Mergers & Acquisitions

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.

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.

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.

Beachwood, Ohio -- DDR has named a new financial chief, and the shopping center company reached from within its own ranks for the appointment. Luke J. Petherbridge, age 35, assumes the role of CFO effective immediately.
 
"Luke is an accomplished executive with a proven track record within our company, overseeing the balance sheet, fostering strong banking and capital partner relationships, and sourcing large scale transactions during his tenure with us," said David Oakes, president and CEO.

T2 STEPS ONTO THE GLOBAL STAGE

Australian specialty retailer T2 is looking to tap into the growing global market for premium teas — and it’s doing so with a style all its own. The company’s first international store, in London’s hip Shoreditch neighborhood, took top honors as the Store of the Year in the Retail Design Institute’s 2014 International Design Competition.

Putting aside all the challenges at Staples – weak demand, activist investor pressure to change its board and an uphill battle to acquire its largest competitor – one aspect of the company’s business is encouraging.

Although the company’s results for the fourth quarter were not good on either an as reported or adjusted basis, the commercial division achieve respectable sales growth and in the fourth quarter was the most profitable of Staples three business segments.

Framingham, Mass. – Staples Inc. underwent a difficult fourth quarter of fiscal 2014 as the company swung from a profit to a loss on special charges, faced investor pressure to change its board, sluggish sales and deal with fallout from its plan to acquire its largest competitor.  

Largest U.S. retail development to open since 2006

Perhaps nothing signifies the resurgence of the U.S. retail market, both on a macro and micro level, more than the long-delayed opening of Downtown Summerlin, in Las Vegas. Opened in October, the open-air center is the largest retail development to debut in the United States since the economic downturn. It has quickly ramped up to become not only one of the hottest retail destinations in the Las Vegas region, but in the entire Western part of the country.