Carso Unit Invests in CompUSA

Grupo Sanborns, the retail unit of Mexican conglomerate Grupo Carso, said it acquired a 14.1% stake in computer retailer CompUSA Inc. In a filing with the Mexican stock exchange, Sanborns valued its investment in the Dallas-based company at about $86.4 million. Sanborns is controlled by Carlos Slim Helu, considered the richest person in Latin America and the controlling shareholder of Telefonos de Mexico, Mexico’s dominant phone carrier, known as Telmex. Sanborns, based in Mexico City, owns its namesake Sanborns variety stores and restaurants and 85% of the Mexican operations of Sears, Roebuck & Co. in 1997. CompUSA has cut 1,800 jobs amid a yearlong financial slide and restructured its commercial-sales organization. CompUSA shares closed up 31 cents at $7.56 on the NYSE.