Taking Burberry Coach Class

Burberry has led the so-called “see now, buy now trend,” where clothes are sold straight off the runway. But it’s not just the company’s pirate jackets and pajama suits buyers are after.  The stock rose as much as 8 percent on Friday after financial blog Betaville reported Coach was considering a merger with the British luxury brand. It’s an old chestnut, and the idea first surfaced more than five years ago. A Reuters report on Friday dismissed the idea, and analysts were skeptical too. But as Burberry reels from a management shakeup and stagnant sales, it’s a good time to pay some attention to a possible deal — and whether it would usher in an even larger consolidation among luxury goods makers. Read more at Bloomberg.