Trading Partners

Visa Inc. has disclosed an investment stake that indicates it has a strong interest in helping retailers process mobile transactions.

In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Visa said it holds 3.5 million shares in payment processing provider Square, equal to a 10% stake. The investment was worth about $30 million as of Thursday, Feb. 11.

Chattanooga, Tenn. -- CBL & Associates Properties announced that it closed on a new 10/90 joint venture for Triangle Town Center and Commons in Raleigh, North Carolina, with DRA Advisors. The new joint venture acquired the property from the existing 50/50 joint venture between CBL and The Richard E. Jacobs Group for a total consideration of $174.0 million, including assumption of a $171.1 million loan secured by the property. CBL now holds a 10% ownership position in the asset and is responsible for leasing and managing, earning customary fees.

Staples secured approval of its acquisition of Office Depot from European regulators after agreeing to numerous concessions. Now similar actions may be required if the company is to win over a stubborn U.S. Federal Trade Commission.

Staples said it received approval from the European Union to acquire Office Depot, highlighted a range of actions it took to alleviate the regulator’s competitive concerns and used the action to take a jab at the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

Party City Holdco Inc. is looking to broaden its e-commerce reach.

The 900-store, vertical operator of the Party City and Halloween City party goods chains is launching a new e-commerce partnership with Staples Inc. Products manufactured and sourced by Party City will be merchandised and sold on Staples.com.

Rite Aid stockholders have voted to approve the proposed merger with Walgreens Boots Alliance, the Pennsylvania retailer announced Thursday morning.

Approximately 97% of the votes cast at today's special meeting of stockholders voted in favor of the adoption of the merger agreement, which represented approximately 74% of Rite Aid's total outstanding shares of common stock as of the Dec. 18, 2015 record date and constitutes a majority of the outstanding shares of Rite Aid common stock entitled to vote at the special meeting.

Supervalu Inc. has chosen a new leader to take the company forward as it prepares for a potential spin-off of Sav-a-Lot.

On Wednesday the company announced the appointment of Mark Gross as its president and CEO. Gross, 52, will succeed Sam Duncan who has previously announced he will be retiring.

Brad Maiorino, Target senior VP and chief information security officer, is the newest member of the Retail Cyber Intelligence Sharing Center (R-CISC) board of directors.

R-CISC is an organization of more than 50 members representing retail and other consumer-facing companies which provides a network to communicate about cyberthreats and vulnerabilities, and to share best practices in data protection and breach mitigation.

Columbus, Ohio -- WP Glimcher has completed the sale of Forest Mall in Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin and Northlake Mall in Atlanta. The two non-core assets were sold to private real estate investors for $30 million.