Featured Article

PACCAR Pricing Spineometer: 2 of 5 Vertebrae

By Tim J. Smith, PhD May 16, 2025

PACCAR, a multinational truck, parts, and financing company, had a negative 2024. Examining PACCAR’s Truck, Parts, and Other business specifically, revenue fell 5% to $31 billion and earnings before interest and taxes fell 17% to $4.5 billion over the last year. (This article excludes PACCAR’s financial services business and makes no comments regarding how pricing should be managed in that line of business.) A review of PACCAR’s 28 January 2025 earnings call…

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In This Issue

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Eastman Kodak — Another Corporate Icon Fights to Survive

By James T. Berger August 11, 2011

The 2011 graveyard of dead icons might get another — Eastman Kodak. This 131-year old mainstay of Corporate America is struggling to survive. It recently posted a much higher than anticipated loss and lower revenues. It continues to struggle from selling film to selling digital camera and printers.

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Developing Nations: Pure Price Buyers or Not?

By Tim J. Smith, PhD August 11, 2011

Last year, a Malaysian executive told me that she must compete on price because Malaysians only buy on price. This year, an Indian executive told me that he only sells commodities because that’s what his nation buys. On both occasions, I countered with a strong push to find ways of meeting their customer’s needs better to reduce downward price pressures associated with selling commodities.

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Back to School Shopping – and Selling

By Tim J. Smith, PhD August 11, 2011

According to Ypulse research, teens and college age men spend more per shopping trip than young women ($94 vs. $81)? That’s because guys want to get in and out of stores fast, and avoid shopping for awhile.

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Pricing Can Be Hazardous To Your Career

By David Frankel August 11, 2011

As the global economy continues to be stressed and prices for all kinds of raw materials continue to rise, manufacturers are looking for ways to preserve profits. Although manufacturers are substituting materials where they can and locking in long-term contracts to protect themselves from price hikes, they may ultimately face the conundrum of passing along rising costs in the form of price increases to their customers. Will it work? Mixed results.

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