LAVAL, QC, Dec. 15, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - Alimentation
Couche-Tard Inc. ("Couche-Tard") (TSX: ATD.A ATD.B) announces that
it has obtained clearance from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission
("FTC") to acquire all of the issued and outstanding equity
interest of Holiday Stationstores, Inc. and certain affiliated
companies ("Holiday"). Closing is expected to occur on December 22, 2017.
Holiday's main assets consist of 522 company-operated and
franchise locations in 10 U.S. states, two food commissaries, and a
fuel terminal. Holiday, a privately owned company, is an important
player in the U.S. Midwest region, and has top quartile convenience
and fuel volumes under the Holiday brand.
"We are very excited to announce this new addition to the
Couche-Tard family," says Brian
Hannasch, President and CEO of Couche-Tard. "The Holiday
assets are a strong strategic fit for our business and expands the
Corporation's reach to 48 of the 50 U.S. states. Adding the Holiday
stores, commissaries and fuel terminal as well as its highly
successful programs and employees pushes us further in our journey
to become the world's preferred destination for convenience and
fuel."
Agreement to sell assets in the
United States:
Following the review by the FTC of the
acquisition of Holiday and in compliance with regulatory
requirements, Couche-Tard has agreed to sell ten sites, including
one Holiday site and nine CrossAmerica Partners LP (NYSE: CAPL)
sites, to a buyer or buyers approved by the FTC within 120 days
after the Decision and Order is issued. Until completion of the
divestitures in accordance with the U.S. consent decree, the sites
will be operated in the ordinary course of business by
Couche-Tard.
About Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc.
Couche-Tard is the leader in the Canadian convenience store
industry. In the United States, it
is the largest independent convenience store operator in terms of
the number of company-operated stores. In Europe, Couche-Tard is a leader in convenience
store and road transportation fuel retail in the Scandinavian
countries (Norway, Sweden and Denmark), in the Baltic countries (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania), and in Ireland and also with an important presence in
Poland.
As of October 15, 2017,
Couche-Tard's network comprised 9,465 convenience stores throughout
North America, including
8,135 stores with road transportation fuel dispensing. Its
North American network consists of 18 business units,
including 14 in the United
States covering 41 states and 4 in Canada covering all 10 provinces.
Approximately 95,000 people are employed throughout its network and
at its service offices in North
America. In addition, through CrossAmerica Partners LP,
Couche-Tard supplies road transportation fuel under various brands
to more than 1,200 locations in the
United States.
In Europe, Couche-Tard operates
a broad retail network across Scandinavia, Ireland, Poland, the Baltics and Russia through ten business units. As of
October 15, 2017, Couche-Tard's
network comprised 2,750 stores, the majority of which offer road
transportation fuel and convenience products while the others are
unmanned automated fuel stations which only offer road
transportation fuel. Couche-Tard also offers other products,
including stationary energy, marine fuel, aviation fuel and
chemicals. Including employees at branded franchise stores,
approximately 25,000 people work in its retail network, terminals
and service offices across Europe.
In addition, under licensing agreements, more than 1,800 stores
are operated under the Circle K banner in 14 other
countries and territories (China,
Costa Rica, Egypt, Guam,
Honduras, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Macau, Malaysia, Mexico, the
Philippines, Saudi Arabia,
the United Arab Emirates and
Vietnam), which brings the
worldwide total network to more than 15,200 stores.
For more information on Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. or to
consult its quarterly Consolidated Financial Statements and
Management Discussion and Analysis, please visit:
http://corpo.couche-tard.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
The statements set forth in this press release, which
describe Couche-Tard's objectives, projections, estimates,
expectations or forecasts, may constitute forward-looking
statements within the meaning of securities legislation. Positive
or negative verbs such as "will", "plan", "evaluate", "estimate",
"believe", "expect" and other related expressions are used to
identify such statements. Couche-Tard would like to point out that,
by their very nature, forward-looking statements involve risks and
uncertainties such that its results, or the measures it adopts,
could differ materially from those indicated or underlying these
statements, or could have an impact on the degree of realization of
a particular projection. Major factors that may lead to a material
difference between Couche-Tard's actual results and the
projections or expectations set forth in the forward-looking
statements include the effects of the integration of acquired
businesses and the ability to achieve projected synergies,
fluctuations in margins on motor fuel sales, competition in the
convenience store and retail motor fuel industries, exchange rate
variations, and such other risks as described in detail from time
to time in documents filed by Couche-Tard with securities
regulatory authorities in Canada.
Unless otherwise required by applicable securities laws,
Couche-Tard disclaims any intention or obligation to update or
revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise. The forward-looking
information in this press release is based on information available
as of the date of the release.
SOURCE Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc.