Costco Wholesale is buying the 50 percent stake held by Controladora Comercial Mexicana in its Mexican division for about $760.4 million, the companies announced Thursday.
Costco and Controladora have each had a 50 percent interest in Costco de Mexico, which Costco Wholesale ran.
At the same time, Costco Mexico declared a dividend of approximately $340.9 million, which will be split evenly between a Costco Wholesale subsidiary and Controladora.
Costco Wholesale said it will use its share of the dividend along with cash on hand and investment balances to pay for the acquisition.
The buyout will consolidate control under the management of Issaquah-based Costco Wholesale and give Mexico City-based Controladora cash to pay down debt.
The joint venture has grown little in recent years, so Costco Wholesale will probably put more money into its Mexican operations, said Carlos Hernandez, an analyst with Planet Retail in Madrid.
"Costco hasn't grown that much in Mexico," Hernandez said.
"Controladora didn't have money to expand its own stores let alone the joint-venture stores with Costco. Now, Costco can expand into other cities."
Costco Wholesale has 32 stores in Mexico, the same number it had in 2009, Hernandez said.
Janney Capital Markets analyst David Strasser said he expects the deal will add 10 to 12 cents per share to Costco Wholesale's earnings over the next twelve months, and he raised his estimates based on the announcement.
Stifel Nicolaus analyst David Schick was bullish on the long-term prospects for business in Mexico
Costco Mexico CEO Jaime Gonzalez Solana will remain in the post and Controladora Chairman Guillermo Gonzalez Nova and CEO Carlos Gonzalez Zabalegui will continue as board members.
The deal still needs the approval of Controladora shareholders and the Mexican Federal Competition Commission.
Costco Wholesale runs 602 warehouses, including 435 in the United States and Puerto Rico, 82 in Canada, 22 in the United Kingdom, 13 in Japan, eight in Taiwan, seven in South Korea and three in Australia.
Its stock closed Thursday at $89.83, up $2.40, or 2.7 percent. It has had a 52-week trading range of $70.22 to $92.10 per share.
Information from The Associated Press and Bloomberg News is included in this report.
South Korea's Lotte Shopping abandons plan to start cash-and-carry venture in India - Economic Times
The retailer, one of Asia's largest with a presence from Russia and China to Vietnam and Indonesia, reckons high property prices and the complex nature of the business make wholesale retailing an unviable proposition in India, a person with direct knowledge of the development said.
The person added that Lotte Shopping had registered Lotte Cash and Carry India Pvt. Ltd with the idea of following in the footsteps of the world's top retailers, including Walmart Stores Inc of the United States and France's Carrefour SA.
Frustrated after waiting for years for India to open up its highly regulated multi-brand retailing for overseas investments, Walmart and Carrefour have rolled out cash-and-carry stores, which sell their wares to other retailers and businesses. Foreign retailers are allowed to own 100% local subsidiaries in wholesale retailing ventures.
Lotte had put together an eight-member team of business development executives, half of them Korean nationals and half Indians. The team began surveying the cash-and-carry model and scouting around for properties in various cities including Mumbai and Pune. Within four months the team concluded that cash-and-carry was a tough model to turn profitable in the country, prompting them to abort the proposed venture, said the person quoted above.
Now, Lotte Shopping has shelved its India plans and its team of Korean executives have either left the country or are in the process of leaving India bag-and-baggage, the person said. The Indian executives barring one have also left. The MD of the company Jin K Kim has also returned to South Korea.
A Lotte Shopping spokesman in Korea said the retailer's executives constantly travel to India to assess the investment climate there. The spokesperson said the company is "still trying" and "waiting for a chance" to open stores in India without specifying when. "We still have two corporate bodies'' in India, he said.
Lotte Shopping had closed its New Delhi office two years ago even as it maintained an office in Mumbai. The person aware of the development said Lotte saw little potential to open its supermarkets or departments stores catering to the burgeoning middle class in India as there are vociferous political opponents against liberalizing the country's retail sector for foreign supermarket operators.
The political standoff in India stems from the fear that allowing foreign supermarket chains in a sensitive sector would drive many of the estimated 12 million small shopkeepers out of business.
