The exterior of a 7-Eleven convenience store is seen in Los Angeles, California, on November 20, 2024.
Etienne Laurent | AFP | Getty Images
Shares of Seven & i Holdings Co. ended Friday up 3.6% after Nikkei reported that the Japanese owner of 7-Eleven is close to acquiring a stake in Polish convenience store operator Zabka Group.
The deal under discussion is expected to be valued at several hundred billion yen, according to Nikkei, and would mark a significant step in Seven & i’s push to grow its convenience store footprint beyond Asia and deepen its presence in Eastern Europe.
Founded in 1998, Zabka Group operates more than 10,000 franchised stores across Poland, offering groceries, hot snacks and everyday essentials. The Warsaw-listed retailer’s shares jumped 10.9% on Thursday, closing at an all-time high.
Seven & i has been moving quickly to scale its international operations, aiming to lift its global store network, including locations in Japan, from 87,000 to 100,000 by 2030. A Zabka investment would give the company a stronger retail platform in Europe, Nikkei reported.
Amir Anvarzadeh, market strategist at Asymmetric Advisors, said the stock market response suggested investors welcomed renewed dealmaking by Seven & i following a quieter stretch after its purchase of the 7-Eleven business in Australia.
Zabka’s franchise-driven model could also offer Seven & i a springboard for broader convenience store expansion across central Europe, Anvarzadeh said, noting that an initial stake purchase may open the door to deeper cooperation in the future.
The proposed transaction would mark the company’s return to major overseas convenience store investments after a period of limited dealmaking activity.
In 2024 the Japanese giant completed its acquisition of 7-Eleven Australia to expand its presence in the country, taking full ownership of the business. The move followed its $21 billion acquisition of Speedway, a U.S. convenience store operator with locations alongside gasoline stations, in 2021.
Seven & i Holdings did not respond to CNBC’s request for comment. Zabka Group said it does not comment on “any rumors” regarding potential secondary transactions involving its existing shares.
