Dow Chemical said yesterday that it failed to meet its fourth-quarter earnings estimate of 10 to 20 cents a share as a slowing economy pinched sales and cut margins.
Since raising the money, Merced Systems has gone 17 months without seeking another round, quickly increasing its sales while pinching every penny.
These little piranhas are nibbling at the multinationals' sales and pinching their best staff with stock options.To survive, giants like Glaxo must stretch their sales networks particularly in populous emerging markets where patent protection is weak.
Even sellers who are not financially pinched are considering fractional sales as an option.
Small operators are being pinched by rises in sales and income taxes designed to balance the budget.
Sales were pinched 1% by price reductions and 3% as a result of foreign currencies.
"Retailers aren't necessarily feeling the pinch from their suppliers' online sales efforts," said Dan Stanek, an analyst with TNS Retail Forward, a consulting firm.
Handset makers have already started to feel the pinch from slowing economies, with sales falling in Western Europe, but booming demand from emerging markets has so far balanced that out.
