Wet Seal Investor Clinton Explores Taking Company Private

Wet Seal Inc. investor Clinton Group Inc., which has been agitating for changes at the apparel retailer for more than a year, said it is exploring options to take the company private.

Clinton, a New York-based hedge fund, said in a filing today that it is looking at financing alternatives to enable itself or one of its affiliates to make an offer to purchase Wet Seal. Clinton also said it increased its stake in the company to 8.1 percent. That would make it Wet Seal’s third-largest investor, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.