Metro Agrees to Sell Approximately Half its Stake in Couche-Tard Inc


Wed. January 23rd, 2013

<p style="text-indent:0px; line-height:12px;"><span style="font-weight:bold;"> Montreal, Quebec-</span><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">By ANUK Staff<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">01.23.13</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Metro Inc. has announced that it has agreed to sell approximately half of its stake in convenience-store Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. (ATD.B.T) for $482.3 million USD, or $479 million Canadian dollars. Metro is selling a total of 10 million Class B Subordinate Voting Shares of Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. to a group of banks led by BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc., according to a press release. Price per share was reported at $47.90 CD.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><img src="https://cdn.andnowuknow.com/legacyWriterImages/metro012313body1.jpg" alt="Images012313" /><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">After the transaction, Metro will continue to own roughly 10.7 million Class A shares of Couche-Tard, which represents an economic interest of about 5.7% in the company . Metro will maintain a 17% ownership stake in Couche-Tard.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><img src="https://cdn.andnowuknow.com/legacyWriterImages/metro012313body3.jpg" alt="Images012313" /><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">“Metro has been a key shareholder of Couche-Tard since 1987 and we are extremely pleased with the performance of the company,” said Eric R. La Flèche, President &amp; CEO of Metro. “At this time, given the market value of our holding in Couche-Tard relative to Metro’s total value, we decided to monetize a portion of our investment. We still retain a significant economic and voting interest in Couche-Tard, and look forward to the continued growth of our investment. We are evaluating opportunities for the use of proceeds, including investments for growth and returns to shareholders,” said Mr. La Flèche.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href="http://metro.ca/index.fr.html" target="_new">Metro</a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">