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United Airways sharply cuts flights to Asia, cancels investor day

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) – United Airways Holdings Inc (UAL.O) stated on Friday it was sharply slicing flights to Japan and South Korea, as vacationers frightened concerning the coronavirus outbreak slash ticket purchases for these locations.

It additionally canceled its investor day that had been attributable to be held on March 5.

With buyers firmly centered on how the corporate is managing the near-term affect of the coronavirus, United stated it was not “sensible to anticipate that it could possibly have a productive dialog centered on its long-term technique subsequent week.”

The occasion might be rescheduled for September.

Chicago-based United already withdrew its 2020 steerage this week attributable to uncertainty over the length and unfold of the virus. It warned that near-term demand to China has virtually disappeared, with demand for the remainder of its trans-Pacific routes down by 75%.

In consequence, the corporate is quickly decreasing flights from the U.S. mainland to Tokyo, Osaka, Singapore and Seoul and lengthening the suspension of U.S. flights to mainland China and Hong Kong by way of April 30, it stated on Friday.

The airline is slicing about two thirds of its flights to Seoul, almost a 3rd of flights to Japan and 40% of flights to Singapore. It’s also flying smaller planes on some routes.

Amongst U.S. airways, United has the most important worldwide publicity, drawing about 40% of its revenues from abroad flights.

Earlier this week, Delta lower South Korea flights in half, citing the outbreak.

United shares fell 5.2% on Friday, amid a widespread international share rout, and are down 21% over the past week.

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UBS CEO's pay slips to $1 million a month as Swiss financial institution's high bosses pocket $113 million

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ZURICH (Reuters) – UBS Chief Govt Sergio Ermotti, one among Europe’s finest paid bankers, earned 12.5 million francs in 2019, down from 14.1 million in 2018 after the financial institution was hit with a multi-billion-euro courtroom case and it missed earnings objectives.

The world’s greatest wealth supervisor for the wealthy revealed on Friday an government group, presently numbering 13, have been handed money, bonus and shares value 110 million francs ($113 million) throughout the yr.

The quantity contains an 8.2 million francs one-off award for its most high-profile rent of the yr, the brand new wealth administration co-head Iqbal Khan, who was given the sweetener on high of his wage to compensate him for misplaced advantages after shifting from rival Credit score Suisse.

The entire payouts are considerably bigger than these made in 2018 of just about 101 million francs, though the headcount of high administration grew throughout that point. Efficiency-related awards fell 14% per government.

Prime managers have as well as been given loans by the financial institution of greater than 30 million francs, the corporate mentioned.

UNDER PRESSURE

UBS is beneath strain following a conviction in France for serving to rich purchasers evade taxes. The financial institution denies wrongdoing and is interesting in opposition to the ruling that it ought to pay 4.5 billion euros in penalties. A courtroom enchantment is about for June.

Final yr, shareholders on the financial institution’s annual assembly confirmed their frustration by refusing to endorse the efficiency of the financial institution’s management, in a non-binding vote.

Investor proxy advisers additionally criticised excessive administration pay, given the financial institution’s current lacklustre efficiency. Buyers will collect once more on the annual assembly on April 29.

On Friday, the Swiss wealth supervisor unveiled an amended government bonus system, making an allowance for the French tax case, in addition to its shareholder and capital returns.

Payout of 1.5 million francs of Ermotti’s 2019 bonus and seven.three million of total government bonuses can be contingent on the result of the French courtroom case, the financial institution mentioned, whereas additional payout for senior managers would relaxation on reaching returns for shareholders and on capital over three years.

Ermotti is due to get replaced by ING head Ralph Hamers in November. Together with Roche boss Severin Schwan, Ermotti counts amongst Switzerland’s highest paid CEOs and one among Europe’s highest paid bankers.

The previous Merrill Lynch funding banker, who has led Switzerland’s greatest financial institution since 2011, earned plaudits for rebuilding it after a bailout throughout the monetary disaster and a dispute over U.S. tax cheats which tore down Swiss financial institution secrecy.

However UBS missed its revenue and value targets for 2019 and Ermotti pared again a number of the financial institution’s monetary objectives.

Its share worth has halved since a excessive of 22.5 francs in mid-2015, presently buying and selling at a stage final seen in 2012.

“Whereas we’re disillusioned with our share worth efficiency, we imagine the share worth motion in 2019 was considerably impacted by the result of the French cross-border matter and doesn’t replicate the numerous progress made,” the top of the board’s compensation committee, Julie Richardson, mentioned in a letter.

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Harley-Davidson appears for brand spanking new management to finish its gross sales battle

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(Reuters) – Harley-Davidson Inc (HOG.N) on Friday named a board member hailed for turning across the Puma model’s near-bankrupt enterprise as its interim chief because the motorbike maker gropes for an efficient technique to woo younger prospects and revive gross sales.

Jochen Zeitz was requested to take over after Chief Government Officer Matthew Levatich stepped down following the Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based firm’s worst gross sales efficiency in at the very least 16 years.

Harley-Davidson stated Zeitz will function interim CEO till an exterior search agency helps discover a new chief government.

Michael Uhlarik, founding father of consultancy Bike International, stated Levatich’s exit was anticipated. He stated Harley was doubtless to present Zeitz a long term as he has “confirmed turnaround” expertise.

Zeitz is well-known for reworking the loss-making Puma within the 1990s into one of many world’s prime three sports activities manufacturers.

“It’s not concerning the subsequent quarter or earnings per share,” Uhlarik stated. “They should construct a long-term, multi-year technique.”

Harley has failed for years to extend gross sales in america, its prime market, which accounts for greater than half of its bikes bought. As its tattooed, baby-boomer client base ages, the Milwaukee-based firm is discovering it difficult to draw new prospects.

Levatich, who took the corporate’s reins in Might 2015, guess on new launches, together with of battery-powered bikes, to show across the firm’s fortunes within the home market.

The outcomes, nevertheless, remained elusive.

Harley’s 2019 U.S. bike gross sales have been the bottom in at the very least 16 years. Falling gross sales up to now 12 quarters have compelled the corporate to restrict manufacturing of its bikes to stop worth low cost stress and shield revenue.

In 2019, Harley’s bike cargo quantity in america was the bottom in at the very least 20 years. International shipments have been the bottom since 2010.

With no gross sales revival in sight, buyers have been turning into stressed.

Since Levatich took the helm, Harley’s shares have fallen 46%. By comparability, the S&P 500 Index .SPX has gained 40%.

Falling gross sales have had made Wall Avenue speculate whether or not the corporate, which symbolized the counterculture motion of the 1960s, would search refuge in a buyout or flip personal to remodel its product traces and branding with out the stress from shareholders to protect its revenue margins.

Final month, Levatich tried to parry that query by expressing confidence within the present technique. However he additionally acknowledged that the challenges dealing with Harley have been “important” as its heavy and costly bikes have been competing for “individuals’s scarce time, individuals’s scarce funding and dedication.”

Levatich will help with the transition by way of the top of March, the corporate stated.

On Friday, Harley’s shares closed down 2.2% at $30.47.

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