Thread regarding Sears layoffs

Westfarmers purchasing Kmart U.S. in Guam. Pure fiction?

What’s with all the ongoing jibber jabber about Westfarmers (Kmart Australia) purchasing Kmart U.S. in Guam from Transformco? This has been speculated on here for several years. I’ve never seen anything from an executive within Westfarmers and / or Sears Holdings / Transformco claim any such deal has ever been considered. Yet people here and elsewhere talk about it as though it’s fact and likely to happen.

Sorry for the repetition, but I’m really interested in this old speculation that someone mentioned again. If that speculation had no basis, it certainly wouldn’t exist. How is it even possible for something like this to happen?

by
| 2378 views | | 25 replies (last March 4, 2021) | Reply
Post ID: @OP+19FSDR2Y

25 replies (most recent on top)

Post ID: @2bzn+19FSDR2Y

"$100 million is still sounds high". That is an English sentence of some kind? The irony of someone who can't write English claiming someone else doesn't Know about business. Guam store Profits $1 Billion easily per Year. And I'm discussing Profit. In terms of sales, we are at Multi-Billion. All World's Richest people from Eastern Hemisphere shop there. Tycoons, sheiks, oil barons, emperors, kings, queens, crown princes, everyone. There is no business anywhere in The Solar System that is more Profitable than Guam Kmart. They could literally hand every shopper who walks in A $100 Bill and the store would still be the most Profitable business on Earth. Wealthy Asians travel all the way there from countries like Japan, Singapore, etc., to shop.

Princes and moguls from Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, etc. shop there. It is the destination of The Pacific. Wealthy Japanese CEO's and the like charter flights to go spend Millions of Dollars in that store.

That store has the Midas touch. Anything that touches it turns to Gold. It is an absolute Goldmine. There has literally never been a business anywhere on Earth more Profitable than Guam Kmart. High rolling executives from all over Earth fly there in Gold-plated private jets to shop. World class athletes, wearing Rolexes, shop there, and rub elbows with the elite monarchs of the Middle East and other Asian countries. Champagne & caviar flows freely on those jets while people embark to the wonder that is Guam Kmart. You are likely to see BOLYWOOD Stars there too, as well as movie Stars from all the rest of Asia. The top 100 Richest people, at least half of them were there already in 2021. EVERYONE who is anyone shops there.
Not to mention, the locals of Guam like it too.

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @2whc+19FSDR2Y

$100 million is still sounds high, but it is at least in the realm of possibility. "Jack"a– who think its in the billions knows nothing about businesses. I wouldn't hire him to round up the carts in the parking lot.

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @2bzn+19FSDR2Y

The Guam kmart doesn't make billions. It does over $100 million in sales. Not sure what the profit is. Kmart Australia has shown interest in purchasing it.

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @1jcq+19FSDR2Y

Of course the emperor of Japan shops there. Kings, queens, princes, princesses, oligarchs, oil barons, Trillionaires, Billionaires, everyone in Eastern Hemisphere who is upper middle class and above, shops at that Kmart. The crown prince of Saudi Arabia shops there.

Every one of these people shop there:

https://www.businessinsider.com/richest-people-in-middle-east-2020-7#:~:text=The%20richest%20person%20in%20the,worth%20an%20estimated%20%2414.3%20billion.

https://www.forbesmiddleeast.com/list/worlds-richest-arabs-2020

This guy, the Richest man in the middle east, shops there:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Waleed_bin_Talal_Al_Saud

Even Jeff Bezos shops there. Everybody who is anybody, shops there. Queen Liz from the UK shops there, as do Harry and Megan. EVERYONE shops there.

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @1xjl+19FSDR2Y

I still can't stop laughing! So this clown seriously thinks the emperor of Japan shops at KMart? LOL The only emperor you're going to find at a KMart is the guy from Little Ceasar's Pizza.

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @1oyl+19FSDR2Y

Its true. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.dontwasteyourmoney.com/guam-popular-kmart-world/%3famp

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @1rhv+19FSDR2Y

Kmart, oligarchs, $1B in profit, LOL! Cut it out, you're k–ling me here

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @1wmv+19FSDR2Y

Which king shops at the Guam KMart? I'm guessing its the Burger King.

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @1xtr+19FSDR2Y

Phew, getting deep in here. Anyone else smell that?

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @1yzu+19FSDR2Y

Easily $1 Billion PROFIT (not sales) per Year. Probably $3 Billion in sales. C-sinos in Las Vegas make$1.6 Billion:

https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/largest-nevada-c-sinos-profit-1-6b-during-fiscal-year-2017/

This store is more Profitable than Any C-sino, store, or even business, period, full stop. That store is More Profitable than Amazon, Microsoft, Apple, you name it. It is by far the most Profitable business of any kind on Earth. Bar none.

