Mergers & Acquisitions

New York City -- Borders Group hopes to name a bidder by July 1 and sell itself by the end of that month, according to bankruptcy court filings, the Associated Press reported. Forty stores previously targeted for closing are also getting a temporary reprieve.

The retailer said in papers filed Friday it plans to name a "stalking horse" bidder by July 1. The company said an auction is likely on July 19, with a sale hearing on July 22 and sale closing on July 29.

SAN JOSE, Calif. — eBay reported that it has completed its previously announced acquisition of GSI Commerce, a leading provider of e-commerce and interactive marketing services. The stockholders of GSI approved the adoption of the merger agreement with eBay at the special meeting of stockholders held on June 17 and the merger became effective later that day.

Bentonville, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores, announced Monday that the company has completed its investment for a 51% stake in South African-based Massmart Holdings Limited.

New York City -- J.C. Penney Co. on Monday detailed the timeline of its upcoming change in executive management with the news that current CEO and chairman Myron “Mike” Ullman will leave the company and the board in February 2012 after a three-month transition period during which he will hand over the reins in full to his successor, Apple retail guru Ron Johnson.

Target’s first stores in Canada are not scheduled to open until 2013, but this week the company can get a glimpse of what it’s up against when Walmart Canada president and CEO David Cheesewright is scheduled to speak at the Jefferies 2011 Global Consumer Conference.

Sam’s is enjoying some solid momentum these days, but a potential buyout of BJ’s Wholesale Club announced Friday morning could create some competitive issues in market where the companies operations overlap.

Of course, that assumes the private equity firms Leonard Green & Partners and CVC Capital Partners, the companies who have joined forces to take BJ’s private, are interested in growing the business and investing in operations as opposed to simply squeezing the 190 unit retailer for cash.

New York City -- A Thursday report in the New York Times said that activist investor William A. Ackman is pondering whether or not to raise capital for a new fund through an initial public offering.

Citing people familiar with the matter, the Times said that the head of Pershing Square Capital Management is planning to raise billions of dollars for a closed-end fund that would be listed on an exchange, but that the firm itself would not go public.