Couche-Tard keeps expanding

Article Excerpt

Alimentation Couche-Tard has made some major acquisitions over the last decade or so—it just announced a couple more. Growth by acquisition adds risk. However, the company has a long record of successfully integrating those businesses. Meanwhile, it’s well-positioned to keep prospering in both its core and newly acquired markets. The stock recently hit a new all-time high, but we think it can go even higher. It’s a Power Buy. ALIMENTATION COUCHE-TARD, $80.43, is a buy. This retailer (Toronto symbol ATD; TSINetwork Rating: Average) (www.couchetard.com; Shares o/s: 956.7 million; Market cap: $77.0 billion; Yield: 0.9%) operates 14,545 convenience stores, mostly in North America and Europe. The company continues to expand by acquisition: in January 2024, Couche-Tard completed the acquisition of retail assets in Europe from French energy giant TotalEnergies SE for 3.1 billion euros ($4.5 million Cdn.). Those assets include TotalEnergies’ retail networks in Germany and the Netherlands, comprising more than 1,500 service stations. For Couche-Tard, the deal lets it grow further in Europe—and in some of that continent’s…