In this podcast episode, we dive into the intense bidding war for 7-Eleven, where Canadian company Alimentation Couche-Tard is vying to acquire the convenience store giant. Initially, 7-Eleven's parent company, Seven & i, turned down Couche-Tard's offer, claiming it undervalued the brand and faced regulatory challenges. However, Seven & i later responded with a bold $58 billion bid to take 7-Eleven private, underscoring the cultural importance of 7-Eleven in Japan and the potential hesitance to permit a foreign takeover. The outcome of this battle could have significant implications for future mergers and acquisitions involving Japanese firms, as well as the effectiveness of recent reforms aimed at boosting shareholder value.
