Latest Headlines

Amazon blows past forecasts; Churchill, not so much; as Ford, UPS disclose cascade of first-quarter earnings

Latest news, with a special focus on big Louisville employers; updated 4:50 p.m.

AMAZON just reported a huge first quarter, and its stock was recently soaring 12% in after-hours trading, to $675 a share (MarketWatch).

CHURCHILL DOWNS just released first-quarter results showing what appears to be a big miss on earnings per share: 16 cents vs. a Wall Street consensus forecast of 48 cents. But the $288 million in revenue was ahead of the consensus $275 million (forecasts). Here’s the press release. The company’s stock was unchanged in late trading.

FORD this morning delivered record first-quarter results amid strong truck sales, with net income more than doubling and operating margins in the core North American unit rivaling those of high-end luxury brands (MarketWatch); shares surged 1.6% to $13.88 in pre-market trading. Separately, Ford supplier Louisville Seating is planning a $13 million expansion in Shepherdsville that could add 170 jobs (Courier-Journal).

UPS beat first-quarter profit forecasts, but whiffed on revenue. (MarketWatch); premarket, shares rose less than 1%, to $106.90. HUMANA: Aetna reported a nearly 4% decline in first-quarter operating earnings as the health insurer lost members in its commercial business; Aetna has agreed to buy Humana for $37 billion, subject to a tough regulatory review (Reuters); Aetna shares were flat at $111.52, premarket.

Gibbs_rt
Gibbs

YUM‘s newly appointed CFO will get additional stock rights worth $500,000, which and will vest in four equal annual installments starting May 20, 2017 (SEC filing). David Gibbs was promoted to the job from CEO of Pizza Hut yesterday. Yum shares closed yesterday at $81.53, essentially flat.

GE: Qingdao-Haier Co. is making written offers to GE employees as the China-based company nears completion of its $5.4 billion purchase of the appliance maker (Business First).

In other news, AT&T is laying ultra-fast Internet fiber lines throughout Norton Commons, the 600-acre Northeast Louisville residential development. Work is expected to be finished by the end of the year, and comes as Google Fiber advances plans to offer the service city-wide (WFPL). And U.S. stock markets were headed for an ugly day; Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were plunging 140 points after the Bank of Japan’s surprise decision to keep monetary policy steady (CNBC).

Travel

It’s Rio for me-o, with a lofty $3,092 airline ticket

An occasional look at premium travel from Louisville.

Where: Rio de Janeiro. When: May 25-June 8. Airline: United. Route: Louisville to Houston to Rio. How much: $3,092 per person for business class. United reservations.

Related: TripAdvisor’s Rio page, where you can read more about the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue, pictured above. Airbnb Rio rentals. The luxe Copacabana Palace Hotel. And 36 hours in Rio.

Real Estate

$2M: ‘Crystal chandeliers in almost every room’

An occasional look at premium homes on the market.

The address: 4006 Glenview Ave., 40222. Asking price: $1,995,000. Listing agency: Gant Hill & Associates. Details: 

One of the most distinctive properties in Louisville, offering modern amenities with timeless elegance and design. Located in prestigious and bucolic Glenview, this majestic estate has more than 11,000 square-feet of iving area on more than five acres (listed on the National Registry of historical properties). The European-inspired porte-cochère flanked by limestone columns, hand-painted chinoiserie-inspired wall paper, and imported Scottish fireplace columns are among the many unique features. In the photo, above, the dining room has hand-painted murals by Italian artists. Susan Maloney of Maloney and Smith, the original interior designer, traveled the world searching unique items for the home, including crystal chandeliers in almost every room and coordinating the installation of seven fireplaces.

Bottom Line

Yes, the city of Louisville registers hundreds of tattoo artists
Tattoo map
The Highlands is tattoo central. Here’s a bigger map.

City Hall says: The Department of Public Health and Wellness regulates, certifies and inspects all body art studios, including tattoo, permanent make-up, body and ear piercing. We also register all body art artists in Louisville Metro. Recently tattoos and body piercing have become mainstream and are viewed by enthusiasts as expressive forms of body art. Louisville Metro has observed a gradual increase in certified studios over the past ten years. We certify approximately 51 studios annually including over 302 registered artists.

Before you think about becoming studio no. 52, consider the state regulations, which are nine pages long.

At Prophecy Ink, 907 Baxter Ave., consultations are free, the hourly rate is $100-$120, with a $60 minimum. Their motto: “Good tattoos aren’t cheap. Cheap tattoos aren’t good.”

Related: Yelp reviews of Louisville tattoo studios. Lots more about tattoos in Louisville.

Money in Politics
Bernie Sanders
Sanders

For the third consecutive month, Sen. Bernie Sanders raised more money in Kentucky than any other presidential candidate, according to a new report by the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting. The Vermont senator’s Kentucky contributions overall still trail former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s by about $92,000, “but he is making up ground fast,” writes James McNair.

Related: more news about Kentucky politics.