UK Supermarket Asda Completes $2.5bn Purchase Of EG's UK Business

By Donna Ahern
UK Supermarket Asda Completes $2.5bn Purchase Of EG's UK Business

Asda, Britain's third biggest supermarket group, recently said that it has completed the acquisition of the majority of EG Group’s UK & Ireland business for an enterprise value of £2.07 billion.

EG Group, a petrol forecourt operator and retailer, and Asda are both owned by brothers Zuber and Mohsin Issa and private equity group TDR Capital.

First Announced 

The deal, creating a group with combined revenue of nearly £28 billion, was announced in May, when the value was put at £2.27 billion.

The revised price reflects adjustments agreed between the two parties.

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Asda's strategy is to boost its convenience store presence by rolling out Asda Express stores across EG's 356 UK sites, part of a long-term plan to overtake Sainsbury's and become the country's second largest supermarket group.

Recruitment Process For New CEO

Asda, which is chaired by Stuart Rose, the former boss of Marks & Spencer, said the recruitment process for a permanent chief executive was ongoing.

Monthly industry data has consistently shown market leader Tesco, Sainsbury's, discounters Aldi and Lidl, and Marks & Spencer performing robustly, with the privately owned and highly leveraged Asda and Morrisons trailing.

EG Group said proceeds from the deal will be used to repay debt, reducing net leverage and enabling $3.2 billion of loans to be extended to February 2028.

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It plans to focus on international growth.

Read More: UK Supermarket Asda To Buy EG Group

News by Reuters, edited by Donna Ahern, Checkout. For more retail stories, click here. Click subscribe to sign up for the Checkout print edition.

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