Mergers & Acquisitions

New York – Through its Barnes & Noble Education subsidiary, Barnes & Noble Inc. is expanding its college bookstore business before spinning it off later this year. Barnes & Noble Education is investing, through its college business, Barnes & Noble College, in Flashnotes Inc., an online marketplace for college students to sell and buy study materials.

Both companies will also enter into a strategic alliance agreement that will enable Barnes & Noble College to promote Flashnotes.com at partner schools and on digital platforms.

Before Barnes & Noble Inc. spins off its Education division later this year, it is expanding the business by investing in a website where students buy and sell their notes from class. (Correction: An earlier version of this story stated that Barnes & Noble was buying Flashnotes.com.)

Barnes & Noble and Flashnotes.com will also enter into a strategic alliance agreement that will enable Barnes & Noble Colege to promote Flashnotes at partner schools and on digital platforms.

Cincinnati -- Macy announced the completion of its previously announced acquisition of beauty products and spa services retailer Bluemercury, for $210 million in cash.

Who needs Family Dollar? After a failed bid to acquire its smaller rival, Dollar General is on the move and extending its presence to three new states.

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.