Invitation to the media - Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. and The Pantry, Inc. Announce Definitive Merger Agreement

LAVAL, QC, Dec. 18, 2014  /CNW Telbec/ - Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. ("Couche-Tard") (TSX: ATD.A ATD.B) is pleased to invite representatives of the media to a conference call, following the announcement earlier today of a definitive merger agreement with The Pantry, Inc. The conference call will be held today at 12:30 P.M. (ET).

Representatives of the Management Team will participate in the conference call restricted to media only.

The conference call will start at 12:30 P.M. promptly (ET) and media representatives will need to contact CNW at one of the following numbers: 866-865-3087 or 514-807-9895 or 647-427-7450, conference number #57094978 and will need to identify themselves.  Lines will be available 30 minutes in advance to allow them to register.  Participants who wish to join the call after it started will not be able to join it.

Profile

Couche-Tard is the leader in the Canadian convenience store industry. In the United States, it is the largest independent convenience store operator in terms of number of company-operated stores. In Europe, Couche-Tard is a leader in convenience store and road transportation fuel in Scandinavian and Baltic countries while it has a significant presence in Poland.

As of October 12, 2014, Couche-Tard's network comprised 6,303 convenience stores throughout North America, including 4,851 stores with road transportation fuel dispensing. Its North-American network consists of 13 business units, including nine in the United States covering 40 states and four in Canada covering all ten provinces. More than 60,000 people are employed throughout its network and at the service offices in North America.

In Europe, Couche-Tard operates a broad retail network across Scandinavia (Norway, Sweden, Denmark), Poland, the Baltics (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania) and Russia, which comprised 2,239 stores as at October 12, 2014, the majority of which offer road transportation fuel and convenience products while the others are unmanned automated service-stations which offer road transportation fuel only.

The Corporation also offers other products, including stationary energy, marine fuel, aviation fuel, lubricants and chemicals. Couche-Tard operates key fuel terminals and fuel depots in eight countries. Including employees at Statoil branded franchise stations, about 17,500 people work in its retail network, terminals and service offices across Europe.

In addition, under licensing agreements, about 4,600 stores are operated under the Circle K banner in 12 other countries worldwide (China, Guam, Honduras, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Macau, Malaysia, Mexico, the Philippines, Vietnam and the United Arab Emirates) which brings to more than 13,100 the number of sites in Couche-Tard's network.

The statements set forth in this press release, which describes Couche-Tard's objectives, projections, estimates, expectations or forecasts, may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of securities legislation. Positive or negative verbs such as "plan", "evaluate", "estimate", "believe" and other related expressions are used to identify such statements. Couche-Tard would like to point out that, by their very nature, forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties such that its results, or the measures it adopts, could differ materially from those indicated or underlying these statements, or could have an impact on the degree of realization of a particular projection. Major factors that may lead to a material difference between Couche-Tard's actual results and the projections or expectations set forth in the forward-looking statements include the effects of the integration of acquired businesses and the ability to achieve projected synergies, fluctuations in margins on motor fuel sales, competition in the convenience store and retail motor fuel industries, exchange rate variations, and such other risks as described in detail from time to time in the reports filed by Couche-Tard with securities authorities in Canada and the United States. Unless otherwise required by applicable securities laws, Couche-Tard disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The forward-looking information in this release is based on information available as of the date of the release.

SOURCE: Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc.

Raymond Paré, Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer, Tel: [phone] ext. 4607, [email protected]