Theoretically correct.
But when purchasing a business, doesn't the new owner also inherit the existing baggage ? Like outstanding debt and obligations ........
Maybe They can't break the existing lease on the 30 stores. Very seldom does any business "owns" the premise used for business. Typically the land and the building were leased.
In almost all the cases for retail, the inventory in the store were not "paid for", The suppliers own most of the inventory in most the cases.
Puzzle as it may seemed, it must made sense to the D,S. for the decision to purchase G.S. which was on the market for a long time before the auction. Maybe it looks good on paper.
My guess is, the purchase was not to expand but to prevent competition from moving in too fast. This will buy the breathing room for a few years.
Can't trust what penciled out on paper, alone, any longer.