Mergers & Acquisitions

Dollar Tree plans to open 300 outlets and 35 Deals-bannered stores this year after its fourth-quarter profit rose 20 percent on higher revenue. The retailer will increase capital expenditure by $215 million to $225 million, compared to $179 million in 2010. 

PFSweb sold certain assets of eCOST.com to PC Mall for $2.3 million, despite rumors that had been circulating that PFSweb would sell its eCOST.com unit to uBid.com. eCOST.com is a multicategory online discount retailer of new, close-out and manufacturer recertified brand name merchandise for consumers and small-to-medium-size business buyers.

TJX has reported a 15 percent drop in fourth-quarter earnings, dragged down by costs to close its A.J. Wright store division. The company also plans to repurchase $1.2 billion of its stock this fiscal year and raise its dividend.

Best Buy is closing all of its branded stores in China, highlighting the resistance of Chinese shoppers to some western-style store experiences. The retailer, which will continue to run 170 stores in China under the Five Star brand acquired five years ago, is also giving up an attempt to enter Turkey, with the closure of two trial-run stores opened in the past two years.

Green Mountain said it will make Dunkin' Donuts coffee available for use in its Keurig single-cup coffee brewers. The partnership escalates the battle between Green Mountain, Starbucks and others for the single-cup coffee market.

RadioShack said its fourth-quarter net income fell by 25 percent, which was toward the low end of the company's already reduced guidance. The company reported net income of $57 million in the October to December period, down from $75.7 million a year ago.

Blockbuster has agreed to be purchased by a group of debt holders for as much as $290 million as part of a bankruptcy auction, according to Businessweek.com.

Wal-Mart is losing customers to dollar stores as it stuggles with pricing, and it continues to recover from a poorly executed decision, since reversed, to pare down the number of items it offered.

Deals website Groupon appears to be making preparations to start operations in China, a move that could shake up the market for group buying, even though challenges lie ahead for the young U.S. company.

Best Buy has announced a series of moves designed to enhance the company’s growth prospects and profitability. On the domestic front, it plans to double the number of Best Buy Mobile stores by the end of the current fiscal year by opening 150 new freestanding stores to give it a total of 325 units.