This year’s honorees include a Midwest retailer and two multi-store independents, one in New York and the other in New England.
Neiman Marcus Is Looking for a Buyer
The struggling luxury department store announced this week that it’s exploring its options, including a potential sale.

Dallas, Texas--Debt-laden luxury department store chain Neiman Marcus said Tuesday that it is “(evaluating) potential strategic alternatives, which may include the sale of the company.”
Like many department stores, the Dallas-based company, which also owns MyTheresa.com and various real estate holdings, is struggling to combat declining sales and offset its $4.9 billion debt load.
In its second fiscal quarter ended Jan. 28, Neiman Marcus reported that total revenue decreased 6.1 percent year-over-year, falling to $1.4 billion from $1.49 billion. Comparable revenue dropped 6.8 percent.
Factoring in non-cash impairment charges, the luxury retailer reported a loss of $117.1 million in the second quarter, compared to earnings of $7.9 million in the same quarter last year.
In January this year, the company withdrew its initial public offering, which it had submitted in 2015.
Sources told The Wall Street Journal this week that the company, which is owned by private equity firms, is in talks with Hudson Bay Co., which owns Saks Fifth Avenue and Lord & Taylor.
Earlier this year it was widely reported that Hudson Bay Co. was in talks to purchase Macy’s, though sources indicated to the New York Post this month that the deal has stalled due to Macy’s high asking price.
RELATED CONTENT: The Malaise of Macy’sIn its second quarter earnings statement, Neiman Marcus said that a team of financial advisors would explore selling options or alternatives “to optimize its capital structures” though there was no specific timetable set or guarantee that any action would be taken.
They also said that they didn’t expect to comment on a potential sale until a move had been approved by the board of directors.
Neiman Marcus ranks No. 13 on National Jeweler's 2016 State of the Majors "$100 Million Supersellers" list, with an estimated $510 million in watch and jewelry sales in 2015.
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