Federal grant

Federal grant

SALEM

Hunt Valve Co. Inc., 1913 E. State St., dba Union Flonetics, won a $46,026 federal contract from the Defense Logistics Agency to manufacture safety-relief valves.

March Mixer set

CANFIELD

Mahoning Valley Young Professionals and HBK CPAs & Consultants will have a March Mixer from 5:30 to 8 p.m. March 21 at HBK’s office, 6603 Summit Drive.

There will be networking, food, drinks and college basketball on HBK’s dual 150-inch projection screens.

Contact info@mvypclub.com for information.

Record price for new car: Bugatti sells for $18.9M

GENEVA

The most expensive new car ever sold is a one-off Bugatti luxury sports car that has gone for $18.9 million.

“La Voiture Noire” – French for “The Black Car” – is a low-slung sports car with a huge 16-cylinder engine and Bugatti’s trademark front grille.

The manufacturer unveiled it at the Geneva auto show this week, and said Thursday that it had been sold at what it and industry experts said was a record price for a new car.

The identity of the buyer was not revealed, though the buzz surrounding the move will have burnished Bugatti’s image as a maker of luxury trophy cars.

Apple CEO trumps Trump, reframing his name game

SAN FRANCISCO

To President Donald Trump, it was an awkward slip of the lip. To Apple CEO Tim Cook, it was an opportunity to poke some sly fun at a president who has often clashed with the tech industry.

A day after Trump mistakenly referred to Cook at a White House meeting as “Tim Apple” – an understandable slip, perhaps, coming from the owner of the Trump Organization – Cook quietly altered his Twitter profile, replacing his last name with the Apple logo.

Cook didn’t publicly acknowledge the change, but it didn’t take long for Apple fans to notice and spread the word.

Kroger shares plummet on weak Q4 sales, profits

CINCINNATI

Kroger’s costly modernization plan may eventually help it compete with retailers like Walmart. But in the meantime, it’s a big drag on profits.

The supermarket chain’s shares fell sharply Thursday after it reported weaker-than-expected fourth quarter earnings and disappointing guidance for 2019.

At issue is its three-year Restock Kroger initiative, which aims to increase digital sales, equip stores with pickup and delivery, improve store layouts and invest in popular brands.

Kroger invested $3 billion last year and expects to at least match that this year. But sales dropped 9.5 percent in the final three months of the year to $28.1 billion.

Staff/wire report