An activist investor is pushing department store chain Kohl’s to either sell the entire company or spin off its e-commerce division. In a letter posted online on Monday, Engine Capital said that it wants the Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin-based retailer to consider these alternatives to boost the stock price. Engine Capital said that if the company chose spinning off its e-commerce division, a move similar to what Saks did earlier this year, the stand-alone business could be valued at $12.4 billion or more. That amount dwarfs the company’s current market capitalization. Kohl says the board and management team “continuously examine all opportunities for maximizing shareholder value."
Stocks jumped in Monday's early session after a slew of earnings and other news events that saw the market attempt to make a positive finish to a rough month. Investors also braced for a rate decision from the Federal Reserve as well as the latest jobs report this week.
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