If you’re running a small business, you might feel the pressure of uncertainty in our current economy. And because the range of possible outcomes can seem vast, is it even worth planning to manage your business differently during economic uncertainty? Or should we brace for impact and hope we’re still standing when it blows over? While Read More…
Small businesses – the heartbeat of the U.S. economy – are beginning to feel the pinch of tighter credit conditions as the Federal Reserve continues to increase borrowing costs. A flurry of headlines in recent weeks has suggested a credit crunch – meaning the availability of lending gets scarcer – is already happening. That’s in large part brought on by the actions of Read More…
Mullinax Irrigation & Construction Supply, which provides irrigation solutions and construction products from their headquarters in Sheridan, WY, recently announced the sale of their business to a new generation of ownership. Kevin Beagle and Dustin Frost, an Army and a National Guard Veteran, both with connections to the Billings business community, have purchased the company Read More…
Fintel reports that on April 28, 2023, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods maintained coverage of First Interstate BancSystem Inc. – (NASDAQ:FIBK) with a Market Perform recommendation. Analyst Price Forecast Suggests 40.35% Upside As of April 24, 2023, the average one-year price target for First Interstate BancSystem Inc. – is 37.01. The forecasts range from a low of 31.31 to a high of Read More…
If you’re running a small business, you might feel the pressure of uncertainty in our current economy. And because the range of possible outcomes can seem vast, is it even worth planning to manage your business differently during economic uncertainty? Or should we brace for impact and hope we’re still standing when it blows over? While Read More…
Small businesses – the heartbeat of the U.S. economy – are beginning to feel the pinch of tighter credit conditions as the Federal Reserve continues to increase borrowing costs. A flurry of headlines in recent weeks has suggested a credit crunch – meaning the availability of lending gets scarcer – is already happening. That’s in large part brought on by the actions of Read More…
Mullinax Irrigation & Construction Supply, which provides irrigation solutions and construction products from their headquarters in Sheridan, WY, recently announced the sale of their business to a new generation of ownership. Kevin Beagle and Dustin Frost, an Army and a National Guard Veteran, both with connections to the Billings business community, have purchased the company Read More…
Fintel reports that on April 28, 2023, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods maintained coverage of First Interstate BancSystem Inc. – (NASDAQ:FIBK) with a Market Perform recommendation. Analyst Price Forecast Suggests 40.35% Upside As of April 24, 2023, the average one-year price target for First Interstate BancSystem Inc. – is 37.01. The forecasts range from a low of 31.31 to a high of Read More…
NorthWestern Corporation d/b/a NorthWestern Energy (Nasdaq: NWE) today announced that Sherina Maye Edwards has been elected by the company’s shareholders to the Board of Directors, bringing extensive regulatory, legal, utility infrastructure and executive experience to the independent board. Edwards is the former Chief Strategy Officer of MasTec, Inc., a NYSE-listed infrastructure construction company and former Read More…
Oklahoma’s treasurer announced that the state will stop doing business with more than a dozen financial firms over accusations that they “boycott” the energy industry. Oklahoma Treasurer Todd Russ revealed the list of blacklisted firms on Wednesday and emphasized that they will end up losing access to billions of dollars from government entities as a result of the judgment. The Read More…
One of my 2023 energy predictions was “Total U.S. oil production will again rise, and set a new annual production record.” The previous annual record was set in 2019 at 12.3 million barrels per day (bpd). By the end of 2022 monthly production was just about back to that level following the devastating impact from Covid-19 in Read More…
The Supreme Court on Monday allowed lawsuits brought by municipalities seeking to hold energy companies accountable for climate change to move forward in a loss for business interests. The court turned away oil company appeals in five cases involving claims brought by cities and municipalities in Colorado, Maryland, California, Hawaii and Rhode Island as part of efforts to Read More…
ChatGPT, a conversational AI model built by OpenAI, is the most talked-about technology of 2023. And it has caught the attention of payments services providers keen to unlock the potential of the generative AI that powers it. Generative AI is set to revolutionize various sub-verticals within the payments industry. The most significant impact is expected Read More…
Two people familiar with the company told Business Insider that the headcount is “much lower” than the 1,500 employees CEO Elon Musk had told BBC News remained on staff, particularly when excluding remaining contract workers. The billionaire did not specify whether his total included such employees. The outlet said getting closer to 1,000 means Twitter’s workforce is Read More…
