Latest news with #pricing
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Indiana Farm Bureau picks Akur8 to improve pricing process
Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance has selected Akur8 to improve its property and casualty (P&C) insurance pricing models. The insurer will use Akur8's Core Platform, which leverages proprietary machine-learning (ML) technology to improve pricing processes. The platform offers accelerated model building, transparent GLM (generalized linear model) outputs and data-driven underwriting capabilities for the property and casualty insurance market, claims Akur8. Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance chief actuary and executive director Brian Poole said: 'We are thrilled to work with Akur8 to elevate our pricing process. With rapid model development, state-specific insights and the ability to simulate rate changes at the coverage level, we can quickly pinpoint underperforming segments and assess their financial impact. 'Akur8's transparent, intuitive outputs make it easy to share insights with stakeholders, and their ongoing support has been invaluable. We look forward to working with the Akur8 team.' Established in 1934 by Indiana Farm Bureau, Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance offers auto, life, home and business insurance products. The company is also a specialist in homeowners' insurance and a primary provider of farm insurance within Indiana. Akur8 CEO Samuel Falmagne stated: "We are excited to engage with Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance. Akur8's AI-powered solution will streamline their pricing process, enabling their team to identify opportunities and forecast impacts with precision, while maintaining the exceptional service and support that Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance is known for.' In September last year, Louisiana Workers' Compensation Corporation (LWCC) engaged with Akur8 to enhance its predictive modelling capabilities. Akur8's client base spans 300 customers in more than 40 countries. "Indiana Farm Bureau picks Akur8 to improve pricing process " was originally created and published by Life Insurance International, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Can Philip Morris Rely on Pricing to Drive 2025 EPS Growth?
Philip Morris International PM continues to lean on pricing as a key earnings driver. The company delivered a strong first quarter of 2025, with adjusted earnings per share (EPS) rising 12.7% year over year to $1.69. Pricing contributed 6 percentage points to organic revenue growth of 10.2%, supported by an 8.3% increase in combustible pricing and around 3% in smoke-free products, excluding devices. The company has raised its full-year EPS forecast to $7.36-$7.49. The question is whether pricing alone can sustain that pointed to continued pricing strength in markets like Turkey, Poland and Germany. However, it also noted that gross pricing and negative geographic mix are expected to moderate over the remainder of the year. In the smoke-free category, gross margins expanded 670 basis points to surpass 70%, now standing more than five points above combustibles at the current product and geographic mix. ZYN, a key contributor to smoke-free profit growth, saw shipment volumes rise 63% in the quarter, reinforcing the segment's scale and strategic so, Philip Morris delivered a 180-basis-point gross margin boost from pricing alone, reflecting the effectiveness of its pricing strategy. While pricing gains may be less pronounced in the second half, Philip Morris emphasized continued investments behind its smoke-free growth. With volume and mix improvements already visible in the first quarter, the company appears positioned to support earnings growth through a combination of pricing and product performance. Altria Group MO reported a 10.8% rise in net price realization for combustibles, which supported operating income growth despite steep volume declines. Yet, MO is facing consumer pressure, with many smokers trading down to discount brands, limiting pricing flexibility. In oral nicotine, Altria Group's on! posted 18% shipment growth alongside higher retail prices, but category competition and cost-conscious behavior remain visible Point Brands TPB saw explosive growth in its modern oral segment, with pouch sales increasing nearly tenfold year over year. However, this growth came with mix-driven margin pressure. Turning Point Brands' gross margin declined 220 basis points and it acknowledged the need for further investment to scale brands and improve profitability. With rising freight and tariff costs also in play, Turning Point Brands' pricing power remains limited without additional volume leverage. Shares of Philip Morris have gained 4.9% in the past month compared with the industry's growth of 5.1%. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research From a valuation standpoint, PM trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 23.19X, up from the industry's average of 15.64X. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research The Zacks Consensus Estimate for PM's 2025 earnings implies year-over-year growth of 13.7%, whereas its 2026 earnings estimate indicates a year-over-year uptick of 11.7%. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research PM stock currently holds a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Altria Group, Inc. (MO) : Free Stock Analysis Report Philip Morris International Inc. (PM) : Free Stock Analysis Report Turning Point Brands, Inc. (TPB) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Bloomberg
4 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Inflation Remains the Big Threat to Your Wealth
Despite easing headline numbers, political and economic pressures point to an ongoing battle with pricing. By Save Welcome to the award-winning Money Distilled newsletter. I'm John Stepek. Every week day I look at the biggest stories in markets and economics, and explain what it all means for your money. Tomorrow we get the latest UK data on inflation, then on Thursday we get the next Bank of England decision on interest rates.
