Mergers & Acquisitions

Dollar General is set to grow its already considerable footprint through an acquisition.   The discounter will acquire all 323 stores from Dollar Express, according to the Charlotte Observer.    

Conn’s has found a new third-party lease-to-own partner.   The retailer said it has formed a partnership with Progressive Leasing, a subsidiary of Aaron’s, to provide lease-to-own payment solutions to customers who do not qualify for Conn’s proprietary credit offering.   Conn’s has entered into an exclusive three-year agreement with Progressive Leasing to offer Conn’s customers Progressive’s lease-to-own program.  

  A just-released analysis of the U.S. retail sector offers positive news for an industry that has been subject to some gloomy assessments in recent times.   Despite the rash of recent Chapter 11 filings and store closings, the U.S. retail sector as a whole remains incredibly strong and shows no signs of slowing down, according to a report by business intelligence firm Creditsafe USA.  

The latest move by Walgreens Boots Alliance in its pursuit of the Rite Aid may be a bet that a Trump-appointed FTC chief will finally push the deal through.  

The Jet Anywhere rewards program is preparing for its final descent.   As of May 1, Jet.com is pulling the plug on a program that rewards consumers for shopping on its retail portal. As shoppers enter the Jet Anywhere e-commerce portal, they can click through and shop at more than 600 retail partners, including Foot Locker, Land’s End, Saks Fifth Avenue, Lord & Taylor and Bloomingdales, among others.   

Rent-A-Center is taking another step toward repositioning the company for profitability.   The furniture retailer’s Acceptance Now division is terminating its referral agreement with Conn’s Appliances. These accounts consistently underperformed compared to the rest of its ANow portfolio in terms of delinquencies, losses and product returns.   

South Moon Under is on the move. The on-trend fashion retailer, which carries a variety of contemporary brands, will open its first stores in the South in April, with locations at Ponce City Market, Atlanta, and Avalon, Alpharetta, Georgia. In the fall, the company will open a store at Shops Around Lenox, Atlanta.