Shares of At Home (NYSE:HOME) surged today, finishing up 13.5% after a Wall Street analyst released a bullish research note on home-furnishing retailers. Separately, investors were also encouraged by fresh retail sales data released by the Commerce Department.
So what
Jefferies boosted its price targets on numerous home improvement and home-furnishing companies, including Lowe's, Home Depot, and Wayfair. The firm believes that the broad shift to remote work that COVID-19 is spurring may translate into a large number of people moving from urban cities to suburban areas, boosting homeownership in 2021. Those new homeowners are then expected to start buying more products to furnish those homes, particularly as homeowners tend to spend more on big-ticket purchases like appliances than renters.
Image source: Getty Images.
While At Home is not mentioned specifically in the research note to investors, the company would clearly benefit from those trends.
Now what
The Commerce Department also released monthly data regarding retail sales today, and the report showed that overall retail sales in the U.S. jumped 17.7% as more states move to reopen their economies. More specifically, seasonally adjusted retail sales for furniture and home furnishing stores soared by 90% to $7.7 billion in May, compared to $4.1 billion in sales in April.
Throughout the coronavirus outbreak, e-commerce companies have noted that demand for home furnishings has remained strong as consumers spend more time at home. In its annual report, At Home notes that it does "not currently engage in e-commerce," so it will rely predominantly on the return of retail customers as lockdown restrictions ease.
On the opening day, Haier announced the achievements of its global roster of premium brands, which have registered growth despite the COVID-19 pandemic. It had also unveiled its Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystem strategy, by featuring differentiated scenario-based solutions that tied together multiple products in an overall system, refreshing the conventional single product display. Haier's global ecosystem partners, customers, and users were invited to participate in the many digital events taking place over the course of the fair.
"Our Internet of things ecosystem is empowered by Haier's COSMOPlat platform," said Qingfu Zhang, VP of Haier Overseas Electric Appliances Corp. "On this platform, all parties can share resources, co-create, and interact with solutions to enhance quality, optimize resource allocation, and engage in digital transformation. Currently, the COSMOPlat platform boasts 340 million users, making it the world's largest mass customization solutions platform. We are thrilled that many consider COSMOPlat as the world's leading industrial Internet ecosystem brand, and it has even been selected as one of China's top 10 industrial Internet platforms by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology."
With this year's scenario-based presentations, Haier is offering participants a deeper look at its smart home solutions, through the lens of their Internet of things ecosystems. Through a livestream format, Haier distributors in seven countries and factories in six countries will explain the specific solutions, emphasize their localization and customization possibilities. Meanwhile, its sub-brands are also organizing their own digital experience zones. For example, AQUA is unveiling its Smart Community Laundromat as well as demonstrating the potential of its AQUA Cloud IoT ecosystem, while European e-commerce player AO will team up with seven executives to introduce their strategic cooperation in the refrigerator and washing machine categories.
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About Haier
Founded on April 1989, Haier Smart Home Co., Ltd. (former Qingdao Haier Co., Ltd., Shanghai: 600690) is the world's leading home appliance maker.The Company boasts seven world-class brands including Haier, Casarte, Leader, GE Appliances-US, Fisher & Paykel-New Zealand, AQUA-Japan, and Candy-Italy.
According to Euromonitor International's 2020 Global Major Appliances Brand Rankings, Haier's retail sales volume of large household appliances ranked the first in the world for 11 consecutive years. Haier Smart Home is also a Fortune Global 500 company.
Haier Smart Home focuses on the continuous improvements of the best user experience so as to provide consumers with smart home solutions, create full-scenario smart life experience, and offer design and function options customized for and by users.
For more information, visit: http://www.haier.net/en/
Video - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1190630/warm_up_video_01___ecosystem.mp4
SOURCE Haier Smart Home
Обзор курса Разработка инновационных продуктов (русский перевод)
QINGDAO, China, June 14, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The world's leading home appliance brand and smart home ecosystem builder, Haier Smart Home ("Haier", Shanghai: 600690), announced that its five major brands, Haier, GE Appliances (US), Candy (Italy), AQUA (Japan) and Fisher & Paykel (Australia/New Zealand), will present at the 127th virtual Canton Fair to showcase the next-generation smart home solutions integrated with IoT. From Haier's factories to the showrooms based around the world, Haier will leverage the digital platform to introduce the upgrades for the products designed to achieve a full-scenario smart ecosystem.
The 127th Canton Fair will take on a whole new online format packed with remote solutions for product promotion, matchmaking and business negotiations. Haier is also accelerating the digital transformation to move its smart experience space to its online platform with the launch of Haier Smart Home App in 2019.
Together with Haier's global ecosystem partners, customers and users, Haier is set to invite the audience to witness the smart home solutions with the extensive functionality designed to create an all-around and interconnected ecosystem to fulfill the users' needs including cooking, living, clothing and entertainment.
"Haier has been working on digital services for years. The virtual Canton fair is the perfect opportunity to not only present our smart home solutions but also connect with customers," said Qingfu Zhang, VP of Haier Overseas Electric Appliances Corp., "With our online platform and professional broadcast team, Haier aims to transport viewers into the vision of future where the IoT powers the entire smart home ecosystem."
