New apparel brands
arriving at Walmart
Walmart Inc. is offering four new clothing brands in efforts to improve its private-label fashion offerings and compete with retailers like Amazon.com and Target Corp. for apparel sales.
The Bentonville retailer said the new lines will be available in Walmart stores and on Walmart.com beginning Thursday with items priced between $5 to $30. Walmart said the new private-label brands were designed to "elevate" the company's apparel category.
Time and Tru will cater to women, while Terra & Sky was created specifically for plus-size women. Wonder Nation is a children's brand. The company also has limited its George brand -- which had featured men's and women's clothing -- to men's apparel in the U.S.
Walmart also is improving clothing departments, adding new signs and photographs. Some stores will be remodeled to feature open floor plans and upgraded fitting rooms.
Amazon and Target have also invested in private-label apparel brands.
-- Robbie Neiswanger
Broadway bridge's
builder recognized
The project to replace the Broadway bridge over the Arkansas River connecting downtown Little Rock and North Little Rock has been named one of the best construction projects of 2017 by the Associated General Contractors of America.
The project received a Merit Award, or second place, in the Highway and Transportation category Tuesday at the organization's 99th annual convention in New Orleans.
A total of 23 Construction Risk Partners Build America Award winners and 13 Merit Award winners were announced. The $1.6 billion Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta was named best construction project of 2017.
The $98.4 million contract to replace the Broadway bridge gave Massman Construction Co. of Kansas City 180 days to close the bridge to traffic, dismantle the old bridge and open the new one to traffic. It took Massman 152 days.
-- Noel Oman
State index finishes
at 415.31, off 0.49
The Arkansas Index, a price-weighted index that tracks the largest public companies based in the state, dropped 0.49 to 415.31 Tuesday.
"Comments from the new Federal Reserve chief in testimony before the U.S. Congress pushed stock market averages down by more than 1 percent on Tuesday as interest rates rose as traders accept a greater tightening of U.S. monetary policy," said Chris Harkins, managing director with Raymond James & Associates in Little Rock.
Total volume for the index was 30 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 02/28/2018