Mergers & Acquisitions

New York -- The nation’s premier luxury department store company wants to return to the public arena.

Neiman Marcus Group has filed plans for an initial public offering — for the second time in two years — of $100 million (the sum is a placeholder that doesn’t necessarily reflect the final offering amount.) The company said it would trade under the ticker symbol NMG.

Cleveland – Stark Enterprises announced the addition of Stark Capital Group. The new division will provide comprehensive real estate capital markets solutions with an emphasis on equity and debt placements, principal acquisitions and asset management. 

Nico Bolzan will serve as executive director of SCG. Bolzan will lead efforts to raise both equity and debt financing through a variety of private and institutional capital sources on a national level.  

Boot Barn says its integration of the Sheplers chain helped the company report is 23rd consecutive increase in quarterly same store sales.

Downers Grove, Ill. – FTD Companies Inc. was provided a substantial financial boost in the second quarter of fiscal 2015 as a result of its December 2014 acquisition of floral gifting company Provide Commerce. The added business helped almost quadruple net income to $17.8 million from $4.7 million in the same period the previous fiscal year.

Consolidated revenues were $365.8 million, roughly double $168.1 million. New revenue from Provide Commerce, as well as increases in consumer and florist revenue, drove the sales growth.

Fast-growing Kriser's Natural Pet store is expanding in the Chicago area as the retailer looks to leverage what has become a $58 billion industry.

Kriser's is bringing the natural pet movement to the west suburbs of Chicago with a grand opening in Naperville on Aug. 15-16, at 8 W. Gartner Rd., in the Naperville Plaza, across from Trader Joe's. A second grand opening will take place in Northbrook on Aug. 29-30, at the new North Shore 770 mixed-use complex, at 780 Skokie Blvd. alongside the new Mariano's.

San Francisco -- JLL has tapped an industry veteran from one of the world’s largest retail chains to drive its global business strategy and cross-border expansion.

The company named David Zoba as chairman of its Global Retail Leasing Board, effective immediately. Zoba brings 30 years of experience to the firm and most recently served as senior VP of global real estate and store development at Gap Inc., which he joined in 2009.

Pittsburgh – GNC Holdings Inc. is making moves to both buy stock and sell convertible notes.

The retailer has authorized a multi-year program to repurchase up to $500 million of its Class A common stock.

The authorization is in addition to the company's previous authorization, which currently has $242 million remaining. The repurchases are expected to take place during the next 24 months with the amount and timing determined by GNC.

Boca Raton, Fla. – Office Depot is accelerating its previously announced plan to close at least 400 stores as the retailer awaits its acquisition by Staples.

After shuttering a greater than expected 99 stores in the second quarter, Office Depot boosted its 2015 store closing target to 175 locations, with another 60 due to close in 2016. The closings are on top of 153 closings throughout 2014, including 108 stores in the fourth quarter of last year.