Couche-Tard not considering hostile takeover of Seven & i: chairman

Canada's Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc., the operator of Circle K convenience stores, said Thursday that its discussions with Seven & i Holdings Co. to acquire the Japanese rival have been "friendly" and that it is not considering a hostile takeover.At a press conference, the first held in Japan by the company since the buyout talks surfaced last year, Couche-Tard founder and Chairman Alain Bouchard said the two companies' operations combined would create strong synergy."Japanese operations are truly worldclass. For a long time, we have a belief there is a unique strategic fit" between the t…READ FULL ARTICLE