Retail

Bloomberg Big retailers rushed to build up inventories last year amid soaring consumer demand and transportation bottlenecks — going so far in some cases as to rent their own cargo ships. Now, they’re trying to figure out how to sell all their stuff. Inventories rose $44.8 billion for companies on S&P consumer indexes with a market value of at least …

  Bloomberg Ted Baker Plc gained on a report that Authentic Brands Group Inc is in talks with the UK fashion chain over a takeover bid worth about 300 million pounds ($379 million). Authentic Brands has indicated it’s willing to pay more than 150 pence per share for Ted Baker, Sky News reported, citing a person familiar with the situation. …

Bloomberg Alibaba Group Holding Ltd soared after reporting revenue rose a better-than-expected 9%, reassuring investors trying to come to grips with the economic cost of sweeping lockdowns intended to eradicate Covid-19. The shares rose more than 12% in Hong Kong after the company reported revenue climbed to 204.05 billion yuan ($30.3 billion) in the March quarter, beating analysts’ projections. Chief …

  Bloomberg Australian retailers recorded a fourth consecutive month of sales gains, suggesting cashed-up households are so far weathering a spike in the cost of living from surging fuel and other prices. Sales advanced 0.9% in April to a fresh record $24.1 billion and just shy of economists’ estimates for a 1% increase, Australian Bureau of Statistics data showed. “Cost …

  Bloomberg A consortium backed by the billionaire Issa brothers is considering dropping out of the bidding for Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc’s international arm due to disagreements over price, people with knowledge of the matter said. The Issas, who were bidding together with TDR Capital, balked at a request by Walgreens to increase their offer for the Boots drugstore chain …

Bloomberg Macy’s Inc raised its profit forecast as US consumers keep spending despite the highest inflation in four decades. The shares rose in early trading. Earnings excluding some items are now seen in the range of $4.53 to $4.95 this year, up from a prior forecast of $4.13 to $4.52, the department-store chain said as it reported first-quarter results. Analysts …

  Bloomberg JD Sports Fashion Plc fell 12% in early London trading after announcing executive chairman Peter Cowgill is stepping down with immediate effect. The move comes just a few months after the British retailer was fined nearly $6.3 million by the country’s antitrust regulator. JD Sports said Helen Ashton, chair of the audit and risk committee, will become interim …

  Bloomberg Wendy’s Co surged in early trading after shareholder Trian Fund Management, the investment vehicle of billionaire Nelson Peltz, said it will explore a transaction that could give it control of the fast-food chain. Trian owns about 11.8% of Wendy’s stock, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. A transaction “could include an acquisition, business combination (such as a merger, …

  Bloomberg Walmart Inc and partner DroneUp LLC plan to expand their drone-delivery hubs to 34 locations in six states by year-end, taking a big step towards scaling up aerial dropoffs for US shoppers even though big regulatory hurdles remain. Deliveries will cost $3.99 and orders can weigh up to 10 pounds, Walmart said in a statement. The expanded network …

  Bloomberg David Buttress, the former chief executive officer of UK food delivery firm Just Eat, is weighing plans to create his own venture capital fund after a making nearly a dozen investments on his own. Buttress joined venture capital firm 83North as a venture partner after stepping down from Just Eat in 2017, and has also made 10 so-called …