1208 ET - 7-Eleven owner Seven & i seems to be strengthening its business in the face of a buyout bid from Canada's Alimentation Couche-Tard. Rather than make itself an easier buyout target, Seven & i has been focusing on restructuring itself, including in plans for the sale of assets, such as its superstore units, to Bain Capital, and in reducing its stake in the financial-services business. These moves narrow the company's focus on its core convenience-store operations, which could be seen as a bid to become leaner and more profitable and, as a result, more valuable on its own. Taken with past events like the original bid rejection, the drawn-out discussions, and gaining critical business status in Japan, the road to a buyout appears less straightforward. (adriano.marchese@wsj.com)

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

July 10, 2025 12:09 ET (16:09 GMT)

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