Couche-Tard Renews Bid for Seven & i After $38.5 Billion Rejection

Alimentation Couche-Tard is making a renewed effort to acquire Seven & i Holdings, the Japanese operator of 7-Eleven, after its initial $38.5 billion offer was rejected. The Canadian convenience retailer plans to write to Seven & i in the coming days to reiterate its interest and may even take its bid directly to shareholders. Seven & i has stated that the proposal is not in the best interest of its shareholders and could face antitrust challenges in the U.S. Couche-Tard has indicated it would consider divestitures to address these regulatory concerns.

If successful, the deal would create the largest convenience store operator globally, with more than 100,000 stores, marking the biggest-ever foreign takeover of a Japanese company. Shares in Seven & i have risen approximately 3% since the offer emerged, reflecting investor interest. Couche-Tard remains committed to collaborative discussions with Seven & i, emphasizing that the combination would enhance economies of scale and global reach.