Couche-Tard Advances $50 Billion Bid for Seven & i Despite Resistance

The Canadian convenience store giant seeks to acquire 7-Eleven’s operator but faces antitrust concerns and limited cooperation from the Japanese company.

Couche-Tard has proposed a $50 billion acquisition of Seven & i Holdings, aiming to create a global convenience store leader with over 100,000 locations.
Seven & i continues to resist the takeover, citing U.S. antitrust hurdles and skepticism about Couche-Tard's ability to address them effectively.
The two companies have signed a limited 'joint defense' pact to address regulatory issues, but Seven & i has withheld access to its financial data room.
Couche-Tard has reassured stakeholders of its friendly approach and has proposed divesting stores to ease antitrust concerns, with analysts estimating 2,000 U.S. stores may need to be sold.
While maintaining its focus on Seven & i, Couche-Tard is also exploring other acquisition opportunities globally to expand its footprint.