Word: quarters
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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...dentistry would completely collapse during a recession. Who wants to part with thousands of dollars just to look good? But some evidence suggests that this business is still healthy. For example, sales of Snap-on Smile, a cosmetic device that snaps over your teeth, rose 22.2% in the fourth quarter of '08 compared with the third quarter. December sales were 62% higher than those in October. The device costs between $2,500 and $4,000 for a full-mouth restoration, a much cheaper alternative than restorative veneers, which can cost $30,000 to $50,000. Snap-on Smile CEO Adam...
Dentistry is not pain-free. Willeford reports an overall fourth-quarter slowdown among the Academy of Dental CPAs' clients. These dentists serve patients across a broad socioeconomic spectrum. "We're seeing a lot more open appointment books through March," says Willeford. "If people keep losing jobs, we're going to edge off a cliff." Dr. Roger Levin, CEO of the Levin Group, a dental-management consultancy, is also very cautious. "Traditionally, it takes six to 12 months for economic trends to affect dental practice," he says. "The full impact of the downturn may be yet to come...
...sense that consumers will avoid a $25,000 purchase. Analysts and economists are trying to figure out how much people are willing to spend for almost everything. Will they buy a new refrigerator for $500 if their current model is old but not broken? The data from the last quarter indicate that they...
...been a grueling few weeks for American companies, but particularly so for Harley-Davidson, purveyor of bikes that easily top $30,000. Last month, the company reported that its fourth-quarter global sales fell 13.1%. Last year, its profits sank nearly 30%. And it's been a wipeout for investors: Harley-Davidson's stock price has plunged nearly 70%, to $11.96 a share in mid-February, from $37.34 a share one year ago. Americans haven't lost reverence for Harley-Davidson, but a key problem is that people are simply less willing to spend money on luxury items. Overall motorbike...
...rudderless finance ministry that Nakagawa's resignation leaves can't help an already dismal outlook for the Japanese economy. This week's figures show that Japan's economy contracted last quarter at an annualized rate of nearly 13%, exports were down nearly 14%, and that more layoffs are on the books for Japan Inc. But economists and experts predict the ramifications of Nakagawa's resignation won't be economic, but political. In a recent poll, Aso's support rate was 9.7% and many say he is teetering on losing control of the Liberal Democratic Party. "[The economy isn't] going...