Sears chairman increases buyout bid to $5 billion, decision to approve sale or liquidate expected by February 1

Sears chairman and hedge fund tycoon Eddie Lampert met a court-ordered deadline and submitted a $5 billion buyout bid for the company by the Wednesday afternoon deadline.

Whether that bid will be enough to save the company, which owns an anchor store at Joplin's Northpark Mall, or whether it will be liquidated remains to be seen.


The federal judge overseeing the bankruptcy will make his decision by February 1.