's effective tax rate for the three months ended October 31, 2024 was 24.2%, compared to 24.3% in the three months ended October 31, 2023. The Company's effective tax rate for the nine months ended October 31, 2024 was 23.6%, compared to 24.5% in the nine months ended October 31, 2023. The decrease in the effective tax rate for the three and nine months ended October 31, 2024 was primarily due to the favorable impact of equity vestings in the current year. Net income for the three months ended October 31, 2024 was a record $102.9 million or $1.10 per diluted share. Net income for the nine months ended October 31, 2024 was $282.2 million or $2.99 per diluted share. On June 4, 2019, the Company's Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of 20 million common shares under a share repurchase program. During the nine months ended October 31, 2024, the Company repurchased and subsequently retired 1.2 million shares for approximately $52 million. As of October 31, 2024, 18.0 million common shares were remaining under the program. During the nine months ended October 31, 2024, the Company opened a total of 36 new retail locations including: 20 Free People stores (including 12 FP Movement stores), 9 Anthropologie stores and 7 Urban Outfitters stores; and closed 11 retail locations including: 5 Urban Outfitters stores, 4 Anthropologie stores and 2 Free People stores. Urban Outfitters, Inc. offers lifestyle-oriented general merchandise and consumer products and services through a portfolio of global consumer brands comprised of 264 Urban Outfitters stores in the United States, Canada and Europe and websites; 242 Anthropologie stores in the United States, Canada and Europe, catalogs and websites; 216 Free People stores (including 50 FP Movement stores) in the United States, Canada and Europe, catalogs and websites, 9 Menus & Venues restaurants, 7 Urban Outfitters franchisee-owned stores and 2 Anthropologie franchisee-owned stores as of October 31, 2024. Free People, FP Movement and Urban Outfitters wholesale sell their products through department and specialty stores worldwide, digital businesses and the Company's Retail segment. Nuuly is a women's apparel subscription rental service which offers a wide selection of rental product from the Company's own brands, third-party brands and one-of-a-kind vintage pieces. A conference call will be held today to discuss third quarter results and will be webcast at 5:15 pm. ET at: https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/9zt6ekqe/. As used in this document, unless otherwise defined, "Anthropologie" refers to the Company's Anthropologie and Terrain brands and "Free People" refers to the Company's Free People and FP Movement brands. This news release is being made pursuant to the "safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Certain matters contained in this release may contain forward-looking statements. When used in this release, the words "project,” "believe,” "plan,” "will,” "anticipate,” "expect” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Any one, or all, of the following factors could cause actual financial results to differ materially from those financial results mentioned in the forward-looking statements: overall economic and market conditions (including current levels of inflation) and worldwide political events and the resultant impact on consumer spending patterns and our pricing power, the difficulty in predicting and responding to shifts in fashion trends, changes in the level of competitive pricing and promotional activity and other industry factors, the effects of the implementation of the United Kingdom's withdrawal from membership in the European Union (commonly referred to as "Brexit”), including currency fluctuations, economic conditions and legal or regulatory changes, any effects of war, including geopolitical instability, impacts of the conflict in the Middle East and impacts of the war between Russia and Ukraine and from related sanctions imposed by the United States, European Union, United Kingdom and others, terrorism and civil unrest, natural disasters, severe or unseasonable weather conditions (including as a result of climate change) or public health crises (such as the coronavirus (COVID-19)), labor shortages and increases in labor costs, raw material costs and transportation costs, availability of suitable retail space for expansion, timing of store openings, risks associated with international expansion, seasonal fluctuations in gross sales, response to new concepts, our ability to integrate acquisitions, risks associated with digital sales, our ability to maintain and expand our digital sales channels, any material disruptions or security breaches with respect to our technology systems, the departure of one or more key senior executives, import risks (including any shortage of transportation capacities or delays at ports), changes to U.S. and foreign trade policies (including the enactment of tariffs, border adjustment taxes or increases in duties or quotas), the unexpected closing or disruption of, or any damage to, any of our distribution