logo
'Highly Misleading': Alimentation Couche-Tard Stock (TSE:ATD) Notches up as Seven & i Pushes Back

'Highly Misleading': Alimentation Couche-Tard Stock (TSE:ATD) Notches up as Seven & i Pushes Back

It would be easy to think that the recent failed deal between Canadian convenience store giant Alimentation Couche-Tard (TSE:ATD) and Japanese convenience store giant Seven & i would be the end of the story. That is not the case, however, as Seven & i is fighting back against remarks Couche-Tard made in the aftermath of the failed deal. Seven & i fighting back is good news for Couche-Tard, though, as investors gave it a fractional boost in Wednesday morning's trading.
Elevate Your Investing Strategy:
Take advantage of TipRanks Premium at 50% off! Unlock powerful investing tools, advanced data, and expert analyst insights to help you invest with confidence.
When the deal ultimately fell through, Couche-Tard declared that Seven & i had pretty much scuttled the whole thing by refusing to play along for the year that Couche-Tard tried, ultimately in vain, to get something going. But Seven & i is fighting back, calling Couche-Tard's remarks 'highly misleading,' and noting that Seven & i acted in good faith that whole time.
In fact, for all of Couche-Tard's allegations that Seven & i was a dead fish, Seven & i's response was that, essentially, Couche-Tard was the exact opposite: a loose cannon in a china shop that absolutely did not care about consequences. Seven & i's concerns about antitrust issues and the broader market were largely dismissed, and Couche-Tard had no real plan to address those concerns at all.
Missed Opportunity or Dodged Bullet?
Meanwhile, outside observers are surveying the wreckage of the deal, and wondering if this was a missed opportunity. Indeed, some outsiders think exactly that. But a substantial amount of outsiders are also thinking that this was less a missed opportunity and more a missed disaster in the making.
Mohamed Amer, PhD, who also serves as a 'CEO & strategic board advisor' as well as a 'strategy doctor,' noted that Couche-Tard here '…avoided a likely disaster in terms of value destruction, and 7-Eleven gets to continue controlling its strategic direction and cultural coherence.' Headcount Corporation founder and CEO Mark Ryski noted that '…it's not unusual for one or both parties to get cold feet. I suspect that's what happened here.' While there certainly would have been advantages in some senses—Couche-Tard's footprint would have gone way up while Seven & i could have focused on its Japanese business—it may well have been for the best to shutter the deal altogether.
Is Alimentation Couche-Tard Stock a Good Stock to Buy?
Turning to Wall Street, analysts have a Strong Buy consensus rating on TSE:ATD stock based on 12 Buys assigned in the past three months, as indicated by the graphic below. After a 7.29% loss in its share price over the past year, the average TSE:ATD price target of C$82.67 per share implies 7.38% upside potential.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

President Donald Trump says Japan will invest $550 billion in US at his direction. It may not be a sure thing.
President Donald Trump says Japan will invest $550 billion in US at his direction. It may not be a sure thing.

Chicago Tribune

timean hour ago

  • Chicago Tribune

President Donald Trump says Japan will invest $550 billion in US at his direction. It may not be a sure thing.

