Amazon on the hunt? Macy’s or JC Penney the target?

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Interesting speculative piece from FreightWaves on the possibility of Amazon lining up a bid for US clothing giant Macy’s or retailer JC Penney. Despite the continuing lockdowns in the US – and the growing possibility of further measures to combat a second wave of infections – hitting Macy’s retail figures, the appeal of the near-distressed asset to Amazon is twofold: Macy’s has a massive urban land bank that would be hugely attractive to Amazon as its seeks to expand its fulfilment centre network; and it is a premier brand apparel retailer. “Amazon has always found it challenging to get large branded apparel companies to sell more aggressively on its site. For example, neither Ralph Lauren, featured prominently at Macy’s stores, or Canada Goose, sold at Bloomingdale’s (which Macy’s owns), sell much on Amazon. Buying Macy’s may provide a way in, though it’s unclear how responsive those brands would be.”