HBC buys Saks Fifth Avenue with plans to bring the upscale chain to Canada

After weeks of negotiations and rumours of competing bids, Hudson’s Bay Company has finalized a $2.9-billion deal to buy Saks Fifth Avenue and its discount offshoot Saks Off Fifth. HBC CEO Richard Baker is reportedly itching to bring the the two stores to Canada: either by incorporating the Saks banner into select Hudson’s Bay locations or by converting entire Hudson’s Bay stores into Saks stores. Either way, HBC better move quickly if it wants to strike ahead of Nordstrom’s arrival next year. [Globe and Mail]