It's no secret that Stein Mart hasn't had the best of times in recent years; sales have been sliding downhill for a while as competition for discount goods become ever fiercer. As a basic rule, the lower Walmart and stores like it go with the prices for their own goods, the less room there is for a company like Stein Mart to turn a profit.
There were times when it looked like Stein Mart's days might be numbered, but the appointment of new business strategists at the beginning of 2018 seems to have saved them, followed up by the acquisition of $50m worth of loans in March to ease the short-term financial pressure. Digital sales are increasing dramatically as the company shifts its focus to internet-based trade. Stein Mart still posted a loss of $23.4m overall, but that's dramatically lower than was anticipated. The firm should survive.
To insure one’s house, one’s car or to underwrite a life insurance policy, that is common practice. But who would pay an insurance premium for his/her thumb, legs or smile? Stars, of course.
At the top of the ranking are the legs of Mariah Carey, worth 810 million USD: The diva became, in 2006, the Gillette brand muse for the advertising campaign «Legs of a Goddess». She then took out an insurance policy with London Lloyds to protect her legs, a decision that is far from being insignificant. Among its customers, the London insurer then included several icons of music, such as Bob Dylan or Rod Stewart.
David Beckham’s body insured for 195 million USD: European champion with Manchester United in 1999, David Beckham was in 2006 the most renowned footballer of the planet. In relation to his sporting activities, he took out an insurance cover for his legs. The huge amount paid for his insurance would reportedly exceed the 103 million USD disbursed by Real Madrid for the cover of Christiano Ronaldo in 2009. The fashion model would later extend his insurance cover to his entire body.
15 million USD in insurance for Kim Kardashian’s curves: The curves of Kim Kardashian are her number one beauty asset. The reality TV star, who is crazy about plastic surgery, has underwritten an insurance policy worth 15 million USD to protect her famous butt.
The culinary critic Egon Ronay assured his taste buds: The famous Hungarian culinary critic has insured his taste buds since 1957, for the amount of 400 000 USD. An original insurance policy which allows him to cover his sense of taste without which he will no longer be able to practice his job.