Pepsi’s big bottle return, U.S. Postal Service’s branch pruning

GOOD DAY FOR: Cola consolidation, after PepsiCo agreed to buy its two biggest bottlers, Pepsi Bottling Group and PepsiAmericas, for $7.8 billion. The half-cash and half-stock deal will give PepsiCo, the world’s No. 2 drink maker, direct distribution management for 80 percent of its drinks sold in North America. That will make Pepsi more flexible in responding to drinkers’ tastes, according to the company. (AP in Yahoo! Finance)

BAD DAY FOR: Postal service, after the U.S. Postal Regulatory Commission is looking at shuttering or altering service at more than 700 post office branches nationwide to close a $7 billion deficit. The U.S. Postal Service is evaluating 3,200 of its 23,741 stations and branches to pick out the ones for closure. USPS attributes is massive loss to increasing use of email. (USA Today)

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