EQUITY RETAIL BLOG

Jana Partners sells Whole Foods stock for big profits

Last April, Jana Partners revealed it had acquired an 8.3% ownership stake in Whole Foods, and publicly stated that its goal was to gain board representation in order to lobby for a number of changes at the company, including a potential sale or merger. In a series of transactions on the open market between February […]

Whole Foods shareholder files suit to block Amazon deal

The Dallas News reported recently that a Whole Foods shareholder filed suit to block the proposed Amazon – Whole Foods merger on the grounds that the transaction understates the grocery chain’s value and isn’t being conducted with sufficient transparency. The shareholder, who is seeking class-action status, says the proxy statement issued by Whole Foods failed […]

The impact of the Amazon - Whole Foods deal may be far-reaching

Several media outlets and industry experts have weighed in recently with their thoughts on Amazon’s planned $13.7 billion purchase of Whole Foods, including The Washington Post, in which its “On Leadership” column cited several “telling comments” made by Whole Foods CEO John Mackey. Sample comments include the following. Mackey admitted that Whole Foods may be […]

The retail sector remains strong despite media reports

I read an interesting article on Forbes.com that sets out to dispel the myth that retail is struggling. Although it’s not purely grocery-related, I thought I would share it. Below are the six “fast facts” cited by the article, as well as a link to the story for more info on each one. 1. National […]

Aldi to spend billions in new store growth

Aldi announced earlier this month that it would invest $3.4 billion to expand to 2,500 locations in the U.S. by the end of 2022. Currently Aldi has 1,600 locations and is in the midst of a $3 billion expansion effort to have 2,000 stores by the end of 2018. If they reach 2,500 stores, Aldi […]

George Will weighs in on Amazon, then bums me out

George Will wrote an interesting column earlier this month that I read in Investor’s Business Daily titled “Let Us Plunge Towards Our Fast-Unfolding Future.” After reading it a couple times and looking up the big words, I found it to be thought-provoking. The column cites the current state of grocery retail – including Amazon’s plans […]

Why Was PetSmart Interested in Chewy.com?

PetSmart, the nation’s largest pet-supplies retailer, has agreed to acquire Chewy.com, the market’s No. 1 online retailer. The combination of Phoenix-based PetSmart, with 1,500 stores nationwide, and Chewy, based outside Miami, will enhance both companies’ reach, the companies said Tuesday. The acquisition, which is subject to customary regulatory approvals, is expected to close this summer. […]

Wegmans tops Consumer Reports list again

Wegmans grabbed the top spot in a survey of grocery chains conducted by Consumer Reports, which received feedback from nearly 58,000 subscribers. Wegmans has held the top spot in the annual survey since 2006. For 2017, the company received excellent ratings in categories such as cleanliness, fresh store-prepared foods, staff courtesy, checkout speed, produce quality […]

Eight US companies make "world's fastest growing retailers" list

Recently 24/7 Wall St. analyzed data from the National Retail Federation and released a “World’s 25 Fastest Growing Retailers” list. Eight U.S.-based retailers made the cut, three of which are grocers. Here are the eight American companies on the list:   Albertsons Companies (5-year annual growth: 74.1%) Sprouts Farmers Market (47.4%) Southeastern Grocers – BI-LO, […]

Instacart partners with Giant, Wegmans

Instacart announced that it has joined forces with Giant and Wegmans to bring online shopping and delivery to customers in select areas for the two food retailers. Giant’s partnership will benefit Philadelphia-area customers, and the service for Wegmans will be available in Northern Virginia and Maryland. With Instacart, customers in the service areas can order […]