NWA Business News

[Mith242]

I thought maybe we should have a topic dedicated to general business news. We do have one for Wal-mart, which I can understand. It is the company for the area. But we also have some other big businesses in the area that doesn't get mentioned very often. For that matter posting some news about Wal-mart might be suitable here as well. Posting in any topic with Wal-mart in the title tends to get people's attention outside the NWA forum and it ends up turning into a topic with people bashing the company.

[Mith242]

Now for some actual news. Arvest is still growing and is within striking distance of replacing Regions as the biggest bank in Arkansas. Regions market share continues to decline while Arvest keeps growing. Not too bad for a bank that I don't even know existing when I first moved to NWA. Rogers Bancshares is tenth in the state and the only other strictly local bank I saw on the top ten list. Although I can't say I'm too familiar with it. I'm also curious to see how Arvest will continue to do with so many new banks opening up in the area. Although I guess there's plenty of room for Arvest to grow in other parts of the state as well. I don't think Arvest is very established at all in the east or southern parts of the state.

[mcheiss]

I'm going to put this in the coffeehouse subforum, since it doesn't pertain to actual development.

[mzweig]

Now for some actually news. Arvest is still growing and is within striking distance of replacing Regions as the biggest bank in Arkansas. Regions market share continues to decline while Arvest keeps growing. Not too bad for a bank that I don't even know existing when I first moved to NWA. Rogers Bancshares is tenth in the state and the only other strictly local bank I saw on the top ten list. Although I can't say I'm too familiar with it. I'm also curious to see how Arvest will continue to do with so many new banks opening up in the area. Although I guess there's plenty of room for Arvest to grow in other parts of the state as well. I don't think Arvest is very established at all in the east or southern parts of the state.

I am a new customer of Signature Bank. They were very aggressive in seeking my business and I really like the fact that the president, Gary Head, actually answers phone calls and emails, and does so promptly! I have never been a fan of big banks where I am just a number.

[Aporkalypse]

Now for some actually news. Arvest is still growing and is within striking distance of replacing Regions as the biggest bank in Arkansas. Regions market share continues to decline while Arvest keeps growing. Not too bad for a bank that I don't even know existing when I first moved to NWA. Rogers Bancshares is tenth in the state and the only other strictly local bank I saw on the top ten list. Although I can't say I'm too familiar with it. I'm also curious to see how Arvest will continue to do with so many new banks opening up in the area. Although I guess there's plenty of room for Arvest to grow in other parts of the state as well. I don't think Arvest is very established at all in the east or southern parts of the state.

[Mith242]

Here's an interesting article about Wal-mart moving into China. Although it does mention a little about it's move into some of the other countries as well. One thing I found interesting is it's current buyout of Trust-Mart in China. The article states that Trust-mart is the place for the low prices. It almost makes it sound like to me that in China Wal-mart is actually more like our Target.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15364026/site/newsweek/

[masons_dad1]

Here's an interesting article about Wal-mart moving into China. Although it does mention a little about it's move into some of the other countries as well. One thing I found interesting is it's current buyout of Trust-Mart in China. The article states that Trust-mart is the place for the low prices. It almost makes it sound like to me that in China Wal-mart is actually more like our Target.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15364026/site/newsweek/

[Mith242]

"Low Prices" makes me think about Wal-Mart and not Target. I didn't see anything in that article that made me think about Target at all. It's not like a really big deal because China, even after the buyout, won't amount to much for Wal-Mart. They're expecting $2 billion in revenue from what would be the largest consumer market in the world? Why bother with China at all?

[RAK]

On the banking topic, I would like having an account at Signature, if only they were more nationwide. I really need one with my traveling, which is why I am at one of the big ones (two actually, since I still prefer another that does not have a branch less than an hour from here, darn it)

[masons_dad1]

I said that because it stated Trust-mart was the place to to find the low prices not Wal-mart. I got the impression over there that Wal-mart is a little more like Target. As far as not being worth it I certainly think it is. Wal-mart has just scratched the surface of China. Sure it's 'only' $2 Bil now but if they are able to have the success and saturation they have in the US it will be huge. The US popluation is around 300 Mil now and China is over 1 Bil.

[mzweig]

On the banking topic, I would like having an account at Signature, if only they were more nationwide. I really need one with my traveling, which is why I am at one of the big ones (two actually, since I still prefer another that does not have a branch less than an hour from here, darn it)

[Aporkalypse]

I didn't know where else to put it but I thought it was of some interest. Albritton Communications, the parent company for Little Rock ABC affiliate KATV (which is also the parent for ARSN), is purchasing KFSM. Nothing's been released yet about this and you have to wonder if the two will share resources but KATV is probably the best-run station in the state with far and away the best sports dept (it was the station where the late Paul Eells ran the show and expected future voice of the Hogs Scott Inman is an anchor).

[Mith242]

I didn't know where else to put it but I thought it was of some interest. Albritton Communications, the parent company for Little Rock ABC affiliate KATV (which is also the parent for ARSN), is purchasing KFSM. Nothing's been released yet about this and you have to wonder if the two will share resources but KATV is probably the best-run station in the state with far and away the best sports dept (it was the station where the late Paul Eells ran the show and expected future voice of the Hogs Scott Inman is an anchor).