Seven & i potential buyer Couche-Tard is skilled M&A tactician

Canadian company's buyout of Japanese 7-Eleven parent would be its biggest yet

20240820N Couche-Tard

Alimentation Couche-Tard has expanded its convenience store network in Canada under the brand name Couche-Tard. © Reuters

Nikkei staff writers

TOKYO/LONDON/NEW YORK -- Alimentation Couche-Tard, the Canadian convenience store group that sent a friendly, nonbinding takeover proposal to Japan's Seven & i Holdings, is known as a master of mergers and acquisitions, one that now eyes the 85,000 7-Eleven stores worldwide.

On Monday, the day the proposal was announced, Couche-Tard's shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange fell by more than 2%. The possibility of Couche-Tard acquiring Seven & i, which has a 5 trillion yen ($34.2 billion) market capitalization, left some concerned about the risk of deteriorating finances.

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