Around six years ago, Lotte Shopping had opened a liaison office in New Delhi's Kasturba Gandhi Marg to study the country's retail market and was talking to potential Indian partners even as Lotte's real estate unit was exploring possibility of entering the country's booming property market by building townships in Greater Noida or Gurgaon.
Now, even the real estate representative has left India, according to a former Lotte Shopping employee requesting anonymity. He says Lotte now plans to focus on its retail businesses in China and Indonesia instead.
Costco Wholesale Corporation and Controladora Comercial Mexicana Agree to Transaction Concerning Costco de Mexico - msnbc.com
ISSAQUAH, WA and MEXICO CITY — Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ: COST) ("Costco Wholesale") and Controladora Comercial Mexicana, S.A.B. de C.V. ("CCM") are pleased to announce that they have executed a definitive agreement under which wholly-owned subsidiaries of Costco Wholesale will purchase from CCM its 50% share interest in Costco de México, S.A. de C.V. ("Costco México"), a joint venture, for $10,650 million MXN (the equivalent amount in U.S. dollars is $760.4 million based on an exchange rate of 14.006 pesos to the dollar). In addition, Costco Mexico has declared a cash dividend of approximately $4,774 million MXN (the equivalent amount in U.S. dollars is $340.85 million based on an exchange rate of 14.006 pesos to the dollar), 50% payable to a subsidiary of Costco Wholesale and 50% to CCM. Costco Wholesale will use the dividend proceeds and existing cash and investment balances to fund the purchase. CCM will use the dividend and sale proceeds to pay down debt.
The Costco México joint venture has been 50% owned by each of Costco Wholesale and CCM and operated by Costco Wholesale. The closing is subject to the approvals of the Mexican Federal Competition Commission and the shareholders of CCM. Mr. Guillermo González Nova, and Mr. Carlos González Zabalegui, respectively Chairman and CEO of CCM, will continue as members of the Board of Directors of Costco México. Mr. Jaime Gonzalez Solana will continue as CEO of Costco México.
Costco Wholesale currently operates 602 warehouses, including 435 in the United States and Puerto Rico, 82 in Canada, 32 in Mexico, 22 in the United Kingdom, 13 in Japan, eight in Taiwan, seven in Korea and three in Australia. The Company also operates Costco Online, an electronic commerce web site, at www.costco.com and at www.costco.ca in Canada. The Company plans to open up to an additional six new warehouses prior to the end of its fiscal year on September 2, 2012.
A brief conference call to discuss the transaction is scheduled for 8:00 a.m. (PT) on June 14, 2012, and is available at 800-399-8203 or via a webcast on www.costco.com (click on Investor Relations and "Play Webcast").
Certain statements contained in this document constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. For these purposes, forward-looking statements are statements that address activities, events, conditions or developments that the Company expects or anticipates may occur in the future. Such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual events, results or performance to differ materially from those indicated by such statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, domestic and international economic conditions, including exchange rates, the effects of competition and regulation, uncertainties in the financial markets, consumer and small business spending patterns and debt levels, conditions affecting the acquisition, development, ownership or use of real estate, actions of vendors, rising costs associated with employees (including health care costs), energy, and certain commodities, geopolitical conditions and other risks identified from time to time in the Company's public statements and reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
© Marketwire 2012
Mariners make wholesale roster changes - YAHOO!
Seattle sends Carp, Pryor to DL; calls up …
SEATTLE (AP) The Seattle Mariners have placed outfielder Mike Carp and reliever Full Story »Seattle sends Carp, Pryor to DL; calls up 4
The Associated Press
Dubai Shopping Malls Group unveils its promotion for the fifteenth edition of Dubai Summer Surprises - AME Info
DSMG has been a key sponsor of DSS since its inception running innovative events and activities that have helped brand Dubai as a shopping paradise in summer months. "DSMG is always on the lookout to offer customers increasingly exciting promotions during DSS, as this is in keeping with our mandate to re-energize the mall industry in Dubai and promote shopping and retail trade. Dubai as a shopping hub has always been the first choice for shoppers making it the quintessential value shopping destination. It is even more significant now when UAE is surveyed to be the world's second most international retail market having a presence of 56% international retail brands. This year, we are pleased to launch the three million dirhams worth prizes that fully complements the action-packed DSS being organized by the Dubai Events and Promotions Establishment (DEPE)", said Majid Al Ghurair, Chairman, Dubai Shopping Malls Group.
