LAVAL, QC, Feb. 12, 2014 /PRNewswire/ - Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. (TSX: ATD.A ATD.B) announces that it was brought to its attention that an information disseminated through electronic media by a third party financial news service erroneously reported that Couche-Tard had entered into an agreement with Grupo Modelo to acquire 878 stores operated under the banner Extra in Mexico.
Couche-Tard wishes to clarify that it was not part of this transaction and that Circulo K is a licensee of one of its subsidiaries. This licensee holds rights to develop the Circle K brand in Mexico. For more information about this transaction, please refer to Grupo Modelo's press release which can be found at http://www.gmodelo.com.mx/sala_prensa_en.jsp.
The third party news service was notified of this misleading information and pending a rectifying article, Couche-Tard decided to issue this clarification.
About Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc.
Couche-Tard is the leader in the Canadian convenience store industry. In the United States, it is the largest independent convenience store operator in terms of number of company-operated stores. In Europe, Couche-Tard is a leader in convenience store and road transportation fuel in Scandinavian countries and in the Baltic States while it has a growing presence in Poland.
As of October 13, 2013, Couche-Tard's network comprises 6,207 convenience stores throughout North America, including 4,698 stores with road transportation fuel dispensing. Its North-American network consists of 13 business units, including nine in the United States covering 38 states and the District of Columbia and four in Canada covering all ten provinces. More than 60,000 people are employed throughout its network and at the service offices in North America.
In Europe, Couche-Tard operates a broad retail network across Scandinavia (Norway, Sweden, Denmark), Poland, the Baltics (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania) and Russia with 2,276 stores as at October 13, 2013, the majority of which offer road transportation fuel and convenience products while the others are unmanned automated service-stations which offer road transportation fuel only. The Corporation also offers other products, including stationary energy, marine fuel, aviation fuel, lubricants and chemicals. Couche-Tard operates key fuel terminals and fuel depots in eight countries. Including employees at Statoil branded franchise stations, about 18,500 people work in its retail network, terminals and service offices across Europe.
In addition, under licensing agreements, about 4,200 stores are operated under the Circle K banner in ten other countries worldwide (China, Guam, Honduras, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Macau, Mexico, Vietnam and United Arab Emirates) which brings to more than 12,680 the number of sites in Couche-Tard's network.
The statements set forth in this press release, which describes Couche-Tard's objectives, projections, estimates, expectations or forecasts, may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of securities legislation. Positive or negative verbs such as "plan", "evaluate", "estimate", "believe", "expect" and other related expressions are used to identify such statements. Couche-Tard would like to point out that, by their very natures, forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties such that its results, or the measures it adopts, could differ materially from those indicated or underlying these statements, or could have an impact on the degree of realization of a particular projections. Major factors that may lead to a material difference between Couche-Tard's actual results and the projections or expectations set forth in the forward-looking statements include the effects of the integration of acquired businesses and the ability to achieve projected synergies, fluctuations in margins on motor fuel sales, competition in the convenience store and retail motor fuel industries, exchange rate variations, and such other risks as described in detail from time to time in the reports filed by Couche-Tard with securities authorities in Canada and the United States. Unless otherwise required by applicable securities laws, Couche-Tard disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The forward-looking information in this release is based on information available as of the date of the release.
SOURCE Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc.
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