Mergers & Acquisitions

New Orleans -- Smoothie King Franchises said Monday it plans to open 70 franchise and 30 corporate locations across the U.S. in 2013.

Since December 2012, the smoothie franchise has acquired six additional locations in Florida and Texas, bringing the total number of corporate stores to seven. The company also has opened six new franchise locations since the start of the year.

Digital coupon site, Coupons.com, has announced the public beta launch of KitchMe, a next-generation meal planning and savings web application. Free to use, the application is available at www.kitchme.com and can be used with desktop and mobile browsers. Coupons.com also announced the acquisition of KitchMe, the San Francisco-based startup that designed the application. Both co-founders of KitchMe, Stella Kleiman and Gene Reddick, have joined the Coupons.com team.

MINNEAPOLIS — Target announced that it will sell off about $209.3 million worth of debt as the company moves to refinance $679 million worth of debt due between 2028 and 2031, the mass merchandise retailer said.

Target announced plans to purchase $170 million in 6.75% debentures due 2028, $154.9 million in 6.65% debentures due 2028 and $354 million in 7% debentures due 2031.

The company said the $209.3 million tendered so far represented 20.31%, 25.22% and 38.32% of the totals of the three respective security titles.

The recent announcement that retail giant Walmart plans to open more than 100 of the brand’s Neighborhood Market stores in 2013, and as many as 500 Neighborhood Market locations over the next few years, has industry analysts and observers talking. They have my attention, as well.

FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif. — The Wet Seal reported that net sales for the fourth quarter were $161.7 million compared with net sales of $163.2 million for the 13-week fourth quarter in fiscal 2011.

Consolidated comparable-store sales declined 8.3%, including a comparable-store sales decline of 9.1% at Wet Seal and 3.1% at Arden B. 

Net loss was $85.8 million, or 97 cents per diluted share, as compared with net income of $1.1 million, or 1 cent per diluted share, in the prior year quarter. 

Bossier City, La. -- Garrison Investment Group of New York City announced it has acquired Louisiana Boardwalk, a 562,520-sq.-ft. open-air, mixed-use development on the waterfront of Bossier City, La.   

Garrison has retained outlet consultant EWB Development to lease and marketing the center as an outlet destination. The converted retail center will be relaunched as The Outlets at Louisiana Boardwalk.

Minneapolis -- Supervalu announced appointments to its executive team, including Janel Haugarth who will remain with the company as EVP and president of independent business and supply chain services. The announcement comes as Sam Duncan, Supervalu president and chief executive continues finalizing his leadership team following the sale of five retail banners to Cerberus-led investment group AB Acquisition LLC, a transaction that was completed on March 21.

In other appointments:

MINNEAPOLIS — Supervalu announced that Janel Haugarth who will remain with the company as EVP and president of independent business and supply chain services. The announcement comes as Sam Duncan, Supervalu president and chief executive officer, continues finalizing his leadership team following the sale of five retail banners to AB Acquisition LLC, a transaction that was completed on March 21.