The participating malls have rolled out additional promotion and events during the month long celebration and shopping is more exciting this summer at all the participating DSMG malls.
The DSMG guarantees surprises and fun-filled activities for all its shoppers during the DSS offering prizes worth three million dirhams. Shop at any of the participating malls to receive a coupon from the mall that you have shopped to enter in the mega raffle. The malls are, Al Ain Centre, Al Ghurair Centre, Al Manal Centre, Al Mulla Plaza, Arabian Center, Burjuman Centre, Century Mall, Deira City Centre, Dubai Outlet Mall, Hamarain Centre, Ibn Battuta Mall, Lamcy Plaza, Mall of the Emirates, Mirdiff City Centre, Oasis Center, Palm Strip, Reef Mall, Sunset Mall, Times Square Center and Twin Towers.
A Weekly Mega Draw beckons prizes in cash and as gift vouchers worth half a million dirhams to four winners during the promotion period. The raffle draw is scheduled for 21st and 28th June and 5th and 14th July 2012. A Weekly Regular Draw will reward 20 winners with prizes worth fifty thousand dirhams with 5 winners in a week availing prizes in cash and as gift vouchers. As part of the joint promotion, MasterCard offers additional chances of winning to shoppers using MasterCard every time they shop. The promotion entitles shoppers using MasterCard to win 5 Emirates Airline return tickets to a destination as a weekly Mega Prize. The draws are held in conjunction with the DSMG raffle draw on 21st and 28th June and 5th and 14th July 2012. In total, 44 winners will get a chance to live it big this Summer Festival.
"MasterCard has been associated with DSS for 13 consecutive years to bring real value to its customers, merchants and cardholders. This year again, MasterCard has introduced a host of exclusive privileges during DSS for consumers to enjoy rewards and prizes while they shop using MasterCard in a participating DSMG mall," said Eyad Al-Kourdi, Vice President & Country Manager, UAE, MasterCard Worldwide. "MasterCard's collaboration with DSMG also helps facilitate commerce in Dubai as one of the top 10 global destinations cities as per MasterCard's Index of Global Destinations 2012," he added.
To top it all, visitors can choose from numerous spas to avail discounted rates for various health and wellness treatments. The fifteenth edition of the DSS targets all age groups with the entertainment attractions and shopping bargains. With unbeatable offers, events and activities, DSS promises unparalleled surprises this summer for the entire family.
Savoo Launches 'Grocery' Savings in Response to UK Research into Retail - PR Newswire
LONDON, June 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --
- mySupermarket and Savoo join forces to get Britain the deals it wants
- The UK's recession means we look for deals more than ever before
Research from Savoo, the UK's fastest growing money saving and voucher code website, shows the UK's shopping habits have changed dramatically in the last three years, but it is grocery shopping where the UK consumer wants to make the most savings and get the best deals. On the back of this informative research, Savoo has teamed up with mySupermarket in a ground-breaking initiative to offer its users access to the very best deals from all the UK major supermarkets.
Savoo's research shows a staggering 85% of women surveyed would use a discount code or coupon in supermarkets if it meant they would get a better price - perhaps indicating the UK is heading towards the extreme couponing culture of the US. Traditionally polite Britons are also changing their attitudes to using voucher codes, with 80% of respondents not being embarrassed to make a saving on the items they purchase compared with 70% two years ago.
Simon Bird, General Manager of Savoo commented, "This research shows how the UK is a nation of savvy shoppers using voucher codes and deals to get the best prices all the time with grocery prices, understandably being top of the agenda. We wanted to create an online solution for our members and we are delighted to be working with a brand like mySupermarket that has a first class solution to our problem"
James Foord, VP Business Development at mySupermarket remarked, "We are delighted to be working with Savoo to help more customers become savvy with their grocery shopping. With over 30,000 special offers currently available across the supermarkets, it's impossible for consumers to find the best deals for them, so we do this for them, helping them to cut their weekly grocery bill by 20%."