The second highlight of the exhibition is that Haier's five global brands, namely Haier, GE Appliances (US), Candy (Italy), AQUA (Japan), Fisher & Paykel (Australia/New Zealand), will share the same stage to bring the product portfolio tailored to the needs of users in different countries and regions.
For years, Haier, alongside its sub-brands, has gained a strong foothold in the global markets owing to its strong innovation and R&D capacity. Haier has also demonstrated strong resilience in the global markets despite the economic headwinds brought by the pandemic. In Q1 2020, Haier has maintained a leading position in its overseas market by achieving the 31% increase in sales.
"With our smart home solutions and localized services, we are committed to our vision of delivering green and healthy living for households around the world. From R&D and design to manufacturing and post-sale services, Haier has adopted the customer-centered approach to bring more values to our customers," said Zhang.
About Haier
Founded on April 1989, Haier Smart Home Co., Ltd. (former Qingdao Haier Co., Ltd., Shanghai: 600690) is the world's leading home appliance maker.The Company boasts seven world-class brands including Haier, Casarte, Leader, GE Appliances-US, Fisher & Paykel-New Zealand, AQUA-Japan, and Candy-Italy.
According to Euromonitor International's 2020 Global Major Appliances Brand Rankings, Haier's retail sales volume of large household appliances ranked the first in the world for 11 consecutive years. Haier Smart Home is also a Fortune Global 500 company.
Haier Smart Home focuses on the continuous improvements of the best user experience so as to provide consumers with smart home solutions, create full-scenario smart life experience, and offer design and function options customized for and by users.
For more information, visit: http://www.haier.net/en/
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Want to pocket an extra $1,000 each year? Here are six simple home electric upgrades that save money, make your home more comfortable and help the environment.
Of the appliances in a typical home, water heaters consume the most resources.
Purchasing an efficient, durable one can avoid energy waste, solid waste and waste of money in the long run. Maintaining your water heater can save even more money and resources.
Comparing the water heater in your home to your other appliances is like comparing your teenager to your child of any other age. The water heater consumes resources like a teen consumes food.
The website www.visualcapitalist.com features a study showing the average water heater uses 14% of a typical home's electricity, while a refrigerator uses just 4%. After the water heater, the next closest consumer is the washer and dryer together, at 13%.
In terms of solid waste, refrigerators are the only appliance weighing more than water heaters. An average empty refrigerator, at 200 pounds, weighs more than an average water heater, at 120 pounds, but if a water heater is not completely drained, it is far heavier. Full, water heaters average 450 pounds.
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Although water heaters are recyclable after being drained, and refrigerators are recyclable after the refrigerants are siphoned out by a certified recycler, the resources expended transporting and processing either one of these heavy, bulky items make their solid waste management issues as difficult as the logistics for a teenager's pre-pandemic extra-curricular activities.
However, unlike other appliances, and unlike teenagers, water heaters can be replaced with alternatives. One alternative, a solar water heater, is sometimes used to supplement, rather than replace, a water heater.
In Ventura County, since freezing weather is so uncommon, direct circulation systems are viable. Water is simply pumped through solar collectors, heated by the sun, and can then either supplement or can replace a water heater.
Complete replacement, for example with a system from Sunbank Solar, which specializes in online sales, features a 40-gallon solar water heating system for under $3,000.
Tankless water heating systems are another water heater replacement technology. Usually using natural gas, they heat water with intense blasts of energy when hot water is needed, rather than heating water frequently and storing it in a tank, where it gradually cools and requires more energy to re-heat.
Although these substitutes are efficient, most people use conventional water heaters. Choosing an efficient, durable water heater can save energy and reduce solid waste.
When shopping for a water heater, look for Energy Star certification. Every appliance sold in California must have a label indicating expected energy consumption compared to average comparable devices.
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Only some appliances are efficient enough to earn the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star certification, indicating the device exceeds minimum standards.
Some devices offer not only efficient design for heating and storing water, but also other conservation features. For example, Ankur Maheshwari, senior global product manager for Rheem, told me his company's new ProTerra Hybrid electric water heater features two green innovations.
First, the ProTerra LeakGuard model has a built-in leak detection system, automatically shutting off to limit water loss from the tank to no more than 20 ounces. It also sends a text alert to notify the homeowner.
The second, a heat pump water heater, works "like a refrigerator in reverse," saving "nearly $500 in annual energy costs compared to standard electric water heaters."
With a retail price of approximately $1,300 at a major home improvement store in Ventura County, the ProTerra is more expensive than comparably sized water heaters, but the annual savings, if performing as promised, provides a full return on the additional investment in less than two years.
Water heater maintenance makes a big difference for efficiency and durability. Start with proper installation. Although some water heaters, including the ProTerra, allow zero clearance installation by placing all service components in front of the unit, most require at least two feet of space for optimal operation.