The Verge
5 days ago
- Business
- The Verge
Patreon is raising its fees for new creators soon
Patreon has announced an update to its pricing, consolidating its Pro and Premium plans into a single offering starting August 5th. The new plan will take 10 percent of creators' earnings, rather than the current eight percent for Pro and 12 percent for Premium users. That will mean a price increase for many new users, though existing users won't see any increase, nor will anyone who signs up before the change takes effect. And for access to all the features from the old Premium tier, you'll need an add-on that tacks an extra three percent onto the default take. Currently, Patreon's more expensive Premium plan adds access to coaching and support staff, team accounts, and merchandise options. From August all of those features except merch will be rolled into the new standard plan, fixed at 10 percent of creators' earnings on the platform. There'll be an optional add-on for merch, which will add three percent to your overall rate, so in effect there are still two plans available. As before, payment processing, currency conversion, and payout fees will still sit on top of that. Existing Patreon creators on the Pro tier will continue paying eight percent, as will anyone who launches a Pro creator page on or before August 4th. The Pro plan will be upgraded to include all the same features as the new standard plan. Creators currently on the 12 percent Premium rate will actually save money, migrating to an 11 percent rate that includes all their current features. They'll have the option to drop the merch add-on and move to an eight percent rate, matching legacy Pro users. Patreon's last pricing update was to sunset its five percent Lite tier in 2023; the Pro and Premium prices were set back in 2019. Explaining this year's increase, Patreon says in a statement that since 2019 it has 'expanded beyond just payments to include media hosting, community, and discovery,' and that the increased prices are in the name of 'continuing to invest in the platform creators are building their businesses on.' Later this summer Patreon will also update pricing for video, which remains in early access despite launching in 2022. Patreon's video tools launched with 500 free lifetime hours for creators, which was then reduced to 100 hours, but soon eligible creators will instead receive 100 free hours of video per month.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Sedano's Supermarkets to Unify Pricing & Promotions Strategy With RELEX
Largest U.S.-based Hispanic retailer to optimize pricing precision, streamline promotional planning, and improve customer satisfaction ATLANTA, June 16, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sedano's Supermarkets, the largest Hispanic retailer in the U.S., has selected RELEX Solutions, a provider of unified supply chain and retail planning solutions, to unify pricing and promotions across their supermarkets in Florida. RELEX will help Sedano's transition from manual pricing processes to AI-powered analytics, enabling smarter pricing and more targeted promotions tailored to their diverse customer base. Sedano's Supermarkets is headquartered in Miami-Dade County, Florida. With approximately 3,000 associates, Sedano's operates 32 stores across Miami-Dade, Broward, and Orange counties, serving diverse communities with a focus on delivering quality products and exceptional service. The RELEX unified pricing and promotions solution leverages AI-driven analysis of purchasing patterns and market trends to support smarter, demand-aware pricing. By optimizing pricing strategies and promotional campaigns, Sedano's will set competitive prices, forecast promotional impacts, and streamline workflows, ensuring alignment with business goals and maximizing sales and profitability. The system also allows for banner-specific customization to account for regional differences and is managed through intuitive dashboards that deliver real-time insights for fast, informed decision-making. By moving from spreadsheets to a unified planning platform, Sedano's will gain the ability to make faster, data-driven decisions that improve margin performance while staying competitive in price-sensitive categories. The solution will also improve promotional effectiveness through more accurate forecasting of sales and profit lift, and a stronger customer experience. "At Sedano's, we are committed to delivering value and quality to our customers while staying true to our heritage and community focus," said Javier Herran, Chief Marketing Officer, Sedano's Supermarkets. "RELEX will help us align our pricing and promotions with what our customers truly want, ensuring we remain competitive in a challenging retail environment while honoring our commitment to providing authentic products at fair prices." "We are thrilled to welcome Sedano's Supermarkets to the RELEX family," said Frank Lord, Chief Revenue Officer, RELEX Solutions. "The unified pricing and promotions solution will provide Sedano's with the advanced tools needed to optimize their strategies, drive measurable value, and improve customer satisfaction across their operations. We are committed to helping Sedano's sharpen their competitiveness through pragmatic, data-driven retail planning solutions." About RELEX RELEX Solutions delivers a unified platform for retail, manufacturing, and supply chain planning, enabled by proven AI technology. We help retailers, manufacturers, and consumer goods companies optimize demand forecasting, replenishment, merchandising, pricing and promotions, supply chain operations, and production planning across the end-to-end value chain. Companies like ADUSA, AutoZone, Coles, Circle K, Dollar Tree and Family Dollar, M&S Food, PetSmart, Rituals, The Home Depot, and Systemair trust RELEX to increase product availability, boost sales, deliver actionable insights, improve sustainability, and drive profitable growth. Learn more at: View source version on Contacts For more information, please contact: Jolene PeixotoVice President of CommunicationsRELEX Sign in to access your portfolio