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump is bragging that Japan has given him, as part of a new trade framework, $550 billion to invest in the United States. It's an astonishing figure, but still subject to negotiation and perhaps not the sure thing he's portraying. 'Japan is putting up $550 billion in order to lower their tariffs a little bit,' Trump said Thursday. 'They put up, as you could call it, seed money. Let's call it seed money.' He said 90% of any profits from the money invested would go to the U.S. even if Japan had put up the funds. 'It's not a loan or anything, it's a signing bonus,' the Republican president said, on the trade framework that lowered his threatened tariff from 25% to 15%, including on autos. A White House official said the terms are being negotiated and nothing has been formalized in writing. The official, who insisted on anonymity to detail the terms of the talks, suggested the goal was for the $550 billion fund to make investments at Trump's direction. The sum is significant: It would represent more than 10% of Japan's entire gross domestic product. The Japan External Trade Organization estimates that direct investment into the U.S. economy topped $780 billion in 2023. It is unclear the degree to which the $550 billion could represent new investment or flow into existing investment plans. What the trade framework announced Tuesday has achieved is a major talking point for the Trump administration. The president has claimed to have brought trillions of dollars in new investment into the U.S., though the impact of those commitments have yet to appear in the economic data for jobs, construction spending or manufacturing output. The framework also enabled Trump to say other countries are agreeing to have their goods taxed, even if some of the cost of those taxes are ultimately passed along to U.S. consumers. On the $550 billion, Japan's Cabinet Office said it involves the credit facility of state-affiliated financial institutions, such as Japan Bank for International Cooperation. Further details would be decided based on the progress of the investment deals. Japanese trade negotiator Ryosei Akazawa, upon returning to Japan, did not discuss the terms of the $550 billion investment. Akazawa said he believes a written joint statement is necessary, at least on working levels, to avoid differences. He is not thinking about a legally binding trade pact. The U.S. apparently released its version of the deal while Japanese officials were on their return flight home. 'If we find differences of understanding, we may have to point them out and say 'that's not what we discussed,'' Akazawa said. The U.S. administration said the fund would be invested in critical minerals, pharmaceuticals, computer chips and shipbuilding, among other industries. It has said Japan will also buy 100 airplanes from Boeing and rice from U.S. farmers as part of the framework, which Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said would be evaluated every three months. 'And if the president is unhappy, then they will boomerang back to the 25% tariff rates, both on cars and the rest of their products. And I can tell you that I think at 25, especially in cars, the Japanese economy doesn't work,' Bessent told Fox News' 'The Ingraham Angle.' Akazawa denied that Bessent's quarterly review was part of the negotiations. 'In my past eight trips to the United States during which I held talks with the president and the ministers,' Akazawa said. 'I have no recollection of discussing how we ensure the implementation of the latest agreement between Japan and the United States.' He said it would cause major disruptions to the economy and administrative processes if the rates first rise to 25% as scheduled on Aug. 1 and then drop to 15%. 'We definitely want to avoid that and I believe that is the understanding shared by the U.S. side,' he said. On buying U.S. rice, Japanese officials have said they have no plans to raise the current 770,000-ton 'minimum access' cap to import more from America. Agricultural Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said Japan will decide whether to increase U.S. rice imports and that Japan is not committed to a fixed quota. Trump's commerce secretary, Howard Lutnick, has suggested that the Japanese agreement is putting pressure on other countries such as South Korea to strike deals with the U.S. Trump, who is traveling in Scotland, plans to meet on Sundayv with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to discuss trade. 'Whatever Donald Trump wants to build, the Japanese will finance it for him,' Lutnick said Thursday on CNBC. 'Pretty amazing.'

B.C.‘s independent wood manufacturers decry retroactive U.S. softwood duties
B.C.‘s independent wood manufacturers decry retroactive U.S. softwood duties

Hamilton Spectator

timean hour ago

  • Hamilton Spectator

B.C.‘s independent wood manufacturers decry retroactive U.S. softwood duties

VANCOUVER - British Columbia's independent wood product makers say hundreds of small- and medium-sized manufacturers may be forced to shut down in light of the latest decision from the United States to raise anti-dumping duties on Canadian softwood. The province's Independent Wood Processors Association says in a release that the U.S. Commerce Department's decision this week to raise duties also includes a requirement for Canadian companies to retroactively remit duties for products shipped to the United States since Jan.1, 2023. Association chair Andy Rielly says in a statement that the requirement to pay duties on products shipped in the last 31 months could not only force small B.C. producers to shut down, but may also threaten operators' personal assets as they may have to risk using their homes as collateral to secure bonds to pay. Rielly is urging the Canadian government to create support programs to make sure B.C.'s independent wood processors can keep workers employed and their companies running. The U.S. Commerce Department said earlier in the week it will raise anti-dumping duties on Canadian softwood to 20.56 per cent, drawing the ire of several B.C. industry groups such as the B.C. Council of Forest Industries and the B.C. Lumber Trade Council. The Independent Wood Processors Association says the the 'all-others' rate affecting its members will be raised from 14.4 per cent to 27.3 per cent, with the possibly of another increase 'in the coming weeks' potentially pushing the duties for their products to as high as 35 per cent. 'Until the Canadian government can negotiate a settlement to this long-festering dispute, we need a government support program to keep our workers employed,' Rielly says, adding an overall duty of 35-per-cent would force members to pay retroactive duties of 27 per cent on products already shipped. Association executive director Brian Menzies describes independent wood product producers as 'collateral damage' in the trade war, and says the only hope they have of avoiding the hit is either 'a favourable appeal from the Canada-US-Mexico Agreement' or 'pursuing a bilateral negotiated resolution.' 'We should not face export taxes or quotas,' Menzies says. 'Our raw materials are not subsidized, and we are too small to 'dump' our products in the U.S. market. 'We acquire logs and lumber at 'arm's length' from various suppliers on the open market, just like claims made by members of the U.S. Lumber Coalition, and yet our Canadian companies along with U.S. consumers must pay these unfair and costly duties.' Prime Minister Mark Carney had previously said that a future U.S.-Canada trade deal could include softwood lumber quotas. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 26, 2025.

