LAVAL, QC, March 10, 2015 /CNW Telbec/ - Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc.
("Couche-Tard") (TSX: ATD.A ATD.B) announces today that its acquisition of The
Pantry, Inc. as announced on December 18, 2014, has been approved at a
special meeting of the Pantry's shareholders earlier today.
The acquisition remains subject to customary closing conditions,
including the receipt of necessary governmental and regulatory
approvals. The waiting period under the U.S. Hart-Scott-Rodino Act is
scheduled to expire on March 12, 2015. The parties intend to close the
acquisition as promptly as practicable after expiration or termination
of the HSR waiting period.
Profile
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 number of company-operated stores. In Europe,
Couche-Tard is a leader in convenience store and road transportation
fuel in Scandinavian and Baltic countries while it has a significant
presence in Poland.
As of October 12, 2014, Couche-Tard's network comprised 6,303
convenience stores throughout North America, including 4,851 stores
with road transportation fuel dispensing. Its North-American network
consists of 13 business units, including nine in the United States
covering 40 states and four in Canada covering all ten provinces. More
than 60,000 people are employed throughout its network and at the
service offices in North America.
In Europe, Couche-Tard operates a broad retail network across
Scandinavia (Norway, Sweden, Denmark), Poland, the Baltics (Estonia,
Latvia, Lithuania) and Russia, which comprised 2,239 stores as of
October 12, 2014, the majority of which offer road transportation fuel
and convenience products while the others are unmanned automated
service-stations which offer road transportation fuel only. The
Corporation also offers other products, including stationary energy,
marine fuel, aviation fuel, lubricants and chemicals. Couche-Tard
operates key fuel terminals and fuel depots in eight countries.
Including employees at Statoil branded franchise stations, about 17,500
people work in its retail network, terminals and service office across
Europe.
In addition, under licensing agreements, about 4,600 stores are operated
under the Circle K banner in 12 other countries worldwide (China, Guam,
Honduras, Hong King, Indonesia, Japan, Macau, Malaysia, Mexico, the
Philippines, Vietnam and the United Arab Emirates) which brings to more
than 13,100 the number of sites in Couche-Tard's network.
The statements set forth in this press release, which describes
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
"believe", "could", "should", "intend", "expect", "estimate", "assume"
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 the reports filed by Couche-Tard with securities authorities in
Canada and the United States. 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 release is based on information available as of the
date of the release.
SOURCE Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc.