The United Fruit Company was formed on March 30, 1899, the result of a merger between the nearly bankrupt Tropical Trading and Transport Company and Boston Fruit.
In the financial world, there are tons of indicators shareholders can use to watch Mr. Market. Some of the most underrated are hedge fund and insider trading activity.
The banana business is a tough one, with low margins and a product that can't be differentiated from another (ie, a commodity). For Chiquita Brands International, Inc.