heres the link:
http://money.cnn.com/2004/11/17/news...ex.htm?cnn=yes

 

Even if you're not a fan of either K-mart or Sears (which I'm neither), it's a good thing that there will be a new, stronger player going up against the big 3, Wal-mart, Home Depot and Target.

And to answer your question, as long as the new Martha Stewart signature series torque wrench works, and is guaranteed like a Craftsman one, and still 1/4 the cost of Snap-on, I won't mind that it's only offered in designer pastel colors.

 

Well, Snap-On has their Blue point line of tools, Sears may as well make a Blue Light product line!

 

I hope they dont screw with the tool line. I honestly dont think they will because they sell alot of tools and that is probably a good percent of their profit. I just dont under stand why k-mart is buying them out when they are supposibly {BROKE}. They closed alot of Kmarts in our area we use to have 5 of them now we have one. Its a mystery??

 

they sold a lot of property to get them outta bankrupcy...its in the article...

 

I went to Sears yesterday to replace some sockets, asked the sales lady if they were changing the store's name to Sears Mart...she didn't even know about the merger. Or will it be KRoebuck?? There will be lace combination wrenches in pastel colors with pictures of little iron bars on them. K Mart stock has really gone up since emerging from bankruptcy from around $15 to over $100 if only I had the faith back then.

 

is there an quality 100% american tool maker out there that has been around forever, readily available, and doesnt charge $600 for 44 pieces? you think this is going to help craftsman?? it's going to turn into liek stanley, good tools made in china. i want tools with history, available, affordable, and 1000000% USA.

 

The stores will still be separate and will maintain their old names. I just hope Kmart doesn't drag Sears down. Kmart can liquidate for all I care but Sears has some redeaming value (appliances, tools, lawn & garden) IMO.

 

I'm with ya. I have always liked Sears. When I was wrenching I would buy Snap-On or Mac Tools but only because they came to me every week with shiny new products and a 0% financing deal. They have good tools but the cost is absurd.

Now for my home garage use you can't beat Craftsman for price, quality and warranty. There seems to be a main Sears store everywhere and I love having the Sears Hardware only stores even closer. How many people have a Craftsman Club card with them? How many people have old Craftsman tools handed down from their fathers and grand fathers and still use them?

I don't see what product K-Mart can bring to the bargaining table other then the clothing line by that convicted criminal.

 

Tools made in China are 100% american. the reason i say this is because thats where all of our good ol Pitsburg Steel is. I figure all of these china made cars are really china cars with good ol Ford steel on the formed differently. Get what i'm saying.

 

I like many others like trading stocks which helps to build some extra retirement funds, and luckily I didn't own any Kmart stock when they filed bankruptcy or their legal version of it not so long ago. How many of us with our 401K's or other types of retirement plans depend upon the stockmarket, almost all of them except for the general interest income accounts. Well when they went through this period, they legally left allot of people holding worthless shares of their stock. Well Kmart received their fresh start from the government and fired back up again with a whole new stock and symbol and left the shareholder nothing. Now they are going to buy or merge with Sears? The should have to pay their past debts first!

 

I saw some kind of analyst (retail analyst perhaps) on one of the news channels. He was speculating with flat out certainty that Sears and Kmart are doomed. The merger is just a way for the Kmart guys to pick up some prime real estate for cheap that they'll liquidate later.

So for the sake of argument, lets say this nutjob analyst turns out to be correct. What happens to all our guaranteed for life Craftsman tools? Perhaps some other retailer would pick up the line? I just can't picture walking into Wal-Mart with a broken ratchet expecting to walk out with a new one for free. In fact I can't even picture walking into Wal-Mart, I hate that place.

Matt.

 

We won't be seeing Marthat Stewart torquing nuts or bolts anytime soon. She's still in the lock up.

 

I've always liked Sears, I too hope Kfart doesnt mess it up. I doubt they'll do anything with the tools, I dont see why. Craftsman has been around forever, why mess with something that is working for them?

 

If you were a shareholder before the BK and didn't sell your shares, you didn't lose any money. You only realize a profit or loss once you close your position.