On Thursday, Shares of Southwest Airlines Co (NYSE:LUV), gained 1.24% to $46.88.
Southwest Airlines, declared several Leadership changes among the Company’s deep bench of top talent. The changes present opportunities for both promotions and new challenges for current Southwest Leaders, as the carrier continues its focus on delivering world-class Reliability and Hospitality.
Craig Drew, formerly Vice President, Flight Operations, has been promoted to a new position as Senior Vice President, Air Operations. This position will consolidate oversight of all the operating teams associated with moving aircraft counting Flight Operations, Cabin Services, the Network Operations Control Center (NOC), and Regulatory Programs & Compliance.
Alan Kasher, formerly Managing Director, Regulatory Programs & Compliance, has been promoted to the Vice President, Flight Operations.
Mike Hafner, formerly Vice President, Cabin Services, will shift his focus and assume a newly created role of Vice President, Customer Services.
Southwest Airlines Co. operates passenger airlines that provide planned air transportation services in the United States and near-international markets. As of December 31, 2014, it operated 665 Boeing 737 aircraft; and had 12 Boeing 717 aircraft.
Shares of Host Hotels and Resorts Inc (NYSE:HST), declined -1.43% to $16.24, during its last trading session.
Host Hotels & Resorts, offered an update on its ongoing, value-enhancing planned transactions and share repurchases.
“We are making solid progress on our planned initiatives to create value, as underscored by our latest asset divestitures, financing activity and aggressive stock repurchases,” said W. Edward Walter, President and Chief Executive Officer. “We are opportunistically taking advantage of value-enhancing opportunities and market conditions, and remain confident in our planned plan and future prospects. Host Hotels is taking the right steps to support continued strong operating performance, drive continued growth and generate superior returns for stockholders.”
On November 12, 2015, the Company sold the 273-room Novotel Queenstown for NZ$91.3 million ($59.7 million), counting the FF&E reserve, ongoing the planned initiative of selling assets in Asia in order to wind down the Company’s business in the region. The Company anticipates proceeds of the sale to be used to repay the property’s existing NZ$30 million mortgage loan and for general corporate purposes, counting funding the stock repurchase program.
Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc. is a publicly owned real estate investment trust (REIT). The firm primarily engages in the ownership and operation of hotel properties. It invests in the real estate markets of United States. It also invests in Canada, Mexico, Chile, the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, and Poland.
Finally, Shares of American Express Company (NYSE:AXP), ended its last trade with 0.83% gain, and closed at $72.75.
As small business owners across the nation gear up for Small Business Saturday, a record number of shoppers are making plans to support their favorite local businesses. According to the fourth-annual Small Business Saturday Consumer Insights Survey, released recently by the National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB) and American Express, supporting local small businesses continues to be a priority for shoppers nationwide.
Small Business Saturday was created by American Express in 2010 as a response to small business owners’ most pressing need: getting more customers. Held on the Saturday following Thanksgiving, Small Business Saturday assists rally communities to support local businesses. As Small Business Saturday enters its sixth year, 55 percent of U.S. consumers report they are aware of the day – the highest figure yet recorded – and even more encouraging, 83 percent say Small Business Saturday inspires them to Shop Small all year long.
“Small Business Saturday is a major part of the holiday shopping tradition, and has become a celebration of the local small business owners that we call friends, neighbors and family,” said Janey Whiteside, Senior Vice President and General Manager of American Express OPEN. “We’re immensely proud to be a founding partner of Small Business Saturday, and it is gratifying to see how it has become the movement that it is recently.”
American Express Company, together with its auxiliaries, provides charge and credit payment card products and travel-related services to consumers and businesses worldwide. The company operates through four segments: U.S. Card Services, International Card Services, Global Commercial Services, and Global Network & Merchant Services.