A Deal at Last: Assessing The Future for 'Saks Global': After years of off-and-on merger talks, a definitive $2.65 billion deal involving Amazon, Rhone Capital, Salesforce and other investors and lenders brings Saks and Neiman Marcus Group under the same corporate umbrella

HBC, the owner of Saks, plans to acquire the Neiman Marcus Group for $2.65 billion, pending approval from the Federal Trade Commission. The deal involves investors such as Amazon, Apollo, and Salesforce. The purchase will be financed through a combination of equity capital and debt, and Amazon will collaborate with Saks Global to enhance the customer experience and digital upgrades. The newly formed entity, Saks Global, will include Saks Fifth Avenue, Saks Off 5th, Neiman Marcus, and Bergdorf Goodman, and will operate under their respective brands. The objective of the merger is to create a $7 billion portfolio of luxury retail real estate assets in prominent shopping destinations. The potential combination of Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus could result in various changes and advantages, including the consolidation of online buying teams, potential store closures and rent reductions, data and best practice sharing, merging of loyalty programs, and greater differentiation between the two brands. The merged company would also have more bargaining power with vendors, potentially benefiting smaller vendors and allowing for the testing of new vendors. However, the deal may face scrutiny from the Federal Trade Commission and the Justice Department, and concerns exist regarding the long-term viability of the merged company due to sluggish sales and the evolving retail landscape. [Extracted from the article]