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Finding the best Airbnb locations for investing is essential to succeeding as a real estate investor. If you understand the fundamentals, such as local regulations, neighborhood analysis, and income estimates…

Content that Creates Great Customers

Content That Brings High-Quality Customers Who is the bringer of high-quality customers? It might be a talented, spirited content stategist who just doesn’t seem to understand limits. But we know it’s really you, the business owner. You enable and launch the marketing project, grow it and nurture it to succeed. I’m here to help you…

Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) has contributed an additional $400,000 to the American Red Cross to aid its large-scale relief efforts following Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton. This donation brings the company’s total disaster recovery support to $775,000 in 2024. In addition, Norfolk Southern’s Employee Disaster Relief Program is offering grants to employees affected by Hurricane Milton and Hurricane Helene to cover disaster-related expenses and losses.

“As we stand alongside our communities during this challenging time, we’re not just offering financial support—we’re providing hope and helping rebuild what’s been lost,” said Norfolk Southern Director NS Foundation and Community Impact Kristin Wong. “This donation reinforces our commitment to being a trusted partner in recovery, not only for those communities impacted by the storms but also for our own team members who have been affected. Together, we’re making sure they have the resources needed for both immediate relief and long-term recovery.”

Norfolk Southern has supported the Red Cross for nearly 20 years and is a Disaster Responder partner. The company contributes $250,000 annually through the Red Cross’s Annual Disaster Giving Program (ADGP). This new donation also builds upon last week’s $100,000 for Hurricane Helene relief and previous support for Hurricane Debby.

Additionally, the company is encouraging employees to donate, with a two-to-one match, and will continue hosting blood drives throughout the year to support the Red Cross’s overall mission.

 

CoreLogic^®, a leading global property information, analytics and data-enabled solutions provider, announced initial residential and commercial storm surge and wind loss estimates for Hurricane Helene. According to this initial data analysis, wind and storm surge losses for insured residential and commercial properties in Florida and Georgia are expected to be between $3 and $5 billion. Updated damage estimates that will also include inland flood loss will be announced early next week after the storm has subsided.

“Hurricane Helene made landfall near Perry, Florida, an area that has less robust home construction standards than south Florida, which is accustomed to large landfalling hurricanes every couple of years,” said Tom Larsen, associate vice president of hazard and risk management at CoreLogic. “We expect a great deal of atypical damages in Florida’s Big Bend region due to this area’s inexperience enduring intense hurricanes.”

Larsen added, “We anticipate the damaging effects of Helene will be deep inland with a large contribution of loss concentrated in the state of Georgia. We can look to Hurricanes Francis and Jeanne (Florida, 2004) and Superstorm Sandy (New York, 2012) as examples. These storms affected large swaths of residents with tropical storm- and hurricane-force winds and triggered widespread losses.”

Hurricane Helene, the eighth named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, made landfall as a powerful Category 4 hurricane in Florida’s Big Bend region at approximately 11:10 p.m. EDT Thursday. The most powerful storm to ever hit the Florida Big Bend region, Hurricane Helene brought a 20-foot storm surge and 140 mph maximum sustained windspeeds Thursday evening. On Friday, the storm surge affecting sections of Florida’s Big Bend and parts of the west coast is expected to subside. Strong wind gusts will continue to spread inland across Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina, particularly in the southern Appalachians’ higher elevations, bringing potential power outages.

More on Hurricane Helene loss estimates

Losses include damage to buildings, contents and business interruption for residential, commercial, industrial and agricultural property. The flood losses do not include precipitation-induced inland flooding and exclude losses to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). This estimate does not include damage to offshore property. As Hurricane Helene moved across Florida on Friday, life-threatening flash flooding, including urban flooding and significant landslides, is forecasted to impact portions of the southern Appalachians throughout the day. In northwestern and northern Florida and throughout the southeast, widespread flash and urban flooding is also expected, with significant river flooding likely, and some areas may experience major or record-breaking levels. CoreLogic will produce flood loss estimates early next week.

Visit the CoreLogic Hazard HQ Command Central™ center to get access to the most up-to-date Hurricane Helene storm data and see reports from previous storms.

 

Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) today reported financial results for the September quarter and provided its outlook for the December quarter.  Highlights of the September quarter, including both GAAP and adjusted metrics, are on page five and incorporated here.

