Mergers and Acquisitions

• Walmart Stores Inc. has announced plans to acquire Art.com, the world’s largest online retailer for artwork. The deal is slated to close in early 2019.

Industry Insight

• Hamleys, a 258-year-old British toy retailer, is close to finalizing a deal to open a store in Manhattan’s Herald Square area. The company is also reported to be considering opening stores in other major U.S. markets such as Los Angeles and Chicago.

• Office Depot Inc. has become a certified installation partner for Google and Nest smart home devices. Technicians employed through Office Depot’s CompuCom subsidiary will connect the units for customers, as well as integrate them with shoppers’ existing smart home devices.

• ShopKo Stores Operating Co. LLC is selling its pharmacy files from 42 stores to Kroger. The stores and optical centers will remain open, just the pharmacies will close.

• Walmart Stores Inc. has announced that it is extending its relationship with pharmacy benefit management company Express Scripts. Through the new deal, Walmart will provide prescription drug services to Express Scripts’ covered members.

Real Estate

• Amazon.com Inc. opened the seventh Amazon Go store in Chicago in the Ogilvie Transportation Center. The company has revealed plans to open the first international Amazon Go concept in London’s West End, and plans to open Amazon Go locations in airports in the future.

• Apple Inc. recently announced that it will soon open a second headquarters in Austin, TX.

• Dollar General Corp. plans to open 975 new stores, remodel 1,000 stores, and relocate 100 stores in 2019.

• ShopKo Stores Operating Co. LLC has announced plans to close 38 stores across 14 states.

Technology News

• Walmart Stores Inc., in collaboration with Japanese online giant Rakuten, has opened its first Walmart e-commerce site in Japan.