Mergers & Acquisitions

Activist group Macellum has amplified the pressure on Kohl’s as it seeks to take control of the retailer’s board by nominating 10 directors. Macellum, led by Jonathan Duskin, has criticized Kohl’s for not performing as well as it could in recent years. Last month, it called for the company to consider selling itself. Kohl’s responded by saying Macellum’s efforts…

Peloton, the stationary-bike maker and seller that has had its share of ups and downs lately, is drawing interest from potential suitors, according to recent reports. On Friday, The Wall Street Journal reported that Amazon.com was interested in purchasing Peloton, "according to people familiar with the matter." Meanwhile, the Financial Times reported Nike was also interested. CNBC.com reported…

Kohl’s Corp. confirmed yesterday that it has received letters expressing interest in acquiring the company, following reports over the weekend that two firms are preparing bids to purchase it. Kohl’s, however, hasn't decided what course of action it will take yet. According to a press release, Kohl’s board of directors "will determine the course of…

Office Depot executed on a long-expected plan to sell its CompuCom Systems subsidiary in a deal worth up to $305 million, and in the process made itself a more attractive acquisition target for rival Staples. On Friday, Office Depot unveiled the sale of CompuCom Systems integration business to an affiliate of Variant Equity Advisors, a…

American Eagle Outfitters (AEO) late last month announced it has completed the acquisition of Quiet Logistics for approximately $360 million in cash. Quiet Logistics operates a network of in-market fulfillment centers in six cities where workers aided by robots fulfill shipping orders for digital apparel and lifestyle brands such as Mack Weldon, Outdoor Voices and Peloton.…

Blackstone, the investment firm most recently known for backing the womenswear brand Spanx and the dating app Bumble, has invested in another female-founded company, according to a company press release. Blackstone announced Monday it had purchased a majority stake in Supergoop!, a sunscreen beauty brand founded by Holly Thaggard. Supergoop's CEO Amanda Baldwin and the…

Nike announced that it bought virtual sneaker company RTFKT for an undisclosed sum, as the sportswear giant looks to quickly expand its footprint in the fast-growing “metaverse,” reports CNBC. Formed in 2020, RTFKT also makes NFT collectibles and memes. The virtual products and experiences company uses technologies like augmented reality, blockchain authentication, NFTs and game…

American Eagle Outfitters (AEO) is adding Quiet Logistics to its portfolio, reports Yahoo Finance. The retailer has agreed to purchase the logistics firm for $350 million in cash, building upon its acquisition of logistics firm AirTerra earlier in the year as it continues to enhance its supply chain capabilities. Quiet Logistics has locations in Los…

Best Buy announced earlier this week that it agreed to acquire Current Health, a U.K. tech company that helps with remote patient monitoring and telehealth. The consumer electronics retailer expects the deal to close by the end of the fiscal year, according to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. With the move, Best Buy…

Gap Inc. announced earlier this week that it's acquiring the New York- and Tel Aviv-based startup Context-Based 4 Casting (CB4), which uses artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to identify patterns in retail data and identify ways to improve in-store sales. The terms of the deal were not disclosed. CB4's software examines point-of-sale (POS) data to uncover consumer demand…