The health care hunker down
Wall Street Journal private-equity blogger Josh Beckerman theorizes that HCA's $1.75 million shareholder dividend is a sign the company may delay its expected IPO. Other moves in the sector suggest the "wait and see" attitude is shared:[HCA's] move follows on dividend recaps from a ton of other health-care companies, including fellow hospital operators Vanguard Health Systems Inc. and Iasis Healthcare, as well as pharmaceutical services company Quintiles Transanational Corp., making us think this entire sector is hunkering down to wait out the health-care storm. We know where they can get a good snow plow afterwards.See also: Vanguard and Iasis
Feb 1, 2010 10:28 AM
Nashville is most oversupplied housing market
Jan 27, 2010 12:02 PM
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On the possibility of a gas tax
The Journal's David Wessel says a big tax debate needs to start soon — and not just for folks who make $200,000 or more."Because taxing things we want people not to do — driving — makes a lot more sense than taxing things we do want them to do — working, save and invest."
Dec 29, 2009 9:19 AM
Our strength of schedule hurt us
The Wall Street Journal's annual list of the best cities for business is out and Nashville came in at 15, tied with Raleigh. Not too shabby, except last year the Music City was eighth. The WSJ changed its methodology, notably by expanding the list to metros with more than 500,000 people, rather than just the Top 50 largest cities. Bragging rights are still in effect, though: Nashville bested Memphis (30), Chattanooga (38) and Knoxville (52). Dec 16, 2009 3:12 PM
Upside-down rate goes inside out
First American CoreLogic released its quarterly negative-equity report today, saying 22.6 percent of the nation's mortgages as underwater — far lower than the second quarter. An encouraging sign on its face, except First American revised its methodology for determining when a mortgage does upside down.[The new] proprietary model ... factors in loan amortization and utilization rates for home equity lines of credit (HELOC), providing a more precise view of "underwater borrowers."Under the older methodology — which didn't use amortization or lines-of-credit data — the underwater rate would have been 33.8 percent. In Tennessee, things are much better by comparison. The report shows 13.2 percent of Tennesseans in a negative-equity situation. That is, however, higher than most of the eight states bordering Tennessee; only Georgia and Virginia were higher, both hovering near 24 percent (no data was available for Mississippi). The change in method paid big dividends for the Nashville area, too. First American reported 9.84 percent of area mortgages as underwater. Had the old method been used, the number jumps to 26.9 percent, up from the second-quarter's 25.4 percent. Check out the Wall Street Journal's coverage of this topic here.
Nov 24, 2009 12:43 PM
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WSJ: Gannett to cut hundreds more
The Wall Street Journal reports that Tennessean parent Gannett will lay off at least 1,000 workers in the coming days.The impending move, which follows several aggressive cost-cutting efforts by Gannett over the past year or so, reflects the gloomy near-term outlook for an advertising recovery. The publisher cut 4,600 jobs last year and followed that by requiring most of its remaining employees to take unpaid leave in the first and second quarters.
Jul 1, 2009 12:13 AM
WSJ: HCA might be going back for even more
Planned debt offering could triple in size
Apr 14, 2009 3:33 PM
Surgeons on tour
A Franklin resident is the face of a Wall Street Journal piece on locum tenens doctors traveling the land in search of operations."I'd much prefer to be in my hospital in my little town," says Dr. Peppers, who is now licensed in five states. "But I don't see how that's possible."
Jan 12, 2009 11:22 PM
The Journal on the 'other' U.S. auto industry
A primer and some good cocktail-party stats on the future of auto manufacturing in the United States from The Wall Street Journal's opinion team. Nov 30, 2008 11:33 PM
Morning Links: 29 October 2008
Nashville's housing market compared to other major cities, local insurer sells for $120M, Pinnacle growing again in Knoxville, BusinessWeek points out CHS' cash pile, and more...
Oct 28, 2008 10:01 PM
