Business Hall of Shame

Lululemon and JC Penney shamefully rank among most-hated companies in America

The axiom that any press is good press is likely little comfort to Lululemon and JC Penney, who both landed on the list of the 10 most-hated companies in America by 24/7 Wall St.

The embattled yoga clothier took the No. 8 spot, sliding in between JP Morgan Chase and BlackBerry. In its ranking, the site notes that the once-beloved Lululemon has fallen on hard times thanks to a host of public relations controversies.

"JC Penney has probably made more operational and strategic mistakes than any other large publicly traded company in America," 24/7 Wall St. reports.

Lululemon's see-through pants and flippant window displays gave way to financial woes, and founder Chip Wilson resigned as chairman in December following a tumultuous 2013. CEO Christine Day and chief product officer Sheree Waterson also left the company amid controversy.

Meanwhile, Plano-based JC Penney ranked No. 10. "JC Penney has probably made more operational and strategic mistakes than any other large publicly traded company in America," 24/7 Wall St. reports.

The failed marketing and merchandising methods under CEO Ron Johnson alienated customers and led to a 25 percent dip in revenue. When your biggest claim to fame is a teapot resembling Hitler, it's safe to say your business model is in trouble.

Other notable companies on the dishonor roll include McDonald's (No. 1), Abercrombie & Fitch (No. 2), Dish Network (No. 5) and Walmart (No. 6).

Lululemon is the No. 8 most-hated company in America.

Lululemon Athletica, yoga pants, see-through

Lululemon Athletica Flickr

Lululemon is the No. 8 most-hated company in America.

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Fun times in the city

Dallas swings a spot on new list of most fun cities in U.S. for 2024

Topgolf Facebook

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Dallas just wants to have fun, according to WalletHub's new ranking of the most fun cities in America in 2024.

The annual report ranked Dallas No. 31 out of 182 U.S. cities.

WalletHub's experts compared each city using 65 metrics to determine their level of "fun." Metrics were split among three main categories: entertainment and recreation, nightlife and parties, and cost.

According to the study's findings, Dallas was 24th nationally in the category for nightlife and parties, and ranked No. 39 in the "entertainment and recreation" category. That may be especially alluring for anyone who wants to explore the city's vast entertainment opportunities (especially during the holiday season), family-friendly recreational activities, top dining destinations, and more. Plus, Dallas is home to entertainment juggernauts like the State Fair of Texas and TopGolf.

Dallas performed poorly in the overall cost category, earning No. 114 out of all 182 cities. However, this category mostly compares flat costs rather than affordability based on local cost of living.

Potential new Dallasites should do their research before deciding to move here, rather than basing their decision on short trips and vacations alone. But we won't blame them for wanting to live in one of the best cities in the world.

"The top cities offer affordable options for year-round fun for their residents, which is good for residents’ wallets and their mental health," said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo in the report.

Austin (No. 6) and Houston (No. 9) were the only Texas cities to earn a spot in the top 10 most fun U.S. cities list. Austin moved up one spot from last year, while Houston made a 10-place jump.

Other fun-filled Texas cities that made it in the top 100 are El Paso (No. 53), Fort Worth (No. 55), Plano (No. 78), Arlington (No. 79), and Corpus Christi (No. 99).

The top 10 most fun U.S. cities are:

No. 1 – Las Vegas, Nevada
No. 2 – Orlando, Florida
No. 3 – Miami, Florida
No. 4 – Atlanta, Georgia
No. 5 – New Orleans, Louisiana
No. 6 – Austin, Texas
No. 7 – San Francisco, California
No. 8 – Chicago, Illinois
No. 9 – Houston, Texas
No. 10 – New York City, New York

Cities were evaluated based on the number of attractions per capita, nightlife activities per capita, the average prices for eating at a restaurant or buying a movie ticket, and more. Data was sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau, The Trust for Public Land, and the Council for Community and Economic Research, among others.

dance clubs fun cities nightlife parties recreation wallethub

Business Hall of Shame

Lululemon and JC Penney shamefully rank among most-hated companies in America

Lululemon is the No. 8 most-hated company in America.

Fun times in the city

Dallas swings a spot on new list of most fun cities in U.S. for 2024

Where to drink in Dallas: 7 holiday drink specials for December

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