TOKYO, Aug 6 (Reuters) - Seven & i Holdings' ( SVNDF )

planned listing of its North American operations would enable

the Japanese convenience store operator to take on additional

debt for more aggressive growth than currently planned, its

chief executive said on Wednesday.

The listing, billed for the second half of 2026, would allow

for faster store rollouts in the U.S. and additional bolt-on

M&As, CEO Stephen Dacus said at a strategy briefing for analysts

and media in Tokyo.

The fate of the beleaguered operator of the 7-Eleven chain

rests on its ability to demonstrate it can grow independently,

having successfully fended off a takeover bid from Canadian

rival Alimentation Couche-Tard ( ANCTF ).

Couche-Tard withdrew its $46 billion offer last month citing

a lack of engagement from Seven & i ( SVNDF ), which precipitated a 9%

fall in the latter's share price that reflected investor

scepticism about Seven & i's ( SVNDF ) standalone growth plans.

In Japan, Seven & i ( SVNDF ) faces stiff competition from

faster-growing rivals Family Mart and Lawson, while in the U.S.,

analysts and investors say lacklustre profit margins belie its

potential as the largest convenience store chain in the country.

For years Seven & i ( SVNDF ) has been under pressure from

shareholders, including a series of activist investors, to boost

returns by selling off assets and focusing on its core

convenience store business.

In March, Seven unveiled a major restructuring in which it

sold off its superstore unit, announced a 2 trillion yen

($13.55 billion) share buyback through 2030 and committed to a

public listing of its North American arm in the second half of

2026.

($1 = 147.5600 yen)

(Reporting by Anton Bridge; Editing by Christopher Cushing and

Muralikumar Anantharaman)