TOKYO -- Japan's Mitsubishi Corp. is considering a tender offer for Lawson, looking to leverage its global supply networks and expand such services as electricity retailing to give the convenience store operator the lift it needs to catch up with larger rivals, The Nikkei learned Wednesday.
The trading house would boost its stake in Lawson from 33.4% to 51%, a move that would cost more than 140 billion yen ($1.36 billion). A tender offer would entail offering to buy stock from existing shareholders at a premium to market value, which stood at 7,410 yen per share at the end of trading Wednesday. This could be combined with a private placement of new stock.
