An Austin, Texas company released a study Wednesday that reveals which U.S. states hold the most credit card balances relative to the average incomes residents in those states earn. The Upgraded Points study underscores that an average 41.2 percent of Americans do not pay off their balances in full each month. Upgraded Points used the data compiled from each state ...

Board declares quarterly dividend of $1.25 per share Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. (Nasdaq: CBRL) today reported its financial results for the fourth quarter and for the full fiscal year ended August 3, 2018. Fourth Quarter Fiscal 2018 Highlights Compared to the prior year fourth quarter, comparable restaurant sales declined 0.4% and comparable store retail sales increased 1.3% On a GAAP ...

Staples, Inc. and Essendant Inc. (NASDAQ: ESND) today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which an affiliate of Staples, the world’s largest office solutions provider, will acquire all of the outstanding shares of Essendant common stock for $12.80 per share in cash, or a transaction value of $996 million including net debt. The transaction follows the determination by Essendant’s Board ...

Parks Associates today released a new whitepaper ahead of IBC, “Video’s Critical Path: Success at Web Speed,” that reports by the end of 2017, U.S. broadband households were spending nearly three hours per week watching video on a mobile phone, an increase of nearly 55% from 2015. This shift comes as households are watching less live broadcast video on their televisions, which ...

Only 41 percent of the U.S. population lives in a county where a median-income household can afford to buy a median list price home As home prices rise across the U.S., choosing to rent has become increasingly popular. New analysis by realtor.com® reveals the monthly costs of buying a home have risen by 14 percent over the past year. This ...

A survey released showed how Americans are reacting to the growing threat of gas skimming, where criminals implant devices on or in gas station fuel pumps with the intent of stealing the credit card information of unwitting customers. Gas skimming is a growing threat to consumers at the gas pump — so much so that it has made an impact ...

The Conference Board Leading Economic Index (LEI) for the U.S. increased 0.6 percent in July to 110.7, following a 0.5 percent increase in June, and a 0.1 percent increase in May. “The U.S. LEI increased in July, suggesting the US economy will continue expanding at a solid pace for the remainder of this year,” said Ataman Ozyildirim, Director of Business Cycles and Growth ...

As credit card customers drive up credit card debt to an all-time high, more of them are switching cards for a better rewards program, according to the J.D. Power 2018 Credit Card Satisfaction Study, released today. The study finds that 47% of credit card customers who switched to a new card within the past 12 months did so for a better ...

A new report out Wednesday reveals the 25 Highest Paying Jobs in America for 2018 with some surprising results and others, like Doctors and Lawyers, at the top as expected. Nearly seven in ten (67 percent) job seekers and workers say that salary is a key piece of information they hone in on when researching jobs, according to a recent survey. A new ...

Millennials’ perceived value in buying a home dropped below 50 percent, down significantly from post-Brexit high, according to the latest ValueInsured quarterly Modern Homebuyer Survey: In the third quarter of 2018, 48 percent of all millennials believe buying a home in America today is a good investment; this is a record low, down from 54 percent in the second quarter. The previous high ...

One of the defining characteristics of today’s housing market is the lack of available inventory, and much of this scarcity can be traced back to the lack of building following the bubble’s burst. Between 1985 and 2000, there were 3.9 permits issued for single-family homes per 1,000 residents. Since 2008, that mark stands at just 1.9 permits per 1,000 people. ...

What do you think when you hear the word “startup”?  Most people think venture capital-backed Silicon Valley technology companies. But, as FitSmallBusiness.com, the digital business publication discovered, it turns out some of the best companies to start in 2018 are decidedly low tech. The publication’s list of the Top Businesses to Start in 2018 found several notable surprises: Pet spas, liquor ...

As employers grapple with a highly competitive hiring environment that is causing prolonged job vacancies across the U.S., workers are reaping the benefits, According to a report out Friday. CareerBuilder’s Midyear Job Forecast showed that 63 percent of U.S. employers plan to hire full-time, permanent workers in the second half of 2018, up from 60 percent last year. A substantial percentage of employers ...

The top 10 best jobs in today’s “gig economy” were released today in a CareerCast report that serves as a guide for independent workers seeking employment. Among the best jobs for gig workers are: Accountant, Application Software Developer, Carpenter, Management Analyst, Marketing Manager, Multimedia Artist, Occupational Therapist, Plumber, Public Relations Specialist and Web Developer. “The ability to work with clients on a ...

Pending home sales increased in all four major regions in June, but overall activity lagged year-ago levels for the sixth straight month, according to an industry report. The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on contract signings, rose 0.9 percent to 106.9 in June from 105.9 in May. Despite last month’s increase, contract signings are still down 2.5 percent ...