Strategy

Downers Grove, Ill. -- FTD Companies Inc. will acquire the Provide Commerce floral and gifting business from Liberty Interactive Corp. for $430 million in cash and stock. Both companies have annual revenues of more than $600 million.

Rochester, N.Y. – Wegmans Food Markets Inc. plans to open 10 new stores in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic regions. The stores include one in Maryland, two in Massachusetts, two in New Jersey, one in Pennsylvania, and four in Virginia.

Same-store sales continue to decelerate at Whole Foods as the nation’s leading natural and organic grocer continues to face traffic and ticket pressures caused by upstart rivals and established competitors.

Chicago – Ulta Beauty, in partnership with Thanx Media has implemented Oracle Endeca Site Search and Experience Manager solutions. Oracle Endeca has replaced a third-party search solution, now tightly integrating the browse and search navigation.

Youngstown, Ohio — AVI Foodsystems and Cafaro Co. have teamed to bring Bob Evans Farms into the mall food court environment.

Warren, Ohio-based AVI collaborated with Bob Evans Farms to introduce Bob Evans Express, which scales down the traditional Bob Evans restaurant into a concept that works in venues such as workplace cafes, airports, travel plazas and universities.

Chicago — Regency Centers announced the groundbreaking of a new 40,000-sq.-ft. Whole Foods Market, located 25 miles from downtown Chicago in Schererville, Indiana.

The new store, situated in The Shops on Main shopping center, is projected to open in fall 2015. Current tenants include Homegoods, Gordmans, Ross Dress for Less, and DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse.

Big 5 Sporting Goods’ second-quarter results were affected by a continued reduction in demand for firearms and ammunition. The company also pointed to general softness in the overall consumer environment, adding that the calendar shift of the Easter holiday had a small but unfavorable impact on sales.

Atlanta -- First Data has taken a key step toward expanding its payment services by acquiring Gyft Inc., the Silicon Valley-based company that entered the $100 billion gift card market in 2012 and pioneered the concept of a mobile wallet for gift cards.