Private equity deals in the retail sector totaled $2.63 billion in the second quarter with well-known names involved in some of the biggest agreements, according GlobalData. The total value is 11.9% higher than the first quarter, but marks an 11% decline from the previous four-quarter average of $2.96 billion. The top five deals account for nearly 96% of Q2 deal value. During the quarter, Albertsons Cos. Inc. ACI, -0.98% entered into a $1.75 billion deal with Apollo Global Management. Wayfair...

Restaurant stocks have not fully taken into account all of the benefits to come from tax reform measures that will bring the rate down, Stifel analysts say. Among the changes anticipated are a tax rate cut to 21% and a lower FICA tip credit, “which typically is the largest credit for company-owned casual dining chains.” “Lowering corporate tax rates should benefit the earnings and cash flows of all the companies under our coverage list, and lower pass-through rates should boost the income of...

Amazon.com Inc., of course, shares some of the blame for Toys ‘R’ Us Inc.’s bankruptcy filing. However, experts say there are a number of reasons why the toy retailer filed chapter 11, some that go back for years indicating the company was in trouble for quite some time. “Certain larger retailers that filed for bankruptcy had burdensome levels of debt resulting from their private equity owners’ uses of financing in acquiring the companies,” tax and advisory firm BDO wrote in a September...