To optimally maintain any water heater, Maheshwari recommends draining about a quarter of the tank at least every six months to remove sediment and debris. Turn off the cold water supply, hook up a garden hose to the drain valve, and drain water into a bucket or out a door until water runs clear.
For gas-powered water heaters, check plumbing joints for corrosion. Check the water supply by turning on a nearby hot water tap and listening for water running.
Best practices also include replacing the anode rod every three years and testing the pressure-relief valve, on the top of side of the heater, by placing a bucket below the discharge pipe and gently lifting the pressure-relief valve lever. For both conservation and safety, set your water heater to less than 120 degrees.
To recycle your old water heater, contact the company hauling your residential refuse. Contracts and service are different in each Ventura County city, and some allow refuse haulers to charge for large items.
For example, the county's unincorporated area refuse haulers offer free collections twice per calendar year for bulky items unable to fit into curbside carts. However, haulers are allowed to charge for items over six feet in dimension or weighing over 80 pounds.
To learn more, visit www.energystar.gov and energyeducation.ca/encyclopedia/Appliance.
Eco-tip is written by David Goldstein, an environmental resource analyst for the Ventura County Public Works Agency. He can be reached at 805-658-4312 or david.goldstein@ventura.org.
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Why I live a zero waste life | Lauren Singer | TEDxTeen
Jamelle J. McBride, 32, and Brenden Butler, 22, were arrested after a search of the home on the 16000 block of Josef Drive, executed by sheriff's detectives and representatives of the United States Secret Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, Illinois Department of Revenue, Lake Forest Police Department and the Chicago Police Department.
DETROIT (AP) — The United Auto Workers said it has accepted an offer on a lakefront house in northern Michigan, three months after federal prosecutors warned that it could be confiscated as part of a corruption investigation.
Cabin 4 at a UAW conference center on Black Lake was being built for former union President Dennis Williams, who retired in 2018. The home's design plan included granite counters, stainless-steel appliances, a fireplace, wine cooler and a hidden storage room.
While the property was listed at $1.3 million, the U.S. Attorney's Office in March filed an affidavit in Cheboygan County, warning that the government had facts that could terminate an interest in the property.
Property traced to law violations is "subject to forfeiture to the United States," the affidavit states without disclosing any other details.
"It is common for the government to file one on any property they believe may be involved in a crime," explained Jorin Rubin, a Detroit-area lawyer who specializes in forfeiture law.
UAW spokesman Brian Rothenberg said the buyer has no affiliation with the UAW. He didn't disclose a price.
Gina Balaya, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office, said the affidavit on the property will be removed "at the appropriate time." She said the deal requires some local and state approval because of lake access and land division.
"We have absolutely no reason to believe the government is interested in blocking the sale, and we have been working cooperatively with the government to finalize the sale," Rothenberg said.
The government's corruption probe has greatly embarrassed the UAW. Ten union officials and a late official's spouse have pleaded guilty since 2017, including Gary Jones, who succeeded Williams as president and served for roughly 18 months.
Some officials used union dues for golf, lodging and fancy meals, while others tapped cash from a Fiat Chrysler-UAW training center with approval from an FCA executive. Still others took kickbacks from union contractors.
Williams has not been charged but his California home was searched last summer.
"This is the right thing to do," UAW President Rory Gamble said of the sale. "We committed to this as part of our comprehensive reforms, and I believe the government agrees that the sale of Cabin 4 should go forward to an independent buyer and the proceeds from the sale should go back to what our membership intended it be used for to begin with."
SAN MATEO, CA — This light filled ground floor, end unit condo, is remodeled with luxury finishes and its own private wrap around yard, making it feel like a single family home.
A large, eat-in kitchen featuring custom cabinets, Calcutta marble counters, stainless steel appliances, and a built in desk, and the yard has a Trex deck and wrap around patio that's accessible from nearly every room.
View 35 photos
Address: 10 9th Ave Apt 101, San Mateo, California
Price: $1,398,000
Square Feet: 1731
Bedrooms: 2
Bathrooms: 2 Baths
Built: 1983
Features: Welcome to the Royal Oaks located in one of San Mateo's most popular neighborhoods, Hayward Park. This light filled ground floor, end unit condo, is remodeled with luxury finishes and its own private wrap around yard, making it feel like a single family home. A large, eat-in kitchen featuring custom cabinets, Calcutta marble counters, stainless steel appliances, & built in desk. The spacious living room/dining room is open w/ a wet bar, wine refrigerator & gas fireplace. 2 large bedrooms including a master suite. 2 bathrooms remodeled w/designer tile and custom cabinets with Carrara marble counters. The yard has a Trex deck & wrap around patio, accessible from nearly every room. Features: plantation shutters from San Francisco Shutter in-unit washer/dryer LED lighting high ceilings 2 car parking storage unit secure building. Walking distance to Central Park, downtown restaurants/shopping & Cal-Train. Close to 92, 101 & situated between Silicon Valley & San Francisco.
This listing originally appeared on realtor.com. For more information and photos, click here.
© Realtor.com 10 9th Ave Apt 101, San Mateo 
