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Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. investors have had a wild 2025 so far. Earlier this month, the beleaguered stock (Nasdaq: WBA) soared 25% after beating Q1 2025 expectations on revenue and earnings per share. Yet today, the companys stock is crashingWBA shares are currently down over 15% in early trading. But this stock price swing has nothing to do with sales. Instead, it likely has to do with Walgreens changes to its dividend payouts. Heres what you need to know. Why is Walgreens stock crashing? As of the time of this writing, Walgreens shares are down over 15% in early market trading. The reason for the crashing stock price likely has to do with a change the company announced to its dividend payouts. Todays WBA crash comes after the company announced yesterday that it would be suspending dividend payments to shareholders in order to better manage its capital allocation. This change in capital allocation is aimed at strengthening WBAs balance sheet by reducing debt over time and improving free cash flow, as the company works toward achieving a retail pharmacy-led turnaround underpinned by a sustainable economic model, the company said in a statement announcing the changes. The companys cash needs over the next several years, including with respect to litigation and debt refinancing, were important considerations as part of the decision to suspend the dividend. News of Walgreens pausing its dividend payments is historic. As the Associated Press notes, Walgreens has been making quarterly dividend payments to shareholders for nearly a century. What is a dividend? When it comes to the stock market, a dividend is usually a cash payment a company makes to shareholders. The payment is usually made every quarter and is deposited as cash in the shareholders brokerage account. A stockholder receives a set amount of cash for each share they own in the company. Many companies pay dividends, including tech giants like Apple and Nvidia. Dividends are a way to reward investors for their loyalty by allowing them to profit from the companys cash stockpiles directly. Dividends can also act as an incentive to hold onto a stock even if the stock itself isnt appreciating much in value, as investors are given a cash payout on a recurring schedulemeaning that simply owning the stock earns them recurring income. What does Walgreens pausing of its dividends mean? It suggests that the company is going to need all the cash it can get its hands on in order to implement its desired turnaround, which is aimed at reducing costs and increasing revenue. Instead of continuing to give cash directly to its investors, Walgreens believes that cash can be better spent on its turnaround effortswhich may benefit investors in the long run. However, many investors like to invest in stocks that offer dividends. And some of the share price fall in WGA seen this morning could represent some investors dumping their holdings since dividends are no longer being paid. But the stock price fall could also signal that Walgreens turnaround efforts are going to be more challenging and longer-lasting than many thought. That uncertainty may be causing some people to dump the stock this morning. WGA stock is still up for 2025 Today is the last trading day of January, but despite WGAs 15% drop in early trading, the stock is actually still up about 3.8% year-to-datemainly thanks to that 25% jump earlier this month. However, looking beyond the past month, theres no denying that Walgreens stock has been headed in the wrong direction for some time. Over the past 12 months, WGA stock is down more than 57%. Over the past five years, the stock has collapsed by around 81%. The pharmacy chain is facing a number of challenges, including decreased profits, increased online competition, and lower reimbursement rates for prescription drugs. As a result of some of these challenges, last year, the company announced plans to close as many as 1,200 stores.
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Apple has agreed to settle a class action lawsuit that alleged the iPhone maker sold early Apple Watch models that included batteries that could swell. The company has set aside $20 million to pay claims related to the suit. Heres what to know about the lawsuit and whether you are eligible to receive a cut of the payout. What is the Apple Watch class action lawsuit about? The class action lawsuit alleged that Apple sold its early Apple Watch models with an internal battery that could swell. According to the lawsuit settlement website, the swollen batteries violated consumer protection laws and breached warranties. Which Apple Match models are included? The class action lawsuit alleged that the swollen battery issue affected many of Apples earliest Apple Watch models. These models include: Apple Watch (First Generation) Apple Watch Series 1 Apple Watch Series 2 Apple Watch Series 3 Apple Watch models beyond the Series 3 are not included in the class action lawsuit or the settlement. What has Apple agreed to in the settlement? As part of the settlement, Apple has agreed to set up a $20 million settlement fund from which settlement claimants can receive compensation. In agreeing to enter into a settlement, Apple admitted to no wrongdoing and a court did not declare Apple was at fault. Companies frequently agree to settle class action suits instead of going to trial, as settlement agreements are frequently less than what it would cost a company to go to court. Fast Company has reached out to Apple for commment about the settlement. How much can I get from the settlement? If you are eligible to be considered a claimant under the settlement, the amount you will receive varies. It is estimated that claimants will receive at least $20 per Apple Watch that is covered under the settlement. Payouts are capped at a maximum of $50 per covered Apple Watch. The final amount a claimant will get depends on how many claimants are eligible for payment and how many Apple Watches are covered under the settlement that they owned. Who can receive a payout from the Apple Watch settlement? In order to receive a payout from the settlement, you must meet the qualifications to be considered a claimant. Those qualifications include: You must have owned one or more of the covered Apple Watch models (First Generation, Series 1, Series 2, or Series 3). You must have also previously reported issues that may have been related to battery swelling to Apple. Reports to Apple must have been made between April 24, 2015, and February 6, 2024. You must reside in the United States. How can I get my payment? You dont need to do anything to file a claim, as Apple will have a record of those who contacted the company to report potential battery swelling issues in covered Apple Watch models. However, you should make sure that Apple has your latest payment details so you can receive the payment if you are eligible. You can update your payment details on the official settlement website. The date you must confirm or update your payment information is April 25, 2025. Other dates apply if you want to exclude yourself from the settlement. Those who think they may be covered under the settlement should check out the official settlement website for full details, including how to opt out of the settlement. What’s the timeline for payments? First, a court has to approve the settlement. A final hearing date is set for April 10. At the hearing, the court will weigh factors such as whether the settlement is reasonable and if there are any objections.
