Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc., the Canadian convenience store giant, has made a $47.4 billion takeover bid for Seven & I Holdings Co., the Japanese owner of 7-Eleven stores, expressing interest in acquiring the entirety of the company while keeping its local operations intact. Seven & I is attempting to counter the bid by boosting its value through restructuring, including divesting underperforming businesses and focusing on its mainstay 7-Eleven operations. However, U.S. fund Artisan Partners, a shareholder in Seven & I, criticized the restructuring plan as 'too little, too late' and designed to thwart Couche-Tard's takeover proposal. Artisan Partners is urging the company to engage with Couche-Tard and grant due diligence access. Couche-Tard's founder and chairman, Alain Bouchard, is in Tokyo to advocate for the deal, but his request to meet with Seven & I's board was declined. The Tokyo Stock Exchange is closely monitoring the situation, with its head emphasizing the importance of transparency and announcing plans to improve disclosure to highlight companies seeking dialogue with investors.