Couche-Tard’s Carrefour Grab Puzzles Holders Used to Patient M&A
- Deal would be Couche-Tard’s largest, add supermarkets
- French government, analysts are skeptical about the merits
This article is for subscribers only.
Four months ago, Alain Bouchard gave an update to investors about Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc.’s hunt for a major acquisition. The convenience store chain was on the lookout for deals, he said, but not at any cost.
“As you know, Couche-Tard doesn’t seek to make a splash,” Bouchard, the executive chairman, said Sept. 16 during the Canadian company’s online annual meeting. “Up to now, our patience and rigor have served us well.”