Mergers & Acquisitions

Hangzhou, China – Nobody can accuse Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. of sitting back and resting on its past success.

The global e-commerce giant is constantly making investments and launching new businesses, and in the past 24 hours has made two new business moves of significant interest to its online retailing competitors.

New York -- Blue Apron. Dollar Shave Club. Real Real. Honest Company. All start-ups, all relative newcomers to the retail scene,  and all generating big buzz and sale increases — enough to place them among the top 20 fastest-growing e-retailers in a recent survey. What’s more, they are all pure players (at least for now).

Here’s a brief snapshot of these four up and comers:
 

Photo: Central Valley Marketplace, Ceres, California

Kenosha, Wis. – Some things are traditionally assumed not to mix – oil and water, cats and dogs, finance and IT. While the CFO has been taking a more active role in high-level IT decision-making in recent years, vertical apparel retailer Jockey International Inc. mixes money with technology more than most of its competitors.

The Wall Street Journal reports that privately held Jockey recently hired Dain Bussewitz, former VP of finance at Abercrombie & Fitch, to assume the combined role of CIO and CFO.

Auburn, Ala. -- Merchants Retail Partners recently led the acquisition of Flint’s Crossing in Auburn, Alabama, on behalf of its related investment partner. The 100,000-sq.-ft. shopping center is anchored by gourmet grocer EarthFare and Panera Bread.

Roanoke, Va. – Advance Auto Parts Inc. is shifting into high gear when it comes to finance. The retailer has been selected to join the prestigious Standard & Poor’s (S&P) 500 stock index at the close of business July 8, replacing Family Dollar Stores Inc.

Oakbrook, Ill. -- InvenTrust Properties Corp. announced a series of appointments to its senior management team. The new appointments, effective immediately, are as follows:

· James Christensen has been named senior VP of asset management.
 
· Chris Dykstra has been named senior VP of property management.
 
· Nicole Horne has been named VP of transactions.
 

Seattle -- Nordstrom remains on the move with its off-price division.