Special purpose corporation NRDC Acquisition is looking to convert from blank check to REIT, buying distressed retail properties.

Retail has been a slippery slope of late. But check out the difference in prices of just a year ago.

In 1987 Orange Julius was acquired by Dairy Queen part of legendary investor Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A). Pairing with the better-known DQ helped raise Julius' profile. Today there are over 200 locations --many of which feature Orange Julius and Dairy Queen products side by side. Dubbed "Treat Centers " these combo outlets force consumers to make tough choices; for instance between the vitamin-C-rich Orange Julius (1 gram of fat) and the Oreo Blizzard (21 grams).Orange Julius now faces stiff competition in a $2.5 billion smoothie market it unwittingly helped create. Smoothie King Surf City Squeeze and Jamba Juice ...

Not even an awakening IPO market can help blank-check companies.

PepsiCo (PEP) which owns Gatorade is railing against Coke's (KO) recent advertising campaign that claims the popular thirst quencher is "an incomplete sports drink." The spot goes on to tout Coke’s Powerade which contains two ingredients not found in Gatorade - calcium and magnesium. As Pepsi busies itself with planning its retaliation we decided to investigate Coke’s claim and gave Gatorade our patented stress test.  div.wrapper { width: 450px; margin: 10px 95px; } table.stresstest { border-bottom: 1px dotted black; border-left: 1px dotted black } table.stresstest td { padding: 2px 5px 5px 2px; border-top: 1px dotted black; border-right: 1px dotted ...