Battery Is ‘an Industry in Permanent Decline’

choi

Serena Ng and Erin McCarthy, Batteries No Longer an ‘A’ Business. Wall Street Journal, May 1, 2014.
online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20140430-707921.html

Quote:

“Energizer Holdings Inc. said it plans to split into two publicly traded companies by separating its ailing battery business from its better performing Schick razors and other personal-care brands [namely: Playtex and Stayfree pads and tampons, and Banana Boat (also sunscreen) and Hawaiian Tropic sunscreen].

“Disposable batteries * * * have become an industry in permanent decline as consumers shift to smartphones and tablets that have rechargeable batteries built in.

“Energizer's battery business * * * has long ranked second to Procter & Gamble Co's Duracell brand

My comment:
(a) There is no need to read the rest, which is insubstantial.
(b) Eveready Battery Company, Inc was founded in 1896, changed its name to Energizer, after the same name of a brand (1968-1974) of its batteries.  Wikipedia
(c) The A in the title alludes to battery nomenclature
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battery_nomenclature
(section 4 ANSI battery nomenclature, section 4.1 Size and shape codes)