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The victims of a crash between an American Airlines jet and an Army helicopter included teen figure skaters returning from a national meet with their mothers and coaches, an Ohio college student coming from her grandfather’s funeral, two Chinese nationals, and a group of hunters headed back from a guided trip in Kansas.They were among 60 travelers and four crew members on board the commercial flight late Wednesday when it collided with the Black Hawk helicopter, which was carrying three soldiers. Officials say there were no survivors.As the search for remains continued Thursday, communities grieved. Faith leaders held a vigil Thursday in the city council chambers.“The only way we will get through this is together,” said the Rev. Pamela Hughes Mason of Wichita’s St. Paul AME Church.American Airlines set up a hotline as well as centers in Washington and Wichita for people searching for information about family members who may have been aboard the downed flight. The hotline can be reached at 1-800 679 8215.Here’s what we know about some of the people killed in Wednesday night’s crash: From the Skating Club of Boston Skaters Jinna Han and Spencer Lane were among those killed, according to Doug Zeghibe, CEO of the Skating Club of Boston. Their mothers, Jin Han and Christine Lane, as well as their coaches Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov also died.Han and Lane, who was about 16, were returning from the U.S. Figure Skating Championships.“We watched Jinna just grow up here from just a tiny little tyke into this amazingly mature 13-year-old,” he said. “A great performer, a great competitor, and off the ice, a great kid.”Spencer Lane, who was from Barrington, Rhode Island, took part in his first professional show in December with Elin Schran’s company, Joy Skate Productions.“He started to discover this connection with the audience and that joy that he was giving to other people through his gift,” Schran said.In a statement, the Lane family recalled Christine Lane for both her singular talents and her dedication to parenting.“Christine exuded creativity throughout her life, using her formal graphic design training as a jumping-off point for seemingly endless creative pursuits across areas such as photography, quilting, knitting, and more. She brought even greater passion to her role as a mother to Spencer and his brother Milo,” the family said.Their coaches, Shishkova and Naumov, won the pairs title at the 1994 world championships in Chiba, Japan. The Russia-born pair also competed twice in the Olympics. More young athletes and coaches Skating organizations in Philadelphia and the Washington area also said some of their young athletes had been aboard the plane.Several athletes on the flight had attended a development camp held after the U.S. Figure Skating Championships ended Sunday in Wichita, Kansas.Wichita Skating Center manager Sean O’Reilly said the championships brought a “groundswell of positivity,” drawing enthusiastic parents and young athletes from across the U.S. He was “gutted” to learn some of those skaters had been killed.In Virginia’s Loudoun County, a coach at a skating club was also identified as among the passengers, Virginia Rep. Suhas Subramanyam confirmed. The club, Ashburn Ice House, said that its “figure skating community has been directly affected,” but did not give further details. Students and parents Cedarville University in Ohio said one of the passengers on the plane was Grace Maxwell, a junior majoring in mechanical engineering.Maxwell’s father, Dean Maxwell, said she was returning to campus from her home in Wichita, Kansas, after attending her grandfather’s funeral, The Wichita Eagle reported.Grace Maxwell had been working on project this semester to create a hand-stabilizing device to help a boy in the area feed himself instead of rely on others, the university said in a statement.“Grace was a quiet person with a keen interest in helping others through engineering,” said Tim Norman, who served as her secondary advisor.Three other students from schools in Fairfax County, Virginia, and six parents from the district were also on board the plane, superintendent Michelle Reid said in a letter to families. She did not identify them, but she said the students were from different schools and that two of the parents were current or former district staffers. Chinese citizens and a cop from the Philippines Philippine Police Col. Pergentino Malabed Jr., who headed the supply management division of the national police, was among the dead. He had traveled to the U.S. to inspect equipment the Philippines was planning to purchase for its 232,000-member force, according to the Philippine police.“His untimely passing is a profound loss to the Philippine National Police, where he served with honor, with integrity and dedication throughout his career,” police spokesperson Col. Randulf Tuao said in a statement.The Chinese Embassy in the U.S. said two Chinese nationals were also among the victims. It did not offer further details. The country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs offered its condolences for the crash victims and requested the U.S. to “promptly report any progress with the search and rescue, and find out the cause of the accident as soon as possible.” Hunters who were headed home from a trip Seven people returning from a guided hunting trip in Kansas were killed, according to a Facebook post by Fowl Plains, the guide service.The Fowl Plains team said they had grown close to the hunters on board the flight over the years and considered them to be family members. The post doesn’t identify the hunters by name, but it says they had spent the past week on a guided hunt, “laughing, talking about our families and sharing memories.”“Heartbroken is an understatement,” the company said. Members of a Maryland union Those killed also included four steamfitters, all members of a United Association union local in suburban Maryland, union leaders said in a social media post Thursday.“Our focus now is on providing support and care to the families of our Brothers as we continue to gather more information in the coming days,” said the post by UA General President Mark McManus and Chris Madello, the business manager of Local 602. From the military The victims also include three soldiers who were aboard the helicopter.Officials said their remains will be at Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. That office coordinates the dignified transfer of fallen service members.The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details not yet announced. No identities of the crew have been released.But the wife of one of the helicopter pilots said onFacebook that her husband, Andrew Eaves of Noxubee County Mississippi, was killed. In a phone call, Carrie Eaves confirmed the post was hers.“We ask that you pray for our family and friends and for all the other families that are suffering today. We ask for peace while we grieve,” her post read.The three soldiers were doing an annual night proficiency training flight, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said, adding they were a “fairly experienced crew.” Officials were notifying relatives, he said. John Hanna, Michael Casey, and Adam Geller, Associated Press
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