Couche-Tard and Seven & i Explore Divestitures to Navigate Antitrust Challenges in $47 Billion Buyout Bid
The Canadian and Japanese convenience store giants are collaborating on potential store sell-offs to address U.S. regulatory concerns in what could be Japan's largest foreign acquisition.
- Alimentation Couche-Tard has proposed a $47 billion takeover of Seven & i Holdings, the parent company of 7-Eleven, aiming to create a global convenience store leader.
- Both companies are assessing divestitures of overlapping U.S. stores, with financial advisors identifying potential buyers to satisfy antitrust regulators.
- Seven & i, which initially rejected Couche-Tard's offer citing undervaluation and regulatory hurdles, has begun cooperating on divestiture plans to advance discussions.
- Artisan Partners, a U.S.-based investor in Seven & i, has criticized the company's leadership and urged deeper engagement with Couche-Tard to maximize shareholder value.
- The proposed acquisition, if successful, would mark the largest-ever foreign buyout of a Japanese firm, combining Seven & i's 85,000 stores worldwide with Couche-Tard's nearly 17,000 outlets.
Global News 
The Globe and Mail 