centers, our ability to protect our intellectual property rights, failure of our manufacturers and third-party vendors to comply with our social compliance program, risks related to environmental, social and governance activities, changes in our effective income tax rate, changes in accounting standards and subjective assumptions, regulatory changes and legal matters and other risks identified in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update forward-looking statements even if experience or future changes make it clear that actual results may differ materially from any projected results expressed or implied therein. (Tables follow)NoneWe have a tendency to exalt ourselves and to dwell on the weaknesses and mistakes of others. I have come to realize that in every person there is something fine and pure and noble, along with a desire for self-fulfillment. Political and religious leaders must attempt to provide a society within which these human attributes can be nurtured and enhanced. — from 1975 book “Why Not the Best?” Our government can express the highest common ideals of human beings — if we demand of government true standards of excellence. At this Bicentennial time of introspection and concern, we must demand such standards. — “Why Not the Best?” I am a Southerner and an American, I am a farmer, an engineer, a father and husband, a Christian, a politician and former governor, a planner, a businessman, a nuclear physicist, a naval officer, a canoeist, and among other things a lover of Bob Dylan’s songs and Dylan Thomas’s poetry. — “Why Not the Best?” Christ said, “I tell you that anyone who looks on a woman with lust has in his heart already committed adultery.” I’ve looked on a lot of women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times. This is something that God recognizes I will do — and I have done it — and God forgives me for it. But that doesn’t mean that I condemn someone who not only looks on a woman with lust but who leaves his wife and shacks up with somebody out of wedlock. — Interview, November 1976 Playboy. This inauguration ceremony marks a new beginning, a new dedication within our Government, and a new spirit among us all. A President may sense and proclaim that new spirit, but only a people can provide it. — Inaugural address, January 1977. It’s clear that the true problems of our nation are much deeper — deeper than gasoline lines or energy shortages, deeper even than inflation and recession. ... All the legislation in the world can’t fix what’s wrong with America. ... It is a crisis of confidence. — So-called “malaise” speech, July 1979. But we know that democracy is always an unfinished creation. Each generation must renew its foundations. Each generation must rediscover the meaning of this hallowed vision in the light of its own modern challenges. For this generation, ours, life is nuclear survival; liberty is human rights; the pursuit of happiness is a planet whose resources are devoted to the physical and spiritual nourishment of its inhabitants. — Farewell Address, January 1981. We appreciate the past. We are grateful for the present and we’re looking forward to the future with great anticipation and commitment. — October 1986, at the dedication of the Carter Presidential Library and Museum. War may sometimes be a necessary evil. But no matter how necessary, it is always an evil, never a good. We will not learn to live together in peace by killing each other’s children. — December 2002, Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech. Fundamentalists have become increasingly influential in both religion and government, and have managed to change the nuances and subtleties of historic debate into black-and-white rigidities and the personal derogation of those who dare to disagree. ... The influence of these various trends poses a threat to many of our nation’s historic customs and moral commitments, both in government and in houses of worship. — From 2005 book “Our Endangered Values.” I think that this breakthrough by Barack Obama has been remarkable. When he made his speech (on race) a few months ago in Philadelphia, I wept. I sat in front of the television and cried, because I saw that as the most enlightening and transforming analysis of racism and a potential end of it that I ever saw in my life. — August 2008, commenting on then-Sen. Barack Obama’s candidacy. I think it’s based on racism. There is an inherent feeling among many in this country that an African-American should not be president. ... No matter who he is or how much we disagree with his policies, the president should be treated with respect. — September 2009, reacting to Rep. Joe Wilson’s shout of “You lie!” during a speech to Congress by President Barack Obama. I’m still determined to outlive the last guinea worm. — 2010, on The Carter Center’s work to eradicate guinea worm disease. You know how much I raised to run against Gerald Ford? Zero. You know how much I raised to run against Ronald Reagan? Zero. You know how much will be raised this year by all presidential, Senate and House campaigns? $6 billion. That’s 