Mergers & Acquisitions

Walmart announced that it will acquire virtual fitting room startup Zeekit as it makes a push into fashion and caters to customers shopping for clothes online. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. In a post on the company’s website, Walmart U.S. executive vice president of apparel and private brands, Denise Incandela, said customers will…

The owner of Barnes & Noble, Elliot Investment Management, announced it will acquire stationery retailer Paper Source, CNBC reported. The acquisition will give Paper Source the finances it needs to come out of its Chapter 11 bankruptcy. According to CNBC, Barnes & Noble CEO James Daunt will oversee both companies. The two businesses may partner…

L Brands said Tuesday it will spin off its Victoria’s Secret brand rather than sell it, reports CNBC. The company said it received interest from multiple potential buyers, but its board concluded that separating Victoria’s Secret and Bath & Body Works into two separate publicly traded companies would be a better option. In recent weeks,…

Sparc Group, the entity formed by mall REIT Simon Property Group and brand management firm Authentic Brands Group (ABG), will acquire Eddie Bauer from PSEB Group, an operating company owned by Golden Gate Capital, for an undisclosed amount. The announcement comes 12 years after Golden Gate Capital acquired the outdoor lifestyle gear maker out of bankruptcy.…

Nogin, an outsourced e-commerce company that focuses on fashion and consumer products, announced in a press release that it has acquired ModCloth. The company purchased the digital-native retailer from Go Global for an undisclosed amount after Go Global previously acquired ModCloth from Walmart in January 2020. According to the press release, Nogin plans to refresh…

Signet Jewelers Limited, the world's largest retailer of diamond jewelry, announced it has acquired Rocksbox, an innovative jewelry rental subscription platform, reports Marketwatch. Signet has long billed itself as the place for men to buy engagement rings or other romantic gifts. Now, it wants to target another customer: women who purchase jewelry for themselves. Rocksbox…

Earlier this week, former Gap Inc. CEO Art Peck filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission to raise money for a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC). Peck’s SPAC, Good Commerce Acquisition Company, plans to buy companies that sell apparel, accessories, home goods, among other products. "Our objective is to create a next-generation consumer holding company by combining…

Brand management company WHP Global announced it has acquired a controlling interest in Tru Kids, the parent company of the Toys R Us, Babies R Us, and Geoffrey the Giraffe brands, reports CNBC. “We’re in the brand business, and Toys R Us is the single most credible, trusted and beloved toy brand in the world,”…

The owner of Saks Fifth Avenue, Hudson's Bay Company, announced it will separate the Saks' website into an independent business from its stores, CNBC reported. The decision to split the luxury department store's website comes after it raised $500 million. Venture capital firm Insight Partners put up the money to take a minority stake in Saks…

In episode 287 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Phil Ryan, CEO of City Chic Collective, a women's plus-size apparel retailer. Listen in as Ryan discusses City Chic Collective's brand portfolio and history, his personal background in retail, and the company's recent acquisition of U.K. plus-size fashion brand Evans. He shares why Evans is a seamless…