Ok, I'm pulling this purely out of my posterior, but I'm trying to fit the puzzle pieces in a way that tries to make sense of what Eddie's doing not look like complete brain damage and instead look like a smart move that doesn't make the banks look like complete fools getting s---ered again and again.
Amazons' Jeff Bezos bought Whole Foods a few years back right? And then basically left it alone with a few tweaks, while basically just watching it while learning the grocery business. Supposedly big things are in store this year.
Amazon also has been doing things with Kenmore and Sears Auto, indicating that he has ideas about expanding into the tire and appliances space. We know Amazon likes to perfect things by starting small, and then expanding once they have things figured out. If Amazon spends $5B on Sears, that's completely chump change to Amazon. A few billion and a few years to learn the business is nothing for Amazon.
So Eddie buys out Sears. Amazon gets Kenmore/Diehard, some Auto and appliance knowledge, Sears Home Services, learns the ropes, and once Amazon gets the know how they want, they eventually expand and conquer the world as Amazon knows how. They definitely don't want the inefficient morass that only Eddie can create. They want the appliances, auto, the Kenmore brand, and the warranty and intellectual property that makes it happen.
That's how all this makes sense. Again, complete pure conjecture, but it's how I make it all fit together in my head.