Walmart to acquire women's e-retailer Eloquii

Walmart Inc. said Tuesday that it plans to acquire Eloquii, a digitally-native retailer specializing in women's apparel in sizes 14 and up. Details about the deal were not disclosed. Eloquii was founded in 2011 as part of The Limited and relaunched in 2014 as an independent brand. The deal gives Walmart a retail platform focused on the $21 billion plus-size market. "Today, more than half of women age 18-65 in the US wear size 14+," said Andy Dunn, Walmart's senior vice president of digital brands, in a blog post. "We know they're looking not just for basics, but also for on-trend pieces that allow them to express their individuality. This is a segment of the market that has been historically underserved and neglected." Other e-commerce brands that Walmart has acquired include ModCloth and Bonobos. Walmart shares are up nearly 1% in Tuesday trading, but down 3.5% for 2018 so far. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is up 8.3% for the year to date.

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