“Thanks to the exceptional work of the entire Delta team, we continue to lead the industry operationally and financially, with a double-digit operating margin and nearly $3 billion of free cash flow generation year-to-date.  In recognition of the outstanding efforts of our employees this year, we have accrued almost $1 billion of profit sharing towards the upcoming February payout,” said Ed Bastian, Delta’s chief executive officer.

“With an improving industry backdrop and strong demand for travel on Delta, we are positioned to finish the year strong.  We expect our December quarter pre-tax profit to grow 30 percent over last year to $1.4 billion, which would mark one of the most profitable fourth quarters in our history.”

September Quarter 2024 GAAP Financial Results

• Operating revenue of $15.7 billion

• Operating income of $1.4 billion with an operating margin of 8.9 percent

• Pre-tax income of $1.6 billion with a pre-tax margin of 10.0 percent

• Earnings per share of $1.97

• Operating cash flow of $1.3 billion

• Payments on debt and finance lease obligations of $263 million

• Total debt and finance lease obligations of $17.7 billion at quarter end

September Quarter 2024 Non-GAAP Financial Results (including the impact of the CrowdStrike-caused outage)

• Operating revenue of $14.6 billion

• Operating income of $1.4 billion with an operating margin of 9.4 percent

• Pre-tax income of $1.3 billion with a pre-tax margin of 8.6 percent

• Earnings per share of $1.50

• Operating cash flow of $1.3 billion

• Free cash flow of $95 million, $2.7 billion year-to-date

• Adjusted debt to EBITDAR of 2.9x

Financial Impact Of The CrowdStrike-Caused Outage

On August 8, Delta disclosed the financial impact of the CrowdStrike-caused outage for the September quarter.  The direct revenue impact of the incident was approximately $380 million, primarily driven by refunding customers for cancelled flights and providing customer compensation in the form of cash and SkyMiles.  The non-fuel expense impact was $170 million, primarily due to customer expense reimbursements and crew-related costs.  Fuel expense was $50 million lower than it would have been as a result of the 7,000 flight cancellations over the five-day period.

Financial Guidance¹

Additional metrics for financial modeling can be found in the Supplemental Information section under Quarterly Results on ir.delta.com.

Revenue Environment and Outlook

“Through the September quarter, unit revenue growth improved sequentially in all geographic entities, reflecting an improved equilibrium between demand and supply as industry growth moderated,” said Glen Hauenstein, Delta’s president. 

“For the December quarter, we expect the improved trends to continue and bookings for the holiday period are strong.  We anticipate a 1 point impact to total unit revenue from reduced travel demand around the election.  With this, total revenue growth is expected to be up 2 percent to 4 percent compared to prior year on capacity growth of 3 percent to 4 percent.  Industry supply growth continues to rationalize, positioning Delta well in the final quarter of the year and as we move into 2025.”

• Unit revenue growth improved sequentially through the September quarter: Delta delivered September quarter revenue of $14.6 billion, including the $380 million impact from the CrowdStrike-caused outage. Adjusted total unit revenue (TRASM) was down 3.6 percent versus 2023, including a 1.1 point impact from the outage. In the month of September, Domestic and Transatlantic unit revenue growth inflected positive.

• Diversified revenue streams driving Delta’s differentiation: Delta’s diversified revenue base, led primarily by premium and loyalty, made up 57 percent of total revenue in the September quarter. Premium revenue growth continued to outpace main cabin in Domestic and International. Total loyalty revenue grew 6 percent year-over-year driven by award redemptions and growth in co-brand card spend. American Express remuneration was $1.8 billion, 6 percent higher than the September quarter of 2023. Cargo revenue grew 27 percent over prior year on international volume strength.

• International trends positive, led by Transatlantic: International demand remains strong with trends improving through the quarter in Transatlantic and Latin. Transatlantic unit revenues inflected positive in the month of September as Paris demand rebounded following the Olympics. Latin America revenue benefited from the continued maturation of Delta’s joint venture with LATAM in South America. Network restoration continues in the Pacific, with double-digit revenue growth driven by travel to South Korea and Japan.

• Corporate sales growth continues: Managed corporate travel sales* were up 7 percent over the September quarter of 2023, with double-digit growth in the tech, media and banking sectors. Recent corporate survey results indicate that 85 percent of companies expect their travel spend to increase in 2025.

Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) today reported Q3 2024 group* sales of 85,037 Passenger Cars. Additionally, Mercedes-Benz Vans reported Q3 2024 sales of 12,769 units, bringing MBUSA to a total of 97,806 vehicles for the quarter.

“In the third quarter we regained momentum with year-over-year growth for all three months in the quarter, culminating in 9% growth overall year-to-date. Our strong Q3 sales results were fueled by robust demand for our outstanding product portfolio—particularly Plug-in Hybrid and top-end vehicle models—combined with stronger inventory supply at the retail level. The end of this quarter was not without its challenges, and we thank our incredible dealer partners for their tireless efforts serving and prioritizing the safety of customers and employees while facing catastrophic storms in the Southeast. Our thoughts remain with those impacted by Hurricane Helene and everyone bracing for another major storm this week.”

Dimitris Psillakis, President and CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA

PHEV:

Group sales in the Plug-in Hybrid segment are up 213% compared to Q3 2023 following the introduction of the GLC 350e 4MATIC, AMG C 63 S E PERFORMANCE, AMG S 63 E PERFORMANCE and AMG GT 63 S E PERFORMANCE.

Top-End:

Top-End vehicles sales are up 33% in Q3 2024 compared to Q3 2023. Group sales for Mercedes-AMG high-performance models totaled 9,537 units, an increase of 31% from the same quarter last year.

Core:

Group sales are up 43% in the Core segment compared to the same quarter last year. Strong availability for the GLC made it the volume leader for the quarter, recording a year-over-year increase of 144%. Demand for the GLE is also up 34% in Q3 2024 versus Q3 2023.

Entry:

The Entry segment saw an increase of 27% from the same quarter last year due to availability of the CLA, GLA and GLB in Q3 2024. The CLA increased 114% compared to Q3 2023 with 4,717 units. The GLA is up 668% in Q3 2024 compared to Q3 2023.

Vans:

Group sales for Vans totaled 12,769 units in Q3 2024. The eSprinter, the first fully electric van in North America from Mercedes-Benz USA, bolstered sales of 667 total units year-to-date.

* – Starting with our Q1 2024 sales release, MBUSA reports sales figures in a manner congruent with Mercedes-Benz Group financial reports. Prior to Q1 2024, sales figures were reported at the retail level, and now reflect group sales (including wholesale). This change is designed to reinforce reporting consistency between our two entities.

Michelin will reveal its 2024 Atlanta dining guide during a ceremony at the Georgia World Congress Center on Monday, Oct. 28. 

This year marks the city’s second dining guide from the French tire company, which awards coveted stars, Bib Gourmands, and other distinctions to restaurants in cities worldwide, including Atlanta. 

Read More At: GPB

Worth it to Insist on High Quality Customers

Great Customers are the Fix for Everything Whether you manage a real estate brokerage, digital marketing agency, software company, e-commerce retailer, or travel agency, your business is your customers. If your customers are no good, your business will suffer.  And when you’re not acquiring the most qualified, enabled, and stable customers, your business challenges begin to…

The holidays deliver a spike of open positions, and based on past year trends, warehouse and retail jobs will likely ramp up rapidly as the shopping season approaches. 80% of hiring managers from US companies surveyed with 100 to 500 plus employees report they wished they had direct access to verified temporary employees, according to research by Indeed Flex, the company transforming temporary work and a product of Indeed, the number one job site in the world.¹

70% of hiring managers report difficulties finding the right temporary workers resulting in low temporary employee fulfillment. 

While 43% of hiring managers report hiring temporary workers to cover seasonal fluctuations in workloads.

Further supporting holiday shopping trends, recent Deloitte data is forecasting a 7% to 9% increase in 2024 holiday e-commerce sales compared with the same period in 2023. The data reflects holiday retail sales are likely to rise between 2.3% and 3.3% from November 2024 to January 2025.²

A leading US third-party logistics company leveraged the Indeed Flex Marketplace platform to offer jobs to a large pool of verified workers. The company reported a 92% increased fulfillment rate, hiring 600 workers per day. For a complex and quickly expanding business, leveraging employees with an average of 4.8-star ratings ensured consistent access to quality workers.³

Forecasted e-commerce growth means businesses must be prepared with adequate staffing to meet the heightened demand during this period.

45% of hiring managers report the top reason they engage is to recruit new staff. Companies also leverage temporary staffing agencies to reduce labor costs, fill in for absentee employees, or find people with specific skills for permanent work.

Novo Constare, CEO and Co-founder of Indeed Flex, said:

“Holidays deliver a spike of open positions to handle the gift rush; tapping into a large pool of top-rated, verified workers will ensure businesses can meet rapid growth.”

“Temporary workers are the most efficient way for companies to solve seasonal hours, as they can staff up or down immediately using a flexible staffing solution.”

“Indeed Flex makes it easy for companies to access quality workers to quickly scale up operations during the holidays and ensure consistent results

To kick off Atlanta’s social and charitable season, Fashion Statement held their annual fashion fundraiser at Phipps Plaza, a Simon property. Combining culture, creativity, cuisine and care, Fashion Statement 2024 was earmarked to benefit breast cancer research at Susan G. Komen.

As nearly 300 stylish attendees gathered donning their favorite designer wear, the goal of the night was to unite Atlanta’s vibrant community of luxury retailers from Phipps Plaza and Lenox Square to showcase the latest trends, and champion a cause that impacts the lives of 1 in every 8 women in Atlanta.

The evening brought the luxury wing of Phipps Plaza to life with private shopping experiences inside haute retailers like Zimmerman and Givenchy. The cocktail reception indulged guests with light bites from Davio’s, Ecco and Citizens Market, while sipping on the themed cocktails of the evening: Carrie Cosmo and Runway Paloma. For the grand finale, models showcased collections from Spring/Summer New York Fashion Week by Akris, St. John, Etro and Balmain.

The night’s theme, “Make A Statement,” challenged guests to not only make a difference in expressing themselves through fashion but in giving back to the community. Together, the fashionistas in attendance raised over $100,000. Guests arrived dressed to impress, and took the opportunity to elevate their closets throughout the evening. The in-store shopping experiences and auction items featuring luxury designer bags from Christian Louboutin, decorative scarves from Alexander McQueen, fine jewelry from Sidney Garber and more, sent attendees home with style and grace.

When the lights dimmed and the runway music began, oo’s and ahh’s from the crowd filled the atmosphere–a tribute to the evening’s dual purpose of fashion and philanthropy. Guests marveled in the zeal of the night which was reflected through social media with constant reposts and content from the night as they expressed their delight in what a great experience they had and the stunning runway presentation that had exceptionally outdone itself from the previous year.

Another onstage highlight included Louise Sams, Fashion Statement’s “Make a Statement” Honoree. As one of the integral co-chairs of Fashion Statement, Louise has been instrumental in Fashion Statement’s patron support and beneficiary relationships, thanks to her experience with Jeffrey Fashion Cares, charity to which Fashion Statement pays much homage. Louise Sams was honored for her unwavering philanthropic support to our community, through her committee and board service with notable organizations such as Princeton University, the High Museum of Art and Meals On Wheels Atlanta. Fashion Statement was proud to salute Louise Sams’ many years of guidance, enthusiasm and generosity to them and all of the organizations she has timelessly supported.

“Fashion Statement’s return for its second year was nothing short of spectacular. The event not only exceeded our expectations but also underscored the power of fashion in driving positive change,” says Phipps Plaza’s General Manager, Eric Howard. “Together, we united style and purpose, raising vital funds that will bring us closer to a world without breast cancer. Atlanta’s unwavering support is a testament to the city’s commitment to making a meaningful difference.”

Fashion Statement will continue to make strides in giving back to the community as every two years they designate new beneficiaries to support. The beneficiary for 2025 will be announced later this year.

THE TEAM

• April Milliken, Creator/Executive Producer and President of eventologie

• Marsha Archer, Co-Chair and President of M-Squared Public Relations

• E. Vincent Martinez, Co-Chair and Creator of Fashionado

• Maken Payne, Co-Chair and Executive Director of Partnerships at Savannah College of Art and

• Design

• Louise Sams, Co-Chair and Community leader and Philanthropist

Access to imagery for your use can be found here.

Photo credit: Kim Evans Photos