Other findings show the north / south divide strikes again, as it's the savvy people of Glasgow that make the most of discount vouchers by saving an average £526 a year on their grocery shopping, compared to the not so savvy people of Plymouth who only save £4.10 a week. Perhaps not surprisingly, it's the internet savvy young people of the UK that make the most of online deals and discounts with those aged 16-24 saving an average of £8.40 on their weekly shopping compared to those aged 55+ who save on average £5.
Savoo has over 200,000 deals on its site and is the only deal provider in the UK to offer consumers a 'personalised' deal newsletter and a customised and unique homepage. This page is packed with deals the consumers want and have asked for, eliminating the hundreds of daily deal emails and alerts that plague a user's inbox.
Notes to editors:
The research was carried out by Opinion Matters between: 16 / 02 / 2012 and 21 / 02 / 2012
Sample: 1365
To use the Savoo infographic please use the following embed code:
<a href="http://www.savoo.co.uk/blog/post/Infographic-How-We-Use-Discount-Vouchers.html"><img src="http://cdn.savings.com/logo/3236680.jpeg" width="500" alt=""/></a><br/> Produced by <a href="http://www.savoo.co.uk/">Savoo.co.uk</a>
About Savoo
Savoo http://www.savoo.co.uk prides itself on being the only UK voucher code and deal finder site which never knowingly lists expired vouchers or offer codes. Also, the best deal of each of their consumer categories is presented prominently using its unique algorithm which ensures that the best deals always rise to the top. Savoo has a dedicated team of researchers whose sole responsibility it is to find the best deals available 24 hours a day, and provide rigorous quality control.
Savoo's goal is to offer its customers the easiest and most powerful way to find, prioritise and distribute the best deals and information to help its users make intelligent decisions with their money. They extensively leverage technology, automation, community and elegant design to provide the most useful experience in a fun and rewarding way.
Savoo is the only voucher code site to offer a bespoke personalisation tool where visitors can now choose the deals and merchants they want to receive information on. Savoo now also offers consumers a comparison service that helps savvy shoppers get the best on mobile, broadband, flights and holidays.
Savoo launched in March 2009 and was created to address the frustration of generally which is a poor consumer experience from other discount and voucher sites. Savoo has been determined from the outset to build a more comprehensive Internet destination where users can find deals that suit them in a manner that's convenient to them. Savoo is the sister site of the highly successful US coupon and deal giant Savings.com http://www.Savings.com.
About mySupermarket
Founded in 2006, mySupermarket has grown from a small start up to a global retail site. It is the only independent grocery, wine and health & beauty shopping and comparison website in the UK. The site allows users to shop and compare products and prices across Tesco, ASDA, Sainsbury's, Waitrose, Boots, Superdrug, Ocado and Majestic Wine online stores. They are a 'one stop shop' for every single product available at the country's leading online supermarkets.
mySupermarket guarantees that shoppers will get the best possible value for money for their weekly shopping while enjoying an easier and more consumer-friendly shopping experience. With a record 30,000 special offers currently available, shoppers are guided towards the best deals, helping them to cut their weekly bill by 20%, saving an average family £800 over the year.
Shopping festival Dubai Sumer Surprises triggers joy and some concerns - Xinhua News Agency
DUBAI, June 14 (Xinhua) -- The four-week long Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS), which kicked off Thursday in its 15th edition, is overall welcomed by residents and tourists alike, but the event also creates headaches over a run on hotels and a lack of parking space.
"In 2011, DSS generates some 8.8 billion Dirham (2.4 billion U. S. dollars) revenues spent by tourists and residents likewise," said H. E. Leila Mohamed Suhail, CEO of Dubai Events and Promotions and Establishments (DEPE), the DSS's state-owned organizing body. Last year's DSS attracted some four million visitors to "Fly-Buy-Dubai", as the sheikhdom is nicknamed among shopaholics.
