Pandora A/S

Pandora, the Danish jewellery giant, has opened a new manufacturing plant in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, worth 150 million dollars, or about 4.8 billion baht. It is the company's first production base outside Thailand, which has long been its main manufacturing hub. The plant is expected to increase the company's overall production capacity by about 50%. It can produce up to 60 million pieces of jewellery a year and will employ around 7,000 people once fully operational. Berta de Pablos-Barbier, president and chief executive of Pandora, told CNBC that Asia remains a region with very strong potential, after sales in the region grew 10% in the second quarter. Its business in Japan has nearly doubled in size in just three years and is still growing at a high double-digit rate. The Chinese market, where sales had fallen for three consecutive years, is starting to show signs of recovery, and the company expects to return to growth there this year. Pandora is also pressing ahead with expanding its lab-grown diamond business, after finding that consumers are interested in alternative diamonds that are more affordable than mined diamonds. Lab-grown diamond production can cut carbon emissions by about 90% compared with mined diamonds, and the new factory in Vietnam also uses renewable energy, as well as recycled silver and gold, in line with the company's sustainability approach.

SiriusXM announced that Sean Gibbons has been promoted to Senior Vice President, Chief Product and Technology Officer, reporting to CEO Jennifer Witz and joining the Executive Leadership Team. Gibbons, who brings more than two decades of experience at the company, will lead product and technology across SiriusXM and Pandora, overseeing product strategy, engineering, distribution partnerships, and ad tech. His priorities include advancing SiriusXM with 360L, shaping the long-term technology roadmap, applying AI to improve personalization and customer service, and creating more dynamic in-car and streaming experiences. Gibbons joined Sirius in 2000 and has held leadership roles in product, engineering, automotive, and streaming, including founding the company's first Streaming organization.

Walt Disney's Pixar Animation Studios has cut 108 positions while the company reopened a refreshed Pandora jewelry shop at Disneyland Resort's Downtown Disney District. The moves underscore Disney's effort to streamline entertainment operations while continuing to invest in guest-facing retail experiences at its parks. The layoffs and retail refresh are incremental steps reflecting ongoing cost discipline and a focus on higher-return experiences, though they are unlikely to materially shift the near-term earnings picture. Bigger catalysts remain upcoming quarterly results, progress on restructuring under new CEO Josh D'Amaro, and how effectively capital returns support shareholder value after a long period of share price weakness.