Artisan Partners Presses Seven & i for Talks on Couche-Tard's $47 Billion Bid

The U.S. fund criticizes the Japanese retailer's restructuring plan, urging it to engage with the Canadian company's takeover offer.

Artisan Partners, holding a 1.11% stake in Seven & i, calls for the company to allow due diligence and negotiate with Alimentation Couche-Tard.
Seven & i's recent restructuring plan, which includes spinning off non-core assets, is deemed insufficient by Artisan Partners.
The Canadian company's offer, increased by 22% to approximately $47 billion, represents a premium over Seven & i's current valuation.
Artisan Partners has raised concerns about the transparency of the special committee reviewing the Couche-Tard bid, urging disclosure of its members.
If successful, Couche-Tard's acquisition would be the largest-ever foreign buyout of a Japanese company.