The major averages turned lower following Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s press conference. Investors seemed to have turned their attention to Powell’s comment that the rate-setting committee has “a view that inflation is going to come down not so quickly.”“It will take some time, and in that world, if that forecast is broadly right, it would Read More…
Governor Greg Gianforte received praise from industry leaders, business owners, and business advocates for his advocacy of a tax relief package, signed into law on March 13. Fulfilling his campaign promise to address the priorities of Montanans by offering them the largest tax cut in the state’s history, which includes both immediate tax rebates and Read More…
The Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting is May 6 in Omaha, Nebraska. Often referred to as Woodstock for capitalists, the meeting has become a highly anticipated event for investors, drawing thousands of attendees from around the world. At the Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting, Warren Buffett and his longtime business partner, Charlie Munger, spend several hours answering Read More…
The owner of the Taco Time on Main Street is looking for someone to buy the property due to declining sales. The Taco Time, first opened to great success in 1975 performed well during the pandemic with their drive-thru. But since the pandemic began winding down last year, so have their sales, said owner Steve Adams. Adams believes a lot Read More…
The University of Providence announced a partnership with Montana’s first medical school — Touro University of Osteopathic Medicine in Great Falls. The agreement with Touro will allow UP to offer students a Biology degree with a Health Professions concentration. Students enrolled in the program will be guaranteed an admissions interview (if GPA requirements are met) Read More…
Governor Greg Gianforte today announced that Montana exceeded his goal for adding good-paying jobs to the economy in 2021, which he set at the beginning of last year. Montana Department of Labor & Industry (DLI) data show the state added just under 13,000 jobs paying over $50,000 in 2021, easily surpassing the governor’s goal of Read More…
When Brittain Kovac and Josh Schukman bought their first 1988 Airstream trailer in 2016 to live in while they worked traveling jobs, they fell in love with the vintage living space and the era it was designed in. Over the years, they acquired five Airstreams from Kansas City, Arizona and the Yaak, moving each of Read More…
Amid record low unemployment it’s hard to find employees in Montana, not just the Flathead Valley. Still, the work is ongoing locally to promote strategies that can help businesses keep the employees they already have. Montana’s unemployment rate is the fifth-lowest in the nation, dropping from 2.7% in January to 2.6% in February, according to Read More…
The recent surge in gas prices is fueling operational adjustments across the Flathead Valley business landscape. Donny Stevens, who runs a Columbia Falls trucking company, said his biweekly bill increased by $5,000 from one statement to the next. “It’s affecting us big-time,” Stevens said. READ THE FULL STORY
While Montana Rail Link will be getting out of the railroad business by shifting operations to Burlington Northern Santa Fe, the Missoula-based company will still control considerable real estate. That includes some important, but currently unused branch lines in Western Montana. During the most recent meeting of the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority (BSPRA), spokesman Jon Bennion explained Read More…
Two major U.S. automakers are calling out car dealers for allegedly jacking up prices beyond sticker value and ripping off customers. Ford and General Motors warned dealers to stop exploiting supply chain shortages by setting prices above the manufacturers’ suggested retail prices, or MSRP. “We have very good knowledge of who they are,” Ford CEO Jim Farley said while unveiling the company’s latest quarterly Read More…
A great employee benefits broker has to predict trends in the market and analyze data to find the best solutions in a complex environment. Constantly changing regulations across multiple states makes this a challenge for even the best broker — but Shannon Jensen has it figured out. One HR manager leading a large multistate team Read More…
The road back to normal is still a bumpy one for many businesses. For Helena heavy equipment dealer Empire Equipment Company they’re taking on the challenges as they come. “It’s been pretty difficult,” Empire Equipment Company General Manager Krista Marshall told MTN. “Luckily our manufacturers have been well established at getting parts from Europe to North America. Read More…
The National Restaurant Association is asking Congress to replenish the Restaurant Revitalization Fund as the Covid omicron variant hits operators’ businesses. Last year, lawmakers created the $28.6 billion fund to aid bars and restaurants struggling in the wake of the pandemic. The grants were designed to make up for a restaurant’s full pandemic losses of up Read More…
HELENA — Marks Lumber is closing down for renovations to their Lumber Mill. They plan to be closed starting in mid-April for 8-10 weeks. The lumber mill is replacing an edger and a trimmer. The current equipment they have doesn’t allow for as many cutting options and isn’t always reliable. The new equipment will give Read More…
