Trading Partners

Los Angeles — CBRE Group announced that it has acquired CBRE | Louisville, a commercial real estate services firm that has served as CBRE’s affiliate in metropolitan Louisville, Kentucky and southern Indiana since 1996.

The firm has a staff of 34 and manages more than 10 million sq. ft. in the region.

Toys“R”Us has appointed Chetan Bhandari as the company’s SVP, corporate finance and treasurer. He will report to EVP and CFO Mike Short.

By Jerome Malavoy, CEO and Founder, Trace One

Walgreens has exercised its option to complete the second step of its strategic transaction with Alliance Boots ahead of the original option period, which was between February and August 2015. The transaction, subject to shareholder and various regulatory approvals, would fully combine the two companies to form the first global pharmacy-led, health and well-being enterprise.
 

New York -- Target Corp. has added its name to a legal defense of gay marriage. The move comes four years after the company was criticized for supporting a strident opponent of same-sex unions.

Target signed a court brief backing marriage equality in a pending court case and publicly declared its support of gay marriage, joining the likes of Starbucks, Apple and Intel.

Wayne, N.J. – Toys “R” Us Inc. has named Chetan Bhandari senior VP, corporate finance and treasurer. In this capacity, Bhandari will be responsible for managing relationships with domestic and international lenders, depository banks, credit insurers and credit rating agencies, as well as overseeing the company’s global cash management, foreign exchange programs and capital markets activities.

Payment solutions provider Global Payments has signed a referral agreement with BitPay, a payment service provider (PSP) specializing in bitcoin digital currency, which will allow Global Payments to incorporate the cryptocurrency into its product suite and offer bitcoin payment acceptance to its worldwide merchants.

Scotts Miracle-Gro reported declines in sales and income for the third quarter of 2014, but pointed to momentum that may place the company at the top end of its guidance for the year.