Mergers & Acquisitions

A new project has the possibility of positioning Albertsons for greater growth as the company aims to expand by buying back some of the stores it unloaded last year as a result of a deal with Safeway.

Albertsons has announced it has completed a $4.8 million renovation of the company's Culinary Kitchens & Technical Center in California. The project, which was in development before the Albertsons-Safeway merger was announced, came to fruition this month in a 33,000-square-foot facility in Dublin, Calif., near the company's Pleasanton corporate campus.

Alex Gourlay, Walgreens Boots Alliance's executive VP and Walgreens president, on Tuesday provided a snapshot of Walgreens U.S. market strategy, including how the proposed Rite Aid acquisition folds into that strategy, during the Credit Suisse 2015 Healthcare Conference here.

Same-day delivery provider Deliv is strengthening its position in the important New York market.

Deliv has acquired Zipments, a New York-based same-day delivery company. This gives Deliv more of a foothold and delivery density in New York City, one of the largest markets for same-day delivery in the country.

Zipments services brands such as Trina Turk, on-demand companies such as Casper, Handy, and Plated, local merchants such as B&H, Murray's Cheese and Epicerie Boulud, as well as large corporate clients who need to send packages across town.

Breaking the cycle of promotional ridiculousness at Jos. A. Bank is proving to be a far worse drag on sales and profits than parent company Men’s Wearhouse expected.

Men’s Wearhouse revealed the cost of breaking the promotional cycle at the acquired Jos. A. Bank stores on Nov. 6 when CEO Doug Ewert announced a huge downward revision to the combined company’s third quarter and full-year sales and profit outlook.

The Walgreens Boots Alliance/Rite Aid deal can pass Federal Trade Commission scrutiny with as little as 170 retail store divestitures, according to a proprietary analysis conducted by Credit Suisse, but the company will more likely be required to sell off some 950 stores.

While Whole Foods Market and The Fresh Market struggle to eke out sales growth and profit, Sprouts Farmers Market is quietly emerging as a perennial winner in the grocery sector.

Sprouts reported its third quarter results this week, and the company's financials exceeded company guidance and even Wall Street estimates.

The grocery chain reported results for the 13-week third quarter ended Sept. 27 that included:

• Net sales of $903.1 million, an 18% increase from the same period in 2014

Signet Jewelers has hired its first ever chief strategy officer to lead the jewelry company's transformation and future growth.

The world's largest retailer of diamond jewelry announced that Uta Werner has joined the company as Signet chief strategy officer. Werner will be responsible for strategy development and execution and will be focused on the identification of growth opportunities, strategic planning and mergers and acquisitions.

The Walgreens Boots Alliance/Rite Aid deal can pass Federal Trade Commission scrutiny with as little as 170 retail store divestitures, according to a proprietary analysis conducted by Credit Suisse, but the company will more likely be required to sell off some 950 stores.