Facebook has patented a new technology for an “authentic” robot eye. The idea, granted in December, would let the social media company build a “high performing and realistic” eyeball that would be like an “animatronic device” to track humans’ eye movements. Tracking eye movements is used in digital ads to detect what people look at, as Read More…
WASHINGTON — With workers quitting their jobs in record numbers across the United States, employers are getting creative with their offerings to attract and retain talent. Many are providing more money and benefits amid a nationwide labor shortage that has worsened supply chain shortages and hampered businesses, especially those that employ front-line workers. In Arizona, one Read More…
MISSOULA — BNSF Railway is taking over operations and maintenance of Montana Rail Link following the end of a long-term lease with the company. A letter to MRL employees Monday from President Derek Ollmann states the decision was “made after a great deal of thought including securing BNSF’s commitment to continue employment for all MRL Read More…
Apple Inc. Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook received almost $100 million in compensation in 2021, a year in which he completed 10 years as the company’s CEO and led the iPhone maker to record profits during a global pandemic. His $98.7 million pay package rose more than 500% compared with the previous year’s $14.8 million, Read More…
Liberty Global, the largest international TV and broadband company, is standing by embattled board member John W. Dick, saying he serves in good standing. Dick has become embroiled in a dispute over allegedly stolen assets that has generated headlines around the world as his daughter has accused him of theft and of looting assets from Read More…
Walmart faces mounting criticism on Chinese social media platforms from users who allege the retail giant has stopped offering products from Xinjiang province in its China-based stores, according to a report Monday. The viral backlash began last week, with users on Weibo and other platforms posting images claiming products made in Xinjiang weren’t available at Read More…
This past fall, Lululemon’s design team noticed something unusual. Wall Street bros were flocking to the Brookfield Place store in the Financial District to buy the On the Move trousers, which look like chinos but are made from the same soft, stretchy, moisture-wicking material used in the brand’s activewear. That’s right: Finance execs were finally ditching their Read More…
Endpoint Utility Corporation is a small local tech company born from some of the biggest businesses in the global market. The IT service provider was founded in the Flathead Valley by four partners who cut their teeth at big-name businesses such as Microsoft and McDonald’s. Their focus is on making information technology solutions accessible to Read More…
GREAT FALLS — The Honey Hippo Play Café, opening soon in Great Falls, is an indoor playground that doubles as a coffee bar. Owner Laura Ewalt has been a stay at home mom for the better half of 10 years. Recently, after her son didn’t quite make the age limit for preschool, she decided that Read More…
BIG SKY, Mont., Dec. 15, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Montage Hotels & Resorts today announced the opening of Montage Big Sky, a modern alpine retreat offering an elevated spirit of comfort and distinctive amenities that epitomize today’s sense of luxury, in an idyllic location for year-round adventures in Southwest Montana. The resort is located less than an hour from Yellowstone National Park and surrounded by Read More…
Kraft is experiencing a shortage of their cream cheese product, and they’re taking the opportunity to craft up some holiday marketing. The deal stems from a shortage of Kraft-owned Philadelphia Cream Cheese. Kraft is offering customers who couldn’t find the special ingredient to get some money back for another baked good. READ FULL STORY
The internet hasn’t turned out the way it was supposed to. In its earliest incarnation, before some Wall Street Journal readers were born and the rest had fewer automatically renewing digital subscriptions, it was supposed to be distributed, user-controlled and, in a word, democratic. READ FULL STORY
HELENA — Lee Enterprises, the owner of several Montana newspapers, has rejected a bid by Alden Global Capital, LLC, a hedge fund, to purchase the company. Lee is the parent company of the Montana newspapers the Helena Independent Record, the Missoulian, the Billings Gazette, the Montana Standard and the Ravalli Republic. Alden was offering $24 Read More…
LAKESIDE, Mont. – With snow over the weekend and more in the forecast, Blacktail Mountain Ski Area is gearing up for its upcoming season. After announcing new ownership in November, some changes are coming to the mountain this ski season. General Manager Jessi Wood said they don’t have an opening day scheduled yet, but she’s Read More…
Shares of Lucid Motors tanked Monday morning after the electric car maker disclosed that its been slapped with a subpoena as part of an investigation into the merger that took Lucid public earlier this year. “On December 3, 2021, [Lucid] received a subpoena from the [Securities and Exchange Commission] requesting the production of certain documents related to an Read More…