08:19 AM EDT, 03/26/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Private equity firms are showing strong interest in buying about 2,000 North American convenience stores that could be divested if Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. ( ANCTF ) succeeds in its 7.39 trillion yen (US$49 billion) endeavor to buy out Seven & i Holdings Co., the chief financial officer of the Canadian company said, Bloomberg News is reporting.

"We are putting in front of these private equity funds a network of 2,000 stores with a national presence, very strong footprint in some of the states," Filipe Da Silva said in an interview, adding that it would be the fifth- or sixth-largest operator in the U.S. "The level of interest is really high."

Bloomberg noted that after being rebuffed for more than half a year, Couche-Tard, the parent company of the Circle K brand, agreed with Seven & i to seek a buyer for overlapping retail outlets as a prerequisite for takeover talks. The process is aimed at making sure that any deal won't fall apart because of U.S. antitrust concerns.

Potential buyers for a package of 7-Eleven and other convenience stores have until the end of March to express their interest, Da Silva said, confirming an earlier Bloomberg report on the deadline.

Seven & i has more than 13,000 locations in the U.S. and Canada under a variety of brands, including franchises and stores operated under license. Couche-Tard has about 9,200 in those two countries.

Couche-Tard has also put a termination fee on the table, Da Silva said, adding that it was high enough to show the company would proceed with talks. The fee would be a "painful" amount for the Laval, Quebec-based company to pay if any agreed deal falls through. "It's a number that shows clearly the commitment of Couche-Tard to take further action if it's required to make this happen," the CFO said.

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