Walmart business hours settings
gentle on the senses
Walmart is bringing back its popular back-to-school sensory time.
All Walmart stores in the U.S. and Puerto Rico are now taking steps to create a low-stimulation environment from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. daily. The policy began Friday with “no scheduled end date,” the company said.
To make its stores more comfortable for shoppers with sensory disabilities, Walmart dims the lights, turns off the radio and replaces the TV wall with still images.
The company says feedback on these changes last summer was “overwhelmingly positive.”
“We look at what these changes mean for customers and employees through in-person conversations, emails, listening sessions, social media, and personal experiences in our stores,” Walmart executives said in a company blog post. “We’re here,” he said in a company blog post.
Many venues have sensory-friendly accommodations, such as movie theaters, museums, and even Disney resorts. Chuck E. Cheese restaurants have something called Sensory Sundays.
In Europe, supermarket chains such as Aldi and Tesco have already introduced sensory-friendly opening hours.
— Serena McKay
Tyson announces
4th quarter results
When Tyson Foods Co. releases fourth-quarter results on Monday, analysts expect the company’s sales and profits to decline.
News releases and supplemental materials will be available prior to market opening.
The Springdale-based meat processor closed three plants in the quarter, including one in North Little Rock. Tyson said the closure was a cost-cutting measure.
Zacks analysts said Tyson’s pork and beef division’s “underperformance” this year is likely to continue. They attribute the decline in sales volumes in both sectors to lower domestic demand and weaker export markets.
Analysts expect Tyson to report earnings of 29 cents per share.
Company executives will host a conference call and webcast starting at 8 a.m. Monday to discuss the company’s results for the quarter. Participants can request to join the Tyson Foods call by dialing (844) 890-1795.
A link to the webcast will be posted on Tyson’s investor relations website at http//ir.tyson.com.
Tyson shares closed Friday at $46.94, up 54 cents, or 1.16%, on the New York Stock Exchange. The company’s stock has closed between $44.94 and $68.76 over the past year.
— Serena McKay
state index ends
831.60, up 3.75
The Arkansas Index, a price-weighted index that tracks the largest publicly traded companies based in the state, closed Friday at 831.60, up 3.75 points, or 0.45% from its previous close.
The index was created by Bloomberg News and the Democrat Gazette with a base value of 100 on December 30, 1997.