06:53 AM EDT, 03/20/2025 (MT Newswires) -- 7-Eleven's owner has signed a confidentiality agreement with the Canadian owner of Circle K to consider a potential sale of some U.S. stores, moving to address antitrust risk of a possible takeover of the Japanese retail giant by Alimentation Couche-Tard ( ANCTF ) .

The scope of the nondisclosure agreement is limited to the potential sale of some stores run by the companies in the U.S. and isn't meant to discuss a possible sale of the entire Seven & i Holdings group, a spokesman for the Japanese company said Wednesday.

Couche-Tard Chief Executive Alex Miller said on an earnings call Wednesday that the nondisclosure agreements were signed by potential buyers in the divestment process. "We have not signed a nondisclosure agreement," Miller said. "We are working with Seven & I on a marketing package on what a divestment package would look like."

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