VP of Rated Viral, Saan Basha, Now Worth $3.9M: The Canadian Entrepreneur Behind One of the Fastest Growing Review Platforms
VP of Rated Viral, Saan Basha, Now Worth $3.9M: The Canadian Entrepreneur Behind One of the Fastest Growing Review Platforms

Time Business News

timean hour ago

  • Time Business News

VP of Rated Viral, Saan Basha, Now Worth $3.9M: The Canadian Entrepreneur Behind One of the Fastest Growing Review Platforms

Canadian businessman Saan Basha has become one of the most talked-about names in digital media. As Vice President and founder of Rated Viral, Basha turned his early success on social media into a fast-growing review and marketing platform that connects people with trending businesses, products, and creators. Today, his estimated net worth has climbed to $3.9 million, and his company is becoming a go-to source for brand discovery in the digital age. But behind the numbers is a story of vision, hard work, and giving back. From Social Media to Starting a Business Before launching Rated Viral, Basha was known for creating viral videos on Vine — the short-form video platform that once dominated the internet. When Vine shut down, Basha saw it not as a setback, but as an opportunity. Q: What made you want to start Rated Viral? Saan Basha: 'I realized people were always looking for what's trending — not just entertainment, but places to eat, products to try, even influencers to follow. I wanted to create a platform that brought all that together in one place, and also helped businesses and creators grow.' What Rated Viral Does Rated Viral allows users to discover trending local businesses, viral products, and rising creators — all powered by community feedback and digital insights. The platform has quickly gained attention for its fresh approach, and now works closely with brands and influencers to build their online presence. Q: What's different about Rated Viral compared to other platforms? Saan Basha: 'We speak the language of the new generation. Our team understands creators and digital culture. We help people find what's hot right now, but we also support the people behind the brand — whether it's a small business owner or a content creator just getting started.' Helping Creators Succeed In addition to running Rated Viral, Basha manages and mentors creators across TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram. He helps them grow their platforms, sign brand deals, and build long-term careers. One of the creators he works with said, 'Saan doesn't just give advice — he builds with you. He's someone who wants to see you win, and he shows up every time.' Giving Back to the Community Basha is also known for his generosity. He regularly donates to animal shelters, supports local causes, and uses his platform to bring attention to important issues. Q: Why is giving back important to you? Saan Basha: 'I've always believed that success means nothing if you're not using it to help others. Whether it's animals in need or people trying to get their business off the ground — if I'm in a position to help, I will.' What's Next for Saan Basha? Rated Viral continues to grow, with new users, partnerships, and creators joining the platform every week. Basha says he's focused on improving the platform, building more tools for creators and small businesses, and expanding internationally. Q: Where do you see Rated Viral in the next few years? Saan Basha: 'I see it becoming one of the top platforms people go to when they want to find something new, honest, and worth their time — whether that's a business, a product, or a creator. We're just getting started.' Final Thoughts Saan Basha's journey from internet comedy to business leadership is a reminder that with the right mindset and purpose, anything is possible. He's building more than just a platform — he's building a community that uplifts, supports, and inspires. In a digital world full of noise, Saan Basha stands out for his vision, heart, and commitment to making a real difference. Facebook: Instagram: Snapchat: @saanbasha Tiktok: TIME BUSINESS NEWS

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store