Small Business
How 5 Small Firms Handle High Gas Prices
NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Small-business owners with fuel as a major expense are being forced these days to get more efficient. And most say that's not a bad thing.
Surging gas prices have topped the news for weeks as gas prices have crept toward $4 a gallon, with some bearish experts speculating we could see $5 per gallon by the summer. The unrest in the Middle East, causing crude oil to top $100 a barrel, as well as the United States' reluctance to so far tap its strategic reserves, has been hitting consumers and large and small businesses in the gut. But several small businesses say that as much as soaring gas prices cut into the bottom line, they're doing everything they can not to raise prices -- yet. Those initiatives include routing optimization, using more fuel efficient cars and trucks, considering other fuel alternatives and, in at least one case, using hedges to offset rising costs. "It definitely makes us look at every line item on the balance sheet and where we can trim," says Melissa Adelaine-Supernault, a partner and project coordinator at Michigan's Adelaine Construction. "It's constantly a balancing act. [We're] being as efficient as we can, but not jeopardizing our offerings to our customers." TheStreet spoke with five small companies for which fuel is a major expense and asked how they're handling the problem.TheStreet Premium Services
Jim Cramer's Action Alerts PLUS:
Trade right alongside a Wall Street pro — enjoy access to his Charitable Trust portfolio and be sent trade alerts BEFORE he makes a move. Learn MoreOptionsProfits:
Get 50+ trade ideas a week from the industry's top options experts. Plus — exclusive commentary on market trends and essential trading tools. Learn MoreReal Money:
Our team of professional Wall Street Pros — including Jim Cramer, Doug Kass, and Nicholas Vardy — delivers intelligent analysis, timely trade ideas, and colorful commentary. Learn MoreStocks Under $10:
Break into the market with small- and mid-cap stocks... all $10 or less! David Peltier tells you exactly which low-priced stocks he's buying and selling. Learn MoreTo begin commenting right away, you can log in below using your Disqus, Facebook, Twitter, OpenID or Yahoo login credentials. Alternatively, you can post a comment as a "guest" just by entering an email address. Your use of the commenting tool is subject to multiple terms of service/use and privacy policies - see here for more details.
blog comments powered by Disqus
| Dow Jones | S&P 500 | NASDAQ | 10-Year Note |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12,454.83 | 1,317.82 | 2,837.53 | 17.45 |
Oil *
107.26
|
|
DOWN
74.92 |
DOWN
2.86 |
DOWN
1.85 |
DOWN
0.14 |
10 Yr
1.74%
SPDR Gold
152.68
|
|
-0.60%
|
-0.22%
|
-0.07%
|
-0.80%
|
Data delayed 20 minutes |


Connect with TheStreet