Business

Crude oil exports rise 120% in 2017, up so far in 2018

U.S. crude oil exports rose more than 120% to 1.1 million barrels per day in 2017, from 2016, and so far in 2018, the exports have been an average of…

Walmart first quarter revenue up 4.4%, e-commerce sales rise 33%

Fiscal first quarter revenue and earnings per share for Walmart Inc. beat the consensus estimates, although acquisitions and investment in e-commerce initiatives made by the global retail giant continue to…

Calstrip to invest $15 million in processing facility on the Nucor campus at Hickman

Calstrip Industries will build a new processing facility on the Nucor Inc. campus in Hickman. Construction will begin during the second quarter of 2018. The initial construction will be more…

Memco move to Chaffee Crossing in doubt after property offer rejected

The Fort Chaffee Redevelopment Authority (FCRA) real estate review committee on Wednesday (May 16) voted to reject a second offer from Memco on approximately five acres of Roberts Boulevard property…

Acxiom earnings miss Wall Street targets; shares slide 9% in afterhours trading

Shares of Acxiom Corp. stock were off more than 9% in after-market trading Wednesday (May 16) after the Conway-based data marketer missed Wall Street targets with its fourth quarter and…

Record growth through 2019 predicted by Tyson Foods boss despite rising costs

Tyson Foods President and CEO Tom Hayes said while the company’s raw material costs will fluctuate the mission to achieve volume growth, margin expansion, more unit sales and year-over-year earnings…

Manufacturing group critical of President Trump’s ZTE decision

The Alliance for American Manufacturing (AAM)’s rocky relationship with President Donald Trump just took another turn. After criticizing the President for his first year due to slow movement of Section…

Dogpatch documentary to premiere in Harrison

“Documentary Dogpatch USA: An Average Stone-Age Community” will have its world premiere in Harrison, Ark., on Friday (May 18). Based on the fictional village dreamed up in the Li’l Abner…

Farmers hope to find field burn fix without legislative action

Farmers in Northeast Arkansas are working to finish planting this year’s crops, but the success of this year’s efforts won’t be known until harvest time several months down the road….

2nd Milk mission seeks to reduce poverty in Malawi for next generation

It’s more than 9,000 miles from Northwest Arkansas to Malawi, Africa, but Jason and Lacey Carney of Springdale see the poorest nation in the world as a land of opportunity….

Arkansas Colleges of Health Education granted $34,000 waiver by Fort Smith Board

The Fort Smith Board of Directors on Tuesday (May 15) voted 6-0 with one recusal (Director Don Hutchings) to extend a waiver of building permit and inspection fees to the…

Arkansas Children’s Hospital Auxiliary raises $1.2 million

The Arkansas Children’s Hospital Auxiliary donated $1.2 million for Arkansas Children’s Hospital programs. Since 2011, the Arkansas Children’s Hospital Auxiliary has raised $1 million or more annually to support ACH….

World Trade Center Arkansas opens work space in AEDC offices

The World Trade Center Arkansas is expanding its partnership with the Arkansas Economic Development Commission with a new work space at the state agency’s offices in Little Rock. Launched in…

India-based IT firm to set up shop in Transamerica’s LR offices

Mumbai, India-based Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) announced Tuesday (May 15) it will nearly double its Arkansas employee headcount with the recent hiring of more than 200 employees at new offices…

Fort Smith officials seek funding for downtown ‘truck and traffic’ study

Members of the Central Business Improvement District (CBID) on Tuesday (May 15) discussed a planned $160,000 truck and traffic study for downtown Fort Smith. This time, the emphasis was on…

Jonesboro convention center construction begins; ceremonial groundbreaking set

It’s been about 60 days since dirt work began on the new convention center/hotel on the Arkansas State University campus, and the project is nearing its vertical phase, O’Reilly Hospitality…

Fort Smith, Little Rock accounting firms to merge

Fort Smith-based Beall Barclay & Company and the Little Rock office of Thomas & Thomas are merging in a deal expected to close later this year, creating of the state’s…

Simmons Bank names new chief retail officer

Pine Bluff-based Simmons Bank has named Franklin Shirrell of Southlake, Texas, chief retail officer. Shirrell’s transition to Simmons follows 22 years at Regions Financial Corp. (Regions), where he most recently…

Healthcare represents opportunity for business investment, trade with Africa

A healthy nation is also likely a wealthy nation, but neither is true for many of 54 countries on the African continent. Chronic blindness from cataracts, a lack of doctors…

Tyson Foods acquires poultry rendering assets in $850 million deal

Tyson Foods announced Tuesday (May 15) plans to acquire the poultry rendering assets of American Proteins and AMPRO Products for $850 million. The deal will allow the company to recycle…