As for closing masses of stores, that's an easy one. On the mainland, Sears/Kmarts are obsolete stores that nobody cares about. They lose MONEY, BIG-TIME. Guam Kmart (and maybe USVI) is/are the exceptions. They are more Profitable than any other stores on Earth. So he's closing the non-Profitable stores to concentrate on the probably 1 Profitable one. I don't blame him. Close the others and pull in That Cool BILLION without lifting 1 finger. And he doesn't even have to compete with Amazon down there because I don't think Prime is really a thing in Guam, due to shipping Costs. Rich oligarchs, Billionaires, oil barons, princes, sheiks, etc., all travel to Guam Kmart. It's like the Saks 5th Avenue of The Pacific for some reason. Don't ask me why. I don't shop there. But Wealthy tycoons DO shop there. I don't question what works. And this works. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. I will bet you $1 Million that Guam isn't sold/closed in 2021, since you seem absolutely certain that one of those will happen.

Few Years old, but still valid:

https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-last-place-on-earth-where-everyone-still-loves-kmart-guam-1516118140

https://www.dontwasteyourmoney.com/guam-popular-kmart-world/

And Ed is putting zero effort into this store and it still rakes in Billions. If anyone even made the slightest effort, we would be in Trillions with a "T". Multi-Trillions. They make More Money in 1 Week than Bill Gates is worth! Lots of Money.

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @1arj+19FSDR2Y

You do understand that Transformco is a separate entity even if Eddie owns it. Transformco can go into bankruptcy without him personally going into bankruptcy. Yes, the company has debt, all companies do. It can't be in good financial shape either, if it was, it wouldn't be doing mass closures of stores. What is unknown is how much debt since it is private, but believe me if creditors do not get their payments they will take action and they can force the company into bankruptcy without Eddie's approval. That's the way it works.

There's no way the Guam KMart has $1 billion in profit, you pulled that number out of your a–. It doesn't even have $1 billion in sales. No store has ever had that. Do you realize that in 2017 when the company still had nearly 1,000 stores, total revenue was $16 billion for the entire company? You think one store did a billion of that, you're out of your mind. Guam store will either be sold or go out with the rest of the company before the end of the year.

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @1jgj+19FSDR2Y

$1 Billion dollars, profit. LOL!

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @1wdl+19FSDR2Y

He doesn't HAVE to go into chapter 7. People can CHOOSE to do so if they want. And he won't choose that. And he owns Sears/Kmart outright, so there is NO debt on them. I never claimed Sears was to big to fail. They have failed, and nobody is arguing that. I wrote that Guam was a rare exception (like a diamond in the rough) that goes against the trend. I think every single Sears/Kmart except Guam and the 4 USVI's, are not Profitable. However, definitely Guam (and maybe USVI, but I'm less familiar with those) ARE Profitable. That can run as a stand-alone property. The volume that 1 store does alone is larger than many small regional grocery chains combined. He can transfer that to some "entity" and again, have someone local continue to run it, while it continues to pour Cash into his lap. And again, if he doesn't want to, I will gladly take it off his hands. That store can easily produce $1 BILLION (with a "B") DOLLARS of Pure Profit (after Expenses) in 1 Year. If he doesn't want to earn $1 Billion Bucks in 1 Year with zero effort, then I gladly will. It is literally the definition of a Cash Cow. Every other part of Sears/Kmart will likely close. But not Kmart Guam (and MAYBE not USVI Kmarts). Friendly Wager if you wish. I Bet that Kmart Guam is still owned by Ed in 2040.

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @1squ+19FSDR2Y

Wow, you have zero knowledge about bankruptcy. It makes no difference whether the company is public or private. If a company is in debt and becomes delinquent its creditors can and do force it into bankruptcy. Last time Sears went into bankruptcy it was chapter 11, that's a reorganization plan. If it goes into chapter 7, its liquidation. All assets, even those owned outright get liquidated. Ch. 7 means the company is done. All assets are converted to cash and then that cash is divided among the creditors. A car in an individual bankruptcy is a bad example, individuals can exempt certain assets like cars, companies can't exempt anything.

The too big to fail argument is complete garbage. No retail store is too big to fail. I bet 50 years ago when Sears was the #1 retailer, no one ever thought it would be down to less than 30 stores, yet it is.

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @1wsg+19FSDR2Y

You can't seize and distribute Assets from a private company like that. It's not like a car he has a lien on. He owns the company outright. The bank can't repossess a car once you already Pay if off.

And as I stated below, that store is so extremely Profitable, it is virtually impossible for it to fail. You couldn't make that store fail if you tried. It is literally the most Profitable store (of any company, of any category) in our Solar System.