6,000 millions. — September 2012, reacting to the 2010 “Citizens United” U.S. Supreme Court decision permitting unlimited third-party political spending. I have become convinced that the most serious and unaddressed worldwide challenge is the deprivation and abuse of women and girls, largely caused by a false interpretation of carefully selected religious texts and a growing tolerance of violence and warfare, unfortunately following the example set during my lifetime by the United States. — From 2014 book “A Call to Action.” I don’t think there’s any doubt now that the NSA or other agencies monitor or record almost every telephone call made in the United States, including cellphones, and I presume email as well. We’ve gone a long way down the road of violating Americans’ basic civil rights, as far as privacy is concerned. — March 2014, commenting on U.S. intelligence monitoring after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks We accept self-congratulations about the wonderful 50th anniversary - which is wonderful - but we feel like Lyndon Johnson did it and we don’t have to do anything anymore. — April 2014, commenting on racial inequality during a celebration of the Civil Rights Act’s 40th anniversary. I had a very challenging question at Emory (University) the other night: “How would you describe the United States of America today in one word?” And I didn’t know what to say for a few moments, but I finally said, “Searching.” I think the country in which we live is still searching for what it ought to be, and what it can be, and I’m not sure we’re making much progress right at this moment. — October 2014 during a celebration of his 90th birthday. The life we have now is the best of all. We have an expanding and harmonious family, a rich life in our church and the Plains community, and a diversity of projects at The Carter Center that is adventurous and exciting. Rosalynn and I have visited more than 145 countries, and both of us are as active as we have ever been. We are blessed with good health and look to the future with eagerness and confidence, but are prepared for inevitable adversity when it comes. — From 2015 book, “A Full Life.”
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By Pepper Intelligence Unit President Museveni is reportedly not happy about how he was cajoled to hand over Kiteezi landfill to a Ghanaian investor without getting all the information he required. He is now mad at local/Ugandan promoters who religiously pushed to have the deal handed over to Dr. Joseph Sian Agyepong’ firm— Jospong Group of Companies from Ghana. Gen.Museveni was convinced that Jospong had the capacity to address the country’s garbage management by converting waste at Kiteezi landfill into fertilizers and other recyclable materials in the aftermath of a tragedy that killed over 30 and displaced a hundreds including destruction of property. A whistleblower has however revealed that the Ghanaian investor and local promoters may have not told the President the ‘whole truth’ about their capacity to handle the project. Reports emerging indicate that Jespong is desperately hunting for an investor to sub-contract with necessary technology and expertise to do the actual job. We are told several firms in the USA and Dubai have been approached by Jespong agents for this purpose. The whistleblower says this is how Jespong has been getting contracts by hoodwinking unsuspecting government officials around Africa to secure contracts when in actual sense is a mere broker. “Jespong lacks the capacity to execute such a project. They are actually brokers. After securing the President’s approval to take over the Kiteezi landfill they are now running around shopping for firms with capacity,” the whistle blower revealed. We are now told a full report has been given to Gen.Museveni and he is not happy with all the local promoters involved. Insiders say that he (Gen.Museveni) felt betrayed because he expected Frank Rusa who has been KCCA’s Ag ED to tell him all the truth about Jespong which was not the case. Rusa applied for KCCA top job and was initially reportedly telling whoever cared to listen how ‘the thing’ –read KCCA top job- was his—no matter what. In a twist of events, we are told when Gen.Museveni got this not so palatable report about Jespong’s shenanigans, he expressed his disappointment in Rusa and those knowledgeable about the KCCA ED recruitment process knew that was the end for Rusa in pursuit of KCAA top job. “The President was not happy. He could not allow Rusa to take the KCCA top job after the messy handling of the Kiteezi landfill takeover deal,” a source revealed. Some other Jespong Ugandan promoters whom the President is also not happy with—and heads may turn soon— include Kampala and Metropolitan Affairs Ministers Minsa Kabanda and Kabuye Kyofatogabye and one Ssebagala. Others include Obed Lutakome who is KCCA’s former land-fill management officer (who ironically should have warned the government before the Kiteezi disaster struck). But together with other two partners, he now owns a firm housed at Fontis Residences