Report: Sears owner considering Macy's buyout

How, or if, this would affect Northpark Mall is unknown, but the Associated Press says Sears chairman Edward Lampert is considering a buyout of Macy's. The two stores are anchors at the Joplin mall:

Now investors are speculating that Lampert, a billionaire hedge-fund operator who acquired Kmart in 2003 and Sears, Roebuck and Co. in 2005, might be involved, according to the Associated Press.

"The takeover rumor was doing the rounds a couple of weeks ago," Andrew Wilkinson, senior market analyst at Interactive Brokers Group, told the AP. "I don't think (Edward Lampert)'s name was attached before, but now someone has thrown that one out there."

Macy's declined comment. Shares in the company rose $1.91 in afternoon trading, to $41.68.