LOUISVILLE, KY. — Papa John’s International Inc. has reported its May sales were up 33.5 percent in the U.S. and Canada on a year-over-year basis, marking the second month in a row that the pizza chain recorded its highest sales on record, according to president and CEO Rob Lynch. The May sales period was recorded from April 27 to May 24, and the company said it will continue to provide monthly updates through the end of the second quarter. In April, the Louisville-based chain reported a 26.9 percent increase in sales. The introduction of contactless deliveries has helped spike sales, the company said in a press release. Additionally, Papa John’s reported a 7 percent increase in international sales during May. As of Sept. 29, 2019, Papa John’s had 3,296 locations in the U.S. and Canada and a total of 2,047 stores in 47 other countries.
CHATTANOOGA, TENN. — CBL Properties reports it collected 27 percent of billed cash rents in April as retail stores and restaurants closed due the COVID-19 outbreak. The Chattanooga-based mall owner said during its first quarter earnings report that a majority of its 68 properties closed in March due to the COVID-19 outbreak. As of May 25, 66 malls were reopened. CEO Stephen Lebovitz says he and his team anticipate collecting 25 to 30 percent of cash billed rents for the month of May. Lebovitz also said CBL granted rent abatements and deferrals to several tenants and expect to collect April and May rents later in 2020 and into 2021. CBL also reported that its same-center net operating income (NOI) declined 8.7 percent year-over-year in March. Additionally, in an effort to save cash, CBL delayed approximately $60 million to $80 million in expenditures and redevelopments for 2020. CBL owns 91 total properties in 26 states, including Mayfaire Town Centre in Wilmington, N.C.; Fayette Mall in Lexington, Ky.; Brookfield Square in Milwaukee; The Outlet Shops at Atlanta in Woodstock, Ga.; and CoolSprings Crossing in Franklin, Tenn.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The National Retail Federation (NRF) has shown its support for the Pandemic Risk Insurance Act (PRIA), a proposed bill that would establish a federal program to help businesses obtain insurance coverage for future pandemics. PRIA is based on a model of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA), which was enacted following the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and grants companies the ability to get insurance money from a terrorist attack. “The development of a public-private partnership to address this risk will provide certainty for businesses and organizations of all sizes and will ensure that we can meet future pandemic events with greater resilience,” says NRF vice president for government relations, banking and financial services Leon Buck. The bill was written with input from Washington, D.C.-based NRF, which says the potential funding would only cover future pandemics and not provide coverage for the current COVID-19 outbreak. The funding would reimburse insurers when claims related to a pandemic or epidemic exceed $250 million nationwide. Coverage would also be required for large gatherings, ranging from sporting events to concerts to conventions, that are canceled. The program would be capped at $750 billion. The bill has been assigned to the House Financial …
AUSTIN, TEXAS — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has issued a proclamation allowing the state’s water parks, driver education programs and food-court dining areas within shopping malls to resume operations at limited capacities. Beginning Friday, May 29, under Phase II of the state’s reopening plan, these establishments may reopen at 25 percent of their normal operating limits. All businesses must adhere to designated sanitation and social-distancing protocols as well. In addition, starting Sunday, May 31, recreational sports programs for adults can resume, but games and similar competitions may not begin until June 15. This announcement follows the governor’s plan to allow bars to reopen in advance of Memorial Day weekend.
OHIO — Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has formed Congregate Care Unified Response Teams to test residents and staff members for coronavirus within the state’s nursing homes. The teams, which include medically trained members of the Ohio National Guard, will begin testing this week. All nursing home staff will be tested. Testing of residents will be based on a clinically driven strategy that targets those who have likely been exposed to COVID-19. As of Tuesday, May 26, there were 33,006 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ohio and 2,002 deaths.
RICHMOND, VA. — Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam is expected to announce today that the Northern Virginia region will join the rest of the state in the Phase I reopening plan beginning Thursday, May 28. In a press release May 14, the governor said the state would begin to reopen May 15, although Northern Virginia leaders could delay that timeline for their respective municipalities if they felt it necessary due to a higher volume of COVID-19 cases. On Monday, 10 Northern Virginia officials, which included six mayors and four Chairpersons of Boards of Supervisors, sent a letter to Northam advising that they are ready to join Phase I of reopening the state. In the letter, the officials enclosed data from five public health directors that advised the region can join in the reopening phase. The new guidelines outline more relaxed restrictions, including upping the capacity of non-essential retail from a 10-person limit to 50 percent capacity; allowing restaurants to open outdoor seating with a 50 percent capacity limit; allowing places of worship to have a 50 percent capacity, up from its previous 10-person limit; fitness centers may operate outdoor classes; and allowing for personal grooming services to reopen to appointment-only customers.
ALBANY, N.Y. — Select retailers and additional regions in the state of New York will be allowed to reopen this week following improved conditions amid the COVID-19 health and economic crisis, according to a statement issued by Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Monday. In addition, the governor said that New York professional sports leagues may begin training camps for upcoming seasons, and that select Upstate beaches, camping grounds and veterinarian offices may now reopen. Lastly, the governor said that the Mid-Hudson and Long Island regions are on track to meet the state’s health guidelines to begin the process of reopening businesses this week. The requirements to reopen a region include a 14-day decline in hospitalizations and hospitalized deaths, fewer than two new hospitalizations per 100,000 residents, as well as several other requirements related to hospital capacity and testing availability. As of May 25, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported nearly 359,000 positive cases of the virus in the state of New York and more than 29,000 deaths.
MICHIGAN — Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has signed a statewide executive order to reopen retail businesses and auto dealerships by appointment starting Tuesday, May 26. The order also authorizes nonessential medical, dental and veterinary procedures starting Friday, May 29. Michigan residents are now able to gather in small groups of 10 people or less, as long as they practice social distancing. Businesses that open must provide COVID-19 training to workers.
NEW YORK CITY — Macy’s Inc. (NYSE: M) has forecasted an approximately $1.1 billion loss in operating income in the first quarter, which ended in early May, a result of both temporary and permanent store closings as well as significantly decreased patronage amid the COVID-19 outbreak, the company said on Thursday. As of this week, the company has reopened approximately 190 of its Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s shops and plans to reopen 80 more for the Memorial Day holiday weekend. At the close of 2019, Macy’s Inc. owned and operated a total of nearly 840 stores across its flagship and Bloomingdale’s brands. Prior to the health and economic crisis, Macy’s had announced plans to close 125 of its least productive stores over the next three years, beginning in February. As part of the plan, the retailer closed its offices in San Francisco, downtown Cincinnati and Lorain, Ohio, leaving the New York City office as its sole corporate headquarters. Macy’s stock price closed at $5.05 per share on May 20, compared with $21 per share at the same time last year. Macy’s Inc. will release its first quarter earning results on July 1.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — COVID-19 has continued to impact the U.S. economy as an additional 2.4 million Americans filed first-time unemployment claims in the week ending May 16, the U.S. Department of Labor reports. Since mid-March, 38.5 million people have filed first-time claims. The number for this week was inline with what economists surveyed by Dow Jones expected when they forecast 2.4 million claims. The latest number is a decrease of 249,000 claims from the week ending May 11, which was revised down from its original figure by 294,000 to nearly 2.7 million. The four-week moving average is just over 3 million claims, down by 501,000 from the previous four-week moving average. Despite the number of claims rising overall, the weekly figure has lessened for seven consecutive weeks, the Department of Labor found.