Hotel-Nakasero, Kampala which is partnering with Jespong to take over the Kiteezi landfill privately. “Obed Lutakome was formerly land-fill management officer at KCCA. He should have warned the government about the Kiteezi situation but he didn’t! He should be now in court with the Kisaka’s but he is a free man. He is now coming back to privately takeover Kiteezi with Jespong through a private partnership. Who bewitched Uganda for sure?” The whistleblower expressed concern. We are also told that the Deputy Speaker of Parliament who is also among the local promoters of Jespong in Uganda is not happy about these new developments and is reportedly regretting why he allowed connecting Jespong people to President Museveni for a meeting. The name of Hussein Akandwanaho has also featured prominently among the local promoters of Jespong. This publication could not independently verify if this Akandwanaho is by any chance biologically linked to Gen. Salim Saleh Akandwanaho. But available information indicates that Hussein recently swore an affidavit to adopt ‘Akandwanaho’ name. Bismark Nortei Annoo, the honorary consul for the Republic of Ghana in Kampala, Uganda is also among key promoters of Jespong in Kampala. There are reports that Jespong appreciated all those who were involved in securing the Kiteezi Landfill deal in monetary terms but this is a story for another day. The new developments, if confirmed to be true, corroborate Inspector General of Government (IGG)Beti Kamya’s earlier fears and reservations about Jespong’s capacity to execute this project only to be ‘shut up’ by a presidential directive. In a letter dated October 17, 2024, Kamya ordered the suspension of all activities at Kiteezi landfill involving Jospong Group of Companies due to alleged irregularities in the awarding of their contract. “You are therefore directed to halt all transactions with Jospong Group of Companies who have been engaged to manage the Kiteezi landfill until this office completes investigations or issues further orders on the matter,” the letter stated. The IGG’s letter also indicated that an investigation had been launched to probe the alleged irregularities in the procurement process for the Kiteezi management contract, focusing on how it was awarded to Jospong Group of Companies. The letter revealed that Jospong was allegedly handpicked, bypassing standard government procurement procedures as outlined in the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Act. “The investigations will also look into the allegations that other investors had approached the government with interest in investing in the Kiteezi landfill, but these were ignored or frustrated. That Jospong was awarded the tender without going through an open bidding process, which would have allowed other competent entities to express interest in partnering with KCCA,” the letter further stated. The IGG’s letter also highlighted concerns regarding the funding of the project. “Jospong Group of Companies has offered to manage the Kiteezi landfill at no cost to the government. This raises questions since one wonders how the company will recoup returns on their investments,” it read. Other issues to be investigated include the alleged lack of an environmental impact assessment, the absence of a feasibility study for the project, and concerns about whether due diligence was conducted to verify if the company possesses the necessary technology and experience to handle the magnitude of the project. Instead, the local promoters of Jespong rushed to secure a meeting with President Museveni who in turn issued a directive to have the former take over the landfill to the disappointment of the IGG. There have been many scandals and corruption allegations levelled against Jespong.In 2013 an investigation into massive corruption in the Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Development Agency (GYEEDA) led to the cancellation of all contracts under the programme. It also led to reforms which culminated into the passage of the Youth Employment Agency Law. The main companies that were indicted in the GYEEDA scandal were those from the Jospong Group of Companies owned by Dr. Joseph Siaw Agyepong and the AGAMS Group owned by Roland Agambire. The exposé also revealed and catalogued questionable contracts with various metropolitan and municipal assemblies. The report exposed how a waste bin contract awarded on sole sourcing basis to the JOSPONG Group was inflated by at least GHC130 million.Another report revealed how a GHC98 million contract was awarded to 11 companies under the Jospong group to undertake fumigation exercises across the country when Zoomlion Ghana Limited, the parent company of Jospong had already been paid to undertake the same fumigation. In 2013 the World Bank banned Zoomlion Ghana Limited, Jespong’s waste management services firm and its affiliate companies from bidding for the Bank’s contracts because Zoomlion “paid bribes to facilitate contract execution and processing of invoices” in Liberia. Watch this space! editorDow ends at fresh record as oil prices pull back on ceasefire hopes