英国第二大超市Sainsbury's已同意将零售连锁店Argos出售给由零售业资深人士Richard Pennycook、Trevor Strain和Matt Truman组建的Swift Partners公司，交易价格为1.2亿英镑[1]。这一举措是Sainsbury's专注于核心食品业务战略的重要一步。Sainsbury's首席执行官Simon Roberts表示："对于Sainsbury's而言，这是我们战略向前迈进的进一步举措。在重振食品业务核心优势后，这项协议让我们能够将全部资源和投资集中在前方的重大机遇上。"[1]
Sainsbury's于2016年以13亿英镑收购了Argos[1]。目前Argos在英国运营超过660家门店，其中约三分之二位于Sainsbury's店内[1]。交易预计在2027年初完成，两家企业将在2029年初实现完全分离[1]。Pennycook在声明中表示："我们对Argos的未来充满信心，并看到了投资和推进其发展的真正机会。"[1]交易宣布后，Sainsbury's股价上升超过3%[1]。
Sainsbury's, Britain's second-largest supermarket chain, has agreed to sell Argos to Swift Partners, a company established by retail industry veterans Richard Pennycook, Trevor Strain, and Matt Truman, for £120 million [1]. The transaction represents a significant reduction from Sainsbury's original £1.3 billion acquisition price when it purchased Argos in 2016 [1]. The sale aligns with Sainsbury's strategic refocus on its core food business operations [1].
The deal is expected to complete in early 2027, with full operational separation of the two businesses occurring by early 2029 [1]. Argos currently operates more than 660 stores across the United Kingdom, with approximately two-thirds located within Sainsbury's locations [1].
Sainsbury's Chief Executive Simon Roberts stated that the agreement represents "a further step forward in our strategy. Having rebuilt the core strengths of our food business, this agreement allows us to focus all our resources and investment on the significant opportunities ahead" [1]. Market response to the announcement has been positive, with Sainsbury's share price rising more than 3 percent [1].
Pennycook, who previously served as Chief Executive of the Co-operative Group and later transformed Morrisons supermarket's operations, expressed confidence in the retailer's prospects, stating that Swift Partners "believe strongly in Argos's future and see real opportunities to invest and build on its progress" [1].