Seven & I Pushes Back on Reports of Ito-Yokado Unit Sale.

Seven & i Holdings Co. has denied reports that it plans to list or sell part of its supermarket unit Ito-Yokado, which has been facing competition from discount stores and online retailers. The company is considering setting up a new intermediate holding company for its general merchandising chains, including Ito-Yokado. Activist investor ValueAct has called on Seven & i to improve its valuation and pursue structural reform. The fate of Ito-Yokado has been the subject of speculation, with reports of potential store closures and a potential sale. Seven & i has previously announced a partnership with Ito-Yokado to add more diverse products to its convenience stores. [Extracted from the article]