Carrefour Announces Plan to Buy Brazil's Grupo Big For $1.3 Billion
PARIS, FRANCE - Carrefour is one retailer that is making a name for itself around the globe. One major way it is doing so is through its acquisitions. From acquiring 172 stores under the Supersol banner in Spain to acquiring Bioazur in its home country, Carrefour is once again closing in on another acquisition—this time in Brazil. The French supermarket retailer has agreed to buy Grupo BIG, one of Brazil’s largest food retailers, in a deal valuing the firm at around $1.3 billion USD.
“Our Group is on the offensive: The acquisition of the BIG Group is a major transformation movement for Carrefour Brazil,” said Carrefour Chairman and CEO Alexandre Bompard. “In this continental country with immense development prospects, we have accentuated our leadership in the food distribution market over the past 3 years, and BIG will further strengthen it with very complementary formats and locations.”
According to its press release, Carrefour would be buying the company from Walmart and investment firm Advent International. This deal would boost Carrefour’s earnings as the transaction values Grupo BIG at an enterprise value of 7 billion BRL ($1.3 billion USD).
As noted in the release, this acquisition offers significant synergy potential from year one, rising gradually to represent a net additional contribution to EBITDA of $1.7 billion BRL ($306 million USD) on an annual basis three years after the closing of the transaction.
“The transaction fits perfectly into the Carrefour Brazil ecosystem and into the Group’s acquisition strategy, centered on the consolidation of our key markets,” continued Bompard. “The significant synergies generated by this transaction are a lever for creating additional value and a powerful addition to the profitable growth model that we have established across our Group.”
Combined, Carrefour Brazil and Grupo BIG have gross sales of about $100 billion BRL (about $18 billion USD), operate 876 stores, and employ around 137,000 people.
One can only wonder if Carrefour has the United States on its radar.
For the full details on the acquisition, click here.
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