Doubts About 7-Eleven US IPO Emerge After Couche-Tard Scraps Bid

Seven & i Holdings Co. is drawing some skepticism about its plan to take its North American convenience stores business public after Circle K-operator Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. abandoned its ¥6.77 trillion ($46 billion) takeover bid of the Japanese retailer.

Now that Couche-Tard has walked away, there’s little reason for Seven & i to list 7-Eleven Inc. — one of its most prized businesses — because it no longer needs to fend off an unsolicited offer, according to investors and analysts interviewed by Bloomberg on Thursday. Bloomberg Intelligence estimates the 7-Eleven business could be valued at about $40 billion.