Business
Luxury brands urged to protect margins as profits slide
Profit margins at the world’s largest luxury goods companies have almost halved in just three years, prompting calls for more disciplined cost management that preserves brand equity while restoring profitability.
Research from supply chain consultancy Inverto, part of Boston Consulting Group, shows that the average operating margin across the 20 biggest luxury groups has fallen from 24 per cent in 2022 to 13 per cent today.
Half of those companies have seen margins decline over the period, while five are now operating at a loss.
Analysts say the slowdown in global demand, particularly in key markets such as China and the US, has combined with rising input and operational costs to squeeze profitability in a sector long associated with premium pricing power.
Traditionally, luxury houses have adopted high-cost approaches across their entire business, including areas not directly tied to product craftsmanship or customer experience, such as IT, logistics and back-office functions.
Daniela Klotz, managing director at Inverto, argues that meaningful savings can be achieved in these “indirect categories” without diluting brand identity.
“In indirect spend areas, systematic management can unlock savings of 8 to 10 per cent, or more, within six to twelve months,” she said.
One example is software licence optimisation. Many global brands overpay for unused or over-specified licences. “One client reduced software spending by 15 per cent through a rightsizing strategy,” Klotz noted.
Similarly, marketing and visual merchandising often incur heavy centralised production and international shipping costs to maintain brand consistency. By enabling approved regional suppliers to produce materials to centrally defined specifications, companies can preserve visual standards while reducing logistics and production costs.
“With the right strategy, spend in this category can fall by up to 30 per cent,” Klotz said.
Klotz said luxury brands need a clear, data-driven assessment of which elements of their supply chains are truly essential to maintaining brand equity and which can be streamlined.
Once that framework is established, artificial intelligence can help identify operational inefficiencies. AI tools can optimise transportation routes and shipping schedules, cutting freight costs while maintaining delivery standards.
In fashion, AI forecasting models can also help reduce overproduction, a persistent challenge when balancing sizes, colours and seasonal demand. Improved forecasting can limit discounting and wastage, directly protecting margins.
The luxury sector’s long-standing reliance on premium pricing and brand prestige is now being tested by softer consumer sentiment and more cautious spending.
Klotz argues that protecting margins in the current environment requires sharper focus. “With a clear cost management strategy and a disciplined approach to what is essential and what is not, fashion and luxury brands can significantly improve their margins,” she said.
As investor scrutiny intensifies and growth moderates, the sector’s next phase may depend less on headline price increases and more on operational excellence behind the scenes.
Business
3 Food Stocks With Big Dividend Yields That Wells Fargo Just Downgraded
3 Food Stocks With Big Dividend Yields That Wells Fargo Just Downgraded
Business
FAA lifts ground stops at Reagan National, other D.C.-area airports after chemical smell disrupts controllers
The Federal Aviation Administration lifted ground stops Friday evening at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and other major airports serving the Washington, D.C., region after a strong chemical smell at a key air traffic control facility forced a temporary halt to operations.

