The "go-shop" period for Tech Data has passed, allowing Apollo Global Management to go ahead with its $6 billion purchase of the company. Tech Data would pay $184 million as a penalty if it cancels the deal, which is expected to close in the first six months of 2020.

RBC Capital Markets estimates that revenue for Amazon Business will soon grow to over $30 billion as its estimated 115% three-year compound annual growth rate is expected to surpass those for retail and cloud services sales. RBC analyst Mark Mahaney says Amazon's strong logistics and technology infrastructure have contributed to the growth.

Investors in 2019 are buying cold-storage warehouses at a rate not seen this decade, with Americold Realty Trust among the purchasers. Americold's stock has risen 46% this year, as the company is the only publicly traded cold-storage real estate investment trust.

Windows antivirus software is no match for a new Snatch ransomware, which can secretly encrypt the user's files after rebooting the user's PC into Safe Mode, where antivirus programs aren't used. A SophosLabs researcher wrote that "the severity of the risk posed by ransomware which runs in Safe Mode cannot be overstated."

Fully optimizing technology and automation can give procurement departments productivity advantages of as much as 68%, according to a Hackett Group report. Researchers highlight seven ways procurement will change and become more valuable during the next five years, including automation and use of data analytics.

The popular expression "digital transformation" is vague and leads to confusion, writes Centerline Digital's Kristen Powers, who suggests marketers should focus on digital maturity or "a company's ability to understand, find, engage, respond to and serve its customers." Powers contends digital maturity or customer experience is a "primary differentiator in the digital economy" and can be assessed by considering experience touchpoints, marketing platforms, and data and measurement capabilities.

A survey of nearly 1,000 leaders by Carey Nieuwhof reveals, at least anecdotally, the deep mistrust and discouragement younger and older leaders feel about each other. Younger leaders feel older counterparts are stubborn and inflexible in decision-making and accepting change, while older leaders believe younger people are entitled, don't work hard and think they have all the answers.

Don't miss the NAW 2020 Executive Summit: INNOVATE TO DOMINATE, Jan. 28-30! Our program will provide for you a road map to innovation as you peer into the future of wholesale distribution, explore marketplace platforms, and examine the points of view of today's brightest business experts and next-generation distribution entrepreneurs who are creating new business models to satisfy industry and customer needs, and create new demand. Get ready to network with other best-in-class distributors. Register today.

Growing in popularity within our industry, the NAW Certificate in Distribution Professional Management Program is ideal for high-potential managers who seek to complement their professional development with a strong emphasis on practical application within the distribution field. Three, one-week sessions at Texas A&M University focus on Generating and Managing Growth (Feb. 10-14), Distributor Capability Development (April 13-17), and Optimizing Distributor Profitability (Oct. 19-23). Get all the details and enroll your high achievers today before the seats are gone.

If you missed last week's live webinar, "Welcome to the Age of B2B Innovation," sponsored by PROS, you can replay the webinar now. You'll hear Mark Dancer and Mike DeCata, president and CEO of Lawson Products, in a lively and informative discussion about how distributors can lead in the age of B2B innovation, defeating disruption and reinvigorating our business economy through digital transformation. Mark shared critical findings from NAW's groundbreaking Innovate to Dominate research study.