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @1iia+19FSDR2Y

Eddie Is Going to close the last store in Hawaii!

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @1esa+19FSDR2Y

Confirmed. Eddie is flying there tonight after a big day in Maui.

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @1tnz+19FSDR2Y

Again, you just proved you have no idea what you're talking about, private companies can and do go into chapter 7 bankruptcy. In fact, even an individual can go into ch.7. Everything gets liquidated and then is split among the creditors, that's the way it works.

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @1xsq+19FSDR2Y

Transformco isn't publicly traded so traditional chapter 7's wouldn't apply to a private owned company. The sheer volume that Guam store does, is equal to about 20 small grocery stores, and there are tons of small grocery chains with about 20 stores. Look at Kings food stores in NJ as an example of that.

Yes, his buying power would be reduced, but remember that is offset by the absolute monopoly he has in Guam, as well as, to a lesser extent in USVI. I could see some number of those 5 Kmarts remaining open. Again, Blockbuster Video runs 1 store. I might be mistaken, but I think Radio Shack still has a small number of locations still open? Again, that store is so extremely Profitable that even with half their sales, they would make Millions of Dollars for him Annually. It's like the Midas touch. Anything that touches that store turns to Gold. Plenty of Super-Mega-Rich Japanese and other Asians flock there. That store CAN practically run itself AND it has Guaranteed Profits. I could be blindfolded, Drunk, 1 hand tied behind my back, with no retail experience whatsoever, and I could walk in and manage that Cash Cow to give me $1 Million Bucks of Profit Every Day. ON A SLOW DAY. That is probably the most Profitable store on Earth. If Ed wants to sell it (which I doubt), I'll buy it. And I Know nothing about retail. Whoever owns that Cash Cow, will have their great-great grandkids Financially set for life. It literally couldn't fail if it tried to.

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @1zyj+19FSDR2Y

Your prediction is wrong. No, the store just doesn't run itself nor does it have guaranteed profits. One thing you seem not to understand is once the rest of the stores are gone, they no longer have the same buying power, further reducing profits. When you only own one store you're not really in a position to negotiate with your vendors anymore. If another company like KMart Australia, Walmart, or Target it would be a far more profitable operation and Eddie wouldn't mind because he could cash out on the sale. You also seem to ignore that Transformco probably has racked up a ton of debt and might be forced into chapter 7 bankruptcy at some point at which point a judge (not Eddie) with authorize the sale of the store to another company.

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @mvo+19FSDR2Y

Is Kmart closing in Guam?

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @dtx+19FSDR2Y

There's never been any evidence for this.

It just makes geographical and logistical sense, just as it would for Sears Mexico to take over stores in Texas, southern California, and perhaps Florida and Puerto Rico.

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @ldj+19FSDR2Y

Eddie "running" it is semantics of course. He won't be physically "running" the Guam store. His minions will do that while he happily Cashes Checks. Yes he wants real estate and I don't blame him. But the Guam store (unlike almost all of his others) is such an extreme Cash Cow, that it is (along with maybe USVI) among the lone exceptions. The other stores LOST MONEY. This one EARNS MONEY.

True, Ed won't "run" it in the sense of physically visiting or entering the stores. He won't be stocking shelves there, and he might not even be able to find Guam on a map.
But he will still own it and Profit from it. He will not close Guam in his LIFETIME. That's my prediction. He literally has to let it run itself, and receive FREE PAYCHECKS (in the form of Profit). He won't sell or close that one.

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @yqu+19FSDR2Y

Something to think about, if blockbuster video is still a chain, how can it only have one location?

Whatever happens to Guam's KMart, Eddie will not continue to run it after everything else is shut down, that I am sure of. He never really cared about running any stores to begin with, it was all just for the real estate.

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @pnv+19FSDR2Y

This is all a bunch of baseless nonsense. You ever heard of the telephone game growing up? Kids sort of repeat a story to each other and before you Know it, everyone believes it to be true. Here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_whispers

There is not a shred of reality to this, and I have not seen a single piece of evidence that Aussie Kmart has any interest in this. Guam isn't exactly close to Australia, either.

Nope, I think Eddie will run Kmart as a strictly regional chain in Guam (and maybe USVI), and nowhere else. After all, Blockbuster Video survives as a 1-store chain, so it can be done. They don't need to have their corporate offices in IL, they can just have some type of regional office in either or both of Guam and USVI. Obviously, the Day to Day operations would be subcontrated to something local in those areas, but Ed isn't going to give up his Cash Cow, which practically is a Money-printing machine for him. My prediction is that Ed will own and (nominally) run the Guam Kmart for as long as he lives. The stateside ones will be gone very soon, however.
Nope, this won't happen.

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @hrg+19FSDR2Y
This thread has been archived. Posting is disabled.