Sale-leasebacks allow retailers to raise capital without shedding stores by selling the underlying real estate and turning them from landlords into tenants. They also point out that companies often spend the money on share buybacks and dividends rather than investing in their business. Spokespeople for Kohl's, Macellum and Ancora declined to comment. It is not clear how many of Kohl's 1,100 stores would have been involved in any deal. Reuters GraphicsRENT EXPENSESIn a letter to shareholders in March defending its strategy against criticism from hedge fund Macellum Capital Management LLC, Kohl's said that a "large" sale-leaseback would "negatively impact margins by adding unnecessary rent expenses in perpetuity and risk Kohl's investment-grade rating".

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