Mergers & Acquisitions

Phoenix – PetSmart on Wednesday named industry veteran Michael J. Massey as its president and CEO, effective immediately. Massey, who most recently served as CEO and president of Collective Brands Inc., replaces David Lenhardt, who stepped down upon the closing of private equity firm BC Partners’s acquisition of the pet supplies retailer.  Also, BC Partners managing partner Raymond Svider has been appointed non-executive chairman.

Alexandria, Va. -- The ranks of the nation’s convenience stores continue to grow, increasing to 152,794 stores at year end, up nearly 1% from the year prior, according to the 2015 NACS/Nielsen Convenience Industry Store Count. And 2015 is expected to be another busy year: Pennsylvania-based Sheetz plans to open 30 locations in 2015. The chain, which recently opened its 500th location, has said it now sees the potential to double in size.

Dublin, Calif. -- Ross Stores recently opened 32 Ross Dress for Less stores and five dd’s Discounts locations across 15 different states. The openings are part of the off-price retailer’s 2015 expansion plans to open a total of approximately 90 stores in 2015 (70 Ross and 20 dd’s Discounts).

As PetSmart officially changes ownership and goes private, the company is also making a leadership move.

The retailer has named retail industry veteran Michael J. Massey as its president and CEO, effective immediately. Massey, who most recently served as CEO and president of Collective Brands Inc., replaces David Lenhardt, who stepped down upon the closing of private equity firm BC Partners’s acquisition of the pet supplies retailer.

Increased sales at Famous Footwear and the divestiture of its Shoes.com website helped Brown Shoe increase profits in the fourth quarter.

Brown Shoe Company reported that same store sales increased 4%, while profit was $16.2 million, or 37 cents a share, for the fourth quarter that ended Jan. 31, up from $6.2 million a year earlier. Adjusted earnings totaled $9 million in the quarter, or 20 cents a share, up from $6.2 million a share, or 14 cents a share, a year earlier. Net sales rose 2.6 percent in the quarter to $615.4 million.

Cary, N.C. -- The Pantry moved one step closer to its merger with Canada’s Alimentation Couche-Tard as Pantry stockholders approved the merger agreement at a special meeting on March 10.

The stockholders cast 19,725,407 votes for the deal and 71,442 votes against the deal, with 34,806 abstaining, according to documents The Pantry filed with the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC).

Dallas -- Neiman Marcus Group swung to a profit in the second quarter, helped by a 15% increase in online sales and its acquisition of Germany luxury online retailer MyTheresa.

The upscale retailer reported a profit of $27.8 million in the quarter ended Jan. 31, compared with a loss of $84.0 million in the year-ago period. (Neiman’s loss last year was partially credited to expenses related to

Revenue grew to $1.52 billion from $1.43 billion in the prior-year period. Same-store sales and online sales rose 5.6%.

New York – Cost-cutting and margin improvement in the struggling Nook e-reader segment helped Barnes & Noble Inc. boost consolidated net earnings 14% to $72 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2015, compared to $63 million in the year-ago period.    

Consolidated revenue slipped 1% to $1.39 billion from $1.4 billion. Same store sales at Barnes & Noble Inc. (excluding Nook) increased 1.7%.

Ankeny, Iowa – Casey’s General Stores Inc. beat Wall Street estimates with net income of $39.2 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2014, more than triple $12.65 million earned in the year-ago period. Steady decline in wholesale fuel costs and rising inside sales helped Casey’s achieve impressive profit growth.

Casey’s currently has 26 new and 11 replacement stores under construction. The retailer’s annual goal is to build or acquire 72 to 108 stores and replace 25 existing stores.

As Barnes & Noble tries to write a new, more profitable chapter by spinning off its college division, the company reported that its Nook division is still weighing on revenue. 

The company said same store sales at Barnes & Noble Inc. (excluding Nook) increased 1.7% in the third quarter, which ended Jan. 31. Analysts had estimated a 1% decline. Taking Nook sales into account, same store sales declined .3%. Third quarter revenue of $1.96 billion declined $35 million as compared to the prior year.