In a year unlike any that came before, how does one predict what will happen next?
In 2020, that was the major challenge facing equity research analysts, whose job it is to forecast stock prices and make judgement calls about which companies will succeed or fail. Usually, analysts can rely on past data and analysis to tell them about how a company or sector might perform in the near future. But as the coronavirus pandemic unfolded, it became clear that the answers weren’t going to be found in historic data, according to Juan Luis Perez, group head of group research and analytics at UBS.
Paid Content: From 1823 to the present day, a courageous group of men and women have been chosen to protect and serve the people of Texas. To this day, the Texas Rangers are the oldest statewide law enforcement agency in America.
From 1823 to the present day, a courageous group of men and women have been chosen to protect and serve the people of Texas. To this day, the Texas Rangers are the oldest statewide law enforcement agency in America. Without the Texas Rangers, there would not be a state of Texas as we know today, said Byron Johnson, Director of the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum in Waco, Texas.
In December, transactions at U.S. restaurant chains fell 10% compared with the same time a year ago, according to the NPD Group. The firm tracks transactions at 75 restaurant chains, which make up for more than half of commercial restaurant traffic in the U.S. when combined. Up until December, monthly restaurant transaction declines had been improving consecutively since April. November transactions were down just 8%.
The full-service restaurant segment has been hardest hit by the pandemic. The sector, which includes the likes of Darden Restaurants Olive Garden and The Cheesecake Factory, had a tougher time pivoting to delivery and takeout as indoor dining was banned. Unlike fast-food chains, full-service restaurants aren t known for their convenience, and their food isn t engineered with travel in mind.