"During the DSS, our sales are always going up," said Victoria, a saleswoman from the Philippines, who works at jewelry store Heaven Accessories in the Dubai Mall, the world's largest shopping mall based on total area. Victoria, who has been living in Dubai for the last five years, added that "the bulk of buyers are tourists and local Emirati ladies."
Tourists are even more eager to buy, since every shopper spending at least 200 Dirham (55 dollars) is eligible to get a raffle ticket, with which they can win prizes with a total value of two million Dirham (545 million dollars) throughout the DSS.
Edward, a corporate consultant from Leeds, England, travelled for the second time to Dubai with his wife, "and we enjoy the atmosphere during the DSS," he said. "Besides the shopping adventure, we enjoy the music groups and artistic events in the malls. In the UK, such events are really missing."
Edward added that it was not easy to book a hotel. "Demand is extremely high. We had to visit five to 10 online travel firms until we found a room just for the two of us in a hotel in the old town of Deira."
The rush to the DSS also creates traffic jams. On Thursday afternoon, when the DSS kicked off officially, cars were queuing over five km in front of the Dubai Mall -- albeit the shopping temple's car park offers over 14,000 undercover parking spaces.
Other residents miss the variety in the DSS. Obaid from India has been living in Dubai since 2003, "and frankly to me the DSS is every year the same," he said. "There were more malls, more tourists, and more events from year to year, but the overall concept of discounts, events and raffles has not change on a large scale," he added.
Victoria, who is from Belarus and works as a freelance model, agreed. "My work does not differ from the time around the DSS. There are many other events going on in Dubai over the whole year, so I think the DSS are really for travellers and tourists." Currently, Victoria promotes perfume from the New York-based fashion designer Carolina Herrera in the Dubai Mall.
Nouredeen who came from Lebanon for a holiday to visit his siblings in Dubai, said whilst he likes the DSS's fun-atmosphere and feel-good factor, he would also like to see more cultural events. "The groups performing the shopping malls are nice to see, but I think Dubai also needs more theatres and concerts. Shopping is not everything in life," he said.
However, the Dubai government is fully aware of this deficit. On March 21, Dubai ruler an United Arab Emirates Vice President and Prime Minister H. H. Sheikh. Mohamed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum launched the Dubai Modern Art Museum and Opera House District. The project shall be finished until 2015.
Retail therapy! Kendall and Kylie Jenner splurge their hard earned cash at a Beverly Hills boutique - Daily Mail
|
Kendall and Kylie Jenner broke free from their famous clan today to go on a big Beverly Hills shopping trip.
Toting tons of blue shopping bags, the model sisters skipped merrily down the street.
They had spent about an hour at Kitson's, a Beverly Hills boutique.
High heeled: Kendall and Kylie Jenner broke off from the rest of their family today for some quick retail therapy
No time to dally: Kendall seemed to be in a hurry to get home
The girls have a good reason to be happy - they finished their high school exams last week and have the entire summer off.
Kendall, 16, and her 14-year-old sister were having lunch with big sister Kim Kardashian and brother, Rob, earlier in the day.
It was 31-year-old Kim who spilled the beans about their luncheon date when she tweeted a photo of them gathered around a buffet table.
Skinnies: Both girl slipped into some skinny jeans for the outing
Front and centre: Kim tweeted this photo today of her with siblings Kylie and Rob
Sisterly love: Kylie and Kim posed for a cute Instagram shot together
Kylie was wearing the same opaque yellow shirt at lunch as she was while shopping.
While Kendall and Kylie will be featured this Sunday on an Oprah segment about the Kardashian family, it's Kim who is expected to be the center of the talk show queen's interview.
Kendall, who quickly becoming a hit in the modeling world, wore towering blue high heeled shoes today that made her look as tall as a professional basketball player.
Little fashionista: Kendall sipped on a Starbucks drink as she perused the boutiques
While both sisters have the summer off, they won't be playing video games and watching television.
As the youngest girls in the hard-working family - their father is Olympian Bruce Jenner - they'll be expected to make appearances for the family businesses, including the Kardashian Khaos store in Las Vegas.
Stylish mother: Kris Jenner arrived with her husband Bruce at her daughter Kim's house during the day
No comments:
Post a Comment