Tyson most-admired food firm, survey says
Tyson Foods was named as the world's most admired food production company by Fortune magazine, jumping four spots from its No. 5 ranking last year.
The magazine collaborated with Korn Ferry Hay Group, a global management consulting firm, to survey corporate reputations by asking executives, directors and analysts about companies in their own industries. Respondents were asked about nine criteria, like innovation, financial soundness and social responsibility.
"We're extremely proud of the work we've done, but I can tell you that we're just getting started," said Tom Hayes, president and chief executive officer. He took the helm of the company in November.
-- Emma N. Hurt
LR Port's '16 tonnage second only to 2015's
Barge tonnage through the Little Rock Port in 2016 totaled 685,000 tons, the Little Rock Port Authority reported.
The total was the second-highest tonnage handled across the docks since the port began accepting barges in 1969, the authority said in a news release. The record was set in 2015 when 840,518 tons were handled.
The cargo was loaded or unloaded from 451 barges, the third-highest annual barge count handled by Logistic Services Inc., which has a long-term lease to operate the port terminal and is a professional stevedoring company specializing in the handling of bulk, steel and general cargoes.
The port handled 36 barges in January across the port's two docks totaling slightly more than 54,000 tons.
"Due to scheduling, we expect February activity to slow slightly," said Bryan Day, the authority's executive director. "However, we are confident that river tonnage will increase in 2017."
The Port of Little Rock features a 2,640-acre industrial park, two terminals, its own switching railroad and a slackwater harbor on the 448-mile McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System, which runs from the Mississippi River to 15 miles east of Tulsa.
-- Noel Oman
Arkansas Index dips 2.37; six stocks rise
The Arkansas Index, a price-weighted index that tracks the largest public companies based in the state, fell 2.37 to 360.45 Thursday.
Only six stocks in the index advanced.
Dillard's Inc. shares fell 4 percent in heavy volume.
Murphy USA fell 1.3 percent.
USA Truck shares rose 4.3 percent on almost three times its average volume.
Total volume for the index was 20.8 million shares.
The index was developed by Bloomberg News and the Democrat-Gazette with a base value of 100 as of Dec. 30, 1997.
Business on 02/17/2017