Mergers & Acquisitions

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%.

San Jose, Calif. – PayPal has reportedly purchased CyActive, an Israel-based provider of predictive cybersecurity technology, for $60 million. According to Israeli media outlet Globes, CyActive uses an algorithm based on biology to forecast cyberthreats.

Goodlettsville, Tenn. -- Dollar General isn’t letting its failed bid for rival Family Dollar slow its momentum. On Saturday, Dollar General announced it is entering three new states: Oregon, Maine and Rhode Island. The expansion will give it stores in a total of 43 states nationwide.

Dollar General already operates more than 11,700 stores, but entry into the three new states gives it more greenfield expansion opportunities to pursue while Dollar Tree is busy integrating the recently acquired Family Dollar chain.

PetSmart’s investors have officially approved a buyout of the company by a private equity firm, setting up a payout to stockholders of $83 per share.

In December, PetSmart announced it accepted a bid on the company for $8.7 billion. The company expects the transaction to close on March 11. The buyout means PetSmart will become a private company.

Jackson, Miss. – Newk’s Eatery is entering the San Antonio, Texas area as part of a broader expansion plan that includes 30 new franchise and corporate stores in 2015. The fast-casual dining chain has signed a franchise agreement with Stephen Kuehler, who will lead the chain's expansion into the San Antonio area.

Loblaw is already Canada’s largest retailer and it plans to stay that way by spending more than $1 billion this year on new stores, e-commerce expansion and supply chain improvements.

As Canada's largest network of corporate and independently owned retail stores and formats, each employing between 20 and 300 employees, Loblaw's investment is expected to create more than 20,000 jobs through store staffing and construction.

Los Angeles -- Ron Johnson is sweet on teen fave Nasty Gal. The online edgy- fashion retailer recently closed $16 million in funding to support its growth. The round was led by former Apple retail chief and Penney CEO Ron Johnson, who also joined the company’s board.

Fort Worth, Texas – Video game retailer GameStop Corp. has reportedly bid on the leases of 163 stores that bankrupt consumer electronic chain RadioShack Corp. is abandoning as of March 1. According to Reuters, GameStop’s total bid equaled about $2.44 million, or $15,000 per lease.