Business Hall of Shame
Lululemon and Walmart shamefully rank among most-hated companies in America
The axiom that any press is good press is likely little comfort to Lululemon, Wal-Mart and JC Penney, all of whom 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 right before 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.
Walmart also made the list at No. 6, something that shouldn't surprise anyone who keeps up with the news. In 2013, the mega retailer was criticized for not only failing their workers a living wage, but balking at the suggestion that they raise the minimum salary. (Glassdoor calculated that the average part time Walmart employee is paid $9 per hour.) Locally, some Austinites were outraged when it was revealed that WPC, LLC, Walmart's umbrella company, purchased Nuevo Leon on the east side.
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, of course, JP Morgan Chase (No. 7).