Trading Partners

Global supply chains in an Ayn Rand World is the theme of the 10th annual Supply Chain Management Research Center spring conference to be held Thursday, March 17 at the University of Arkansas Donald W. Reynolds Center for Enterprise Development. The event will last from 7:15 a.m. to 4 p.m. with industry leaders slated to share their views on a wide range of supply chain topics.

New York City -- J. Crew Group said Wednesday that it did not receive any alternative takeover bids during an 85-day "go shop" period, in which the company sought alternatives to an offer from its former owner.

J. Crew agreed in November to be taken private in a $3 billion deal with two investment firms, TPG Capital and Leonard Green & Partners. It originally had until Jan. 15 to vet other prospects, and that period was extended by a month.

Cincinnati -- Kroger Co. announced late Wednesday that executive VP Donald E. Becker died Wednesday after suffering an aneurysm. He was 62 years old.

Becker started with Kroger as a clerk in 1969 in the Cincinnati-Dayton area and worked his way up to hold several leadership positions. In 2004, he became executive VP, a role in which he led the company's merchandising and purchasing among other duties, the company said in a statement.

New York City -- Family Dollar Stores received a buyout offer on Tuesday from a New York hedge fund at $55 to $60 per share, a 36% premium over yesterday’s closing price. The offer, which values the company at up to $7.6 billion, was made by Trian Group, which is headed by activist investor Nelson Peltz.

Trian Group has been accumulating shares of the discount retailer in recent months, and Peltz has met with management to discuss ways to boost its performance.

New York City -- Barnes & Noble invited Amazon.com's affiliates to join its program instead in an "open letter" Monday, as Amazon continues to oppose legislation that requires it to collect sales taxes in several states, the Associated Press reported.

New York City -- South Africa’s competition watchdog has recommended that Wal-Mart Stores’ proposed takeover of the country’s retail chain Massmart be unconditionally approved without conditions.

Wal-Mart made a $2.4 billion bid for Massmart in November, and a vast majority of the target company’s shareholders voted to approve the deal last month.

The deal now needs final approval from South Africa’s competition tribunal. A date for the hearing and subsequent ruling has yet to be set.

Columbus, Ohio -- DSW said Tuesday that it will acquire its largest shareholder Retail Ventures and turn it into a wholly owned subsidiary, helping to simplify its relationship.

According to the shoe retailer, the two companies signed a merger agreement, under which DSW will give stockholders 0.435 of a DSW share for each share they hold of Retail Ventures.

Retail Venture holds a 62% stake in DSW.

The companies are slated to hold a conference on Wednesday to discuss the deal with investors.