Icahn Sweetens Pep Boys Offer With Promise to Trump Bridgestone

  • Revised proposal would beat any bid up to about $1.01 billion
  • Bridgestone has until 7 a.m. Friday, Tokyo time, to respond
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Billionaire investor Carl Icahn sweetened his offer to buy Pep Boys with a promise to top any bid from Bridgestone Corp. up to about $1.01 billion, testing the Japanese company’s resolve to expand in the U.S. and create the world’s largest chain of tire and automotive centers.

Icahn’s new offer includes a provision that would automatically beat any bid from Tokyo-based Bridgestone by 10 cents a share, up to a maximum of $18.10 a share, Philadelphia-based Pep Boys said Wednesday in a statementBloomberg Terminal. Pep Boys’ board has determined that Icahn’s offer is superior, giving Bridgestone until 7 a.m. on Friday, Tokyo time, to respond with a new proposal.