The disruptions began around 4:50 p.m. when the FAA issued ground stops at Reagan National (DCA), Washington Dulles International (IAD) and Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall (BWI) airports. The agency cited a “strong chemical smell” at the Potomac Consolidated Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) facility in Warrenton, Virginia, about 50 miles west of the capital, that was impacting some air traffic controllers.
The Potomac TRACON manages approach and departure traffic for the busy airspace covering the D.C. metropolitan area, as well as Richmond International Airport (RIC) in Virginia, which also fell under a ground stop. Additional airports in the facility’s coverage area, including Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport and Manassas Regional Airport, experienced similar restrictions. Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) faced ground delays tied to the regional ripple effects.
FAA officials initially described the issue as an “equipment outage” on their status page, but later clarified in statements that the odor was the primary cause, affecting controller operations. The agency did not immediately identify the source of the smell or confirm whether it posed a health risk, though no injuries or evacuations were reported at the TRACON facility.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy addressed the situation on social media, stating that the FAA was actively investigating the odor and working to resolve it. “The FAA is investigating a strong odor coming from Potomac TRACON,” Duffy posted. In follow-up updates, officials emphasized efforts to “address the source of the strong odor.”
By approximately 7:45 p.m., the FAA lifted the full ground stops at DCA, IAD and BWI. Flights resumed under ground delay programs, with some departures facing waits of up to three hours or more into the overnight period Friday into Saturday. Dulles reported departure delays climbing to 90 minutes and increasing during the peak of the disruption.
Passengers at the affected airports reported long lines and uncertainty as airlines scrambled to manage the backlog. At Reagan National, located along the Potomac River just minutes from downtown Washington, travelers posted photos of crowded terminals and gates with delayed or canceled flights. Similar scenes unfolded at Dulles, the region’s main international gateway, and BWI, which serves as a major hub for Southwest Airlines.
The incident highlights the vulnerability of the nation’s air traffic system to even localized issues at control facilities. The Potomac TRACON handles thousands of flights daily in one of the country’s most congested airspaces, where military operations, commercial traffic and presidential movements frequently overlap.
FAA spokesperson Donnell Evans confirmed in an email that the smell directly affected controllers, prompting the precautionary halt to prevent safety risks. “The FAA has temporarily stopped traffic … because of a strong chemical smell at the Potomac TRACON that is impacting some air traffic controllers,” Evans said.
Authorities have not released details on what caused the odor, though some social media speculation from aviation observers suggested possible HVAC issues, maintenance chemicals or an environmental factor at the facility. The FAA said investigations were ongoing, with no immediate indication of foul play or a hazardous materials incident requiring broader emergency response.
As operations normalized, airlines began issuing waivers for rebooking and changes without fees. Travelers were advised to check flight status directly with carriers or through the FAA’s flight status tools.
The ground stop lasted roughly three hours at its peak, a relatively short duration compared to past major disruptions but enough to create cascading delays across the East Coast. By late Friday evening, the focus shifted to recovery, with controllers reportedly back online after the facility addressed the immediate concerns.
The FAA urged passengers to monitor fly.faa.gov for real-time updates. No further ground stops were anticipated as of late Friday, though residual delays were expected to persist into Saturday morning.
This incident marks another reminder of how sensitive the aviation network is to issues beyond weather or mechanical problems at individual airports. Officials have not indicated any long-term impact on operations.
Business
Port of Tauranga Limited (PTAUY) Analyst/Investor Day – Slideshow
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Business
Q4 GDP Second Estimate: Real GDP At 0.7%, Lower Than Expected
Worawith Ounpeng/iStock via Getty Images

By Jennifer Nash
U.S. economic growth cooled more than expected in Q4 2025, according to the BEA’s latest estimate. Real GDP rose at just a 0.7% annual rate, falling well short of the 1.4% forecast and marking a steep drop-off
Business
TrumpRx expands with 2 new drug makers offering prescription discounts
Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel has the latest on the discounted products under President Donald Trump’s plan on ‘The Bottom Line.’
EXCLUSIVE: The White House is expecting to announce an expansion of drugmakers offering discounts on TrumpRx.gov, FOX Business has learned.
As early as today, Amgen and GSK will be added to the list of prescription drug manufacturers offering discounts on the government website. That makes a total of 54 prescription medications from six pharmaceutical companies that have signed on to the most-favored-nation pricing under pressure from President Donald Trump and the threat of tariffs.
Amgen will offer medication on the website that cuts 80% off the retail price. Amjevita has an original price of $1,484, but will be available on TrumpRx.gov for $299. The medication treats rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and ulcerative colitis.
FOX NEWS POLL: VOTERS SOUND ALARM ON HEALTHCARE COSTS

President Donald Trump speaks as Administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Mehmet Oz looks on during an event on drug pricing in the South Court Auditorium on the White House campus Feb. 5, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (Nathan Howard/Getty Images)
The company plans to list Aimovig and Repatha for discounts of 62%.
GSK will discount Incruse at 55% of the retail price. The drug treats COPD and will be listed at $159.
GSK also plans to list Arnuity, Relenza and Anoro at discounts ranging from 10% to 51%.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AMGN | AMGEN INC. | 366.21 | -1.58 | -0.43% |
| GSK | GSK PLC | 53.39 | -0.89 | -1.64% |
“GSK and Amgen connecting with TrumpRx.gov to offer prescription drugs directly to consumers at most-favored-nations pricing marks another milestone for President Trump’s affordability push,” White House spokesman Kush Desai told FOX Business.
“TrumpRx.gov is just the beginning, however, as Americans are set to (receive) even greater drug pricing discounts, lower insurance premiums and more transparency when Congress passes President Trump’s Great Healthcare Plan.”

Amgen will offer medication on the website that cuts 80% off the retail price. (George Frey/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America represents major drug companies.
CEO Stephen Ubl believes “Government-imposed most-favored-nation policies would undermine U.S. competitiveness while doing nothing to address insurance practices that deny care and raise costs for patients.
HOUSE GOP SEEKS OFF-RAMP TO SKY-HIGH HEALTH INSURANCE COSTS FOR MILLIONS OF AMERICANS
“These policies would siphon billions from American R&D, slow the pace of cures and increase reliance on China for future innovation.”

GSK will discount Incruse at 55% of the retail price. (Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
The White House is pushing ahead with announcements to TrumpRx.gov as Americans look for ways to cut medical costs.
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Under the Biden administration, Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows, prescription drug costs increased 10.4% from January 2021 to January 2025. Under the Trump administration, prescription drug prices increased 0.2% from January 2025 through the latest data from February 2026.
Business
Form 13D/A Health Catalyst For: 13 March

Form 13D/A Health Catalyst For: 13 March
Business
Amphastar Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AMPH) Presents at Barclays 28th Annual Global Healthcare Conference – Slideshow
Amphastar Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AMPH) Presents at Barclays 28th Annual Global Healthcare Conference – Slideshow
Business
Vaxart, Inc. (VXRT) Shareholder/Analyst Call Transcript
Operator
Greetings, and welcome to Vaxart’s Stockholder Fireside Chat Conference Call. [Operator Instructions] As a reminder, this conference is being recorded.
I would now like to turn the webcast over to David Carey, Finn Partners.
David Carey
Finn Partners, Inc.
Good afternoon, and welcome to today’s call. Joining us from Vaxart are Steve Lo, Chief Executive Officer; Dr. Sean Tucker, Founder and Chief Scientific Officer; Dr. James S. Cummings, Chief Medical Officer; Jeroen Grasman, Chief Financial Officer; and Ed Berg, Senior Vice President and General Counsel.
Before we begin, I would like to remind everyone that during this conference call, Vaxart may make forward-looking statements, including statements about the company’s financial results, financial guidance, its future business strategies and operations, any partnerships with third parties, timing of any anticipated regulatory approvals or that any such approval will be obtained, the company’s future cash runway, ability to regain compliance with NASDAQ listing standards or raise capital if such listing is regained, and its product development and regulatory progress, including statements about its ongoing or planned clinical trials.
Actual results could materially differ from those discussed in these forward-looking statements due to a number of important factors, including uncertainty inherent in the clinical development and regulatory process and other risks described in the Risk Factors section of Vaxart’s most recently filed annual report on Form 10-K and also on other periodic reports filed with the SEC. Vaxart undertakes no obligation to update
Business
Dan Ives Is Stepping Down as Eightco Chairman
Dan Ives Is Stepping Down as Eightco Chairman
Business
Thomson Reuters Files Documents for Proposed Return of Capital and Share Consolidation Transactions
The transactions consists of a special cash distribution of
The proposed return of capital is intended to distribute cash on a basis that is generally expected to be tax-free for Canadian tax purposes. Shareholders who are taxable in a jurisdiction outside of
Details of the transaction (including information regarding the opt-out right) are described in the management proxy circular and related materials, which are available on thomsonreuters.com in the “Investor Relations” section. The documents were filed with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities on SEDAR+ and are available at www.sedarplus.com. The documents will also be furnished to the
The special meeting of shareholders will be held on
Registered shareholders who have questions or need assistance voting their shares may contact
About
SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Certain statements in this news release are forward-looking within the meaning of applicable Canadian and
CONTACTS
MEDIA
+1 647 202 8948
zoe.zanettos@thomsonreuters.com
INVESTORS
Head of Investor Relations
+1 646 540 3249
gary.bisbee@thomsonreuters.com
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/thomson-reuters-files-documents-for-proposed-return-of-capital-and-share-consolidation-transactions-302713835.html
SOURCE Thomson Reuters
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