// Asda owner Walmart is looking to sell the grocer after the proposed Sainsbury’s merger collapsed
// British grocers remain an unappealing investment for a float on the London Stock Exchange
// Walmart has been reportedly approached by B&M
Asda’s parent company Walmart is considering selling the supermarket after the proposed merger with Sainsbury’s collapsed on April 25.
The US retail giant is mulling a float or sale as private equity firms and other suitors eye up Asda, according to The Daily Mail.
The news comes after the CMA blocked Asda’s proposed merger with Sainsbury’s two weeks ago, which would have resulted in Walmart having a 42 per cent in the combined business.
Nevertheless, British grocers remain as an unappealing investment for a float on the London Stock Exchange as recent years have seen grocery market shifting.
Consumers are now shopping once a week at one of the Big 4 – Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda and Morrisons – to a mix of convenience shops and online shopping while discounters such as Aldi and Lidl continue to win market share.
Meanwhile, Walmart has been reportedly approached by discounter B&M.
Walmart International boss Judith McKenna has said she will ensure Asda remains competitive in the UK market after the CMA’s decision.
Click here to sign up to Retail Gazette‘s free daily email newsletter
18 Comments. Leave new
24 years working for Asda? No thanks
I will clap my hands when walmart are gone .
Me 2
Not bothered at all prefer other companies than Asda
Both non merged businesses are now more exposed to multiple threats, esp Asda. Perfect for Amazon UK entry, but too early right now maybe; so a real sitting duck which Walmart can’t really push forward. I feel like UK retail has lost it’s mojo right now. Stores really only succeed when when the management WANT to be retailers, real, passionate proper, cant rest til its right retailers! if you just want the money or try take too much out, or snuggle up to the banks/P.E. then retail will find you out, really, it will. Just hate staff suffering from greed, so needless in many cases. Retail can be, and will be again…Great ( and fun) !
Rant over lol!
Just remember that Asda was broke before Walmart bought them and took on all there dept grew the company to what it is now if Walmart took a more hands on approach or even rebranded it to the Walmart name who knows what could be achieved
Most definitely,you have hit a nerve with “rebranding the name.”
Asda defiantly was not ‘broke’ when Walmart took them over. i believe you may be confused with Asda in 1989-1991 when they almost breached headway checks on bank funding agreements.
7 years later Norman had built Asda into a formidable cash machine.
Walmart bought Asda in 1999 for £6.7 billion , hardly the price paid for a company that is broke, indeed if you recall they smashed kingfishers bid out of the water.
Well said I’ve been with asda for almost 22 years
we want walmart to stay with asda
northern England consortium of Yorkshire businesses
Why?
B&M won’t be allowed to take over Asda as monopolies are not allowed. They already own the B&M shops as well as all the HERON shops in this country. Will just get told no like Sainsbury’s did as Sainsbury’s own Argos. It would be a bad idea if B&M took over.
Asda is not competitive that’s why. You can go to home bargains and pickup cleaning supplies for much less. Asda buy more stock but there greed is taking over. Same reason people choose to shop at lidl or aldi its Competative. Walmart has spat there big fat dummies/pacifiers out of the pram/crib. Morrisons is not at all cheap with there corner shop prices same with sainsburys. It’s not that people want cheaper prices on the streets it’s that they demand them and they are the spenders and hold all the cards. Get used to it if you want to have a shop it maybe all over for you unless you can be competative.
Sorry Terry but you’re plain wrong – ASDA is *much* closer to ALDI and LIDL prices than the other 3 big retailers. For example on produce ASDA’s price gap to ALDI us currently +3.6%, JS and Morrisons are both over +19%! They are very competitive.
Asda and Wal mart have had a great bond for years and why not stay as that great bond and let’s take both companies into the future with all technology and services that we can give to our community’s.
I’ve worked for asda since 1995, I and other long serving managers and colleagues will be glad to see the back of Walmart
I agree
Walmart has held back the company for years. Squeezed jobs to the bone ..
The buying team have no imagination,same old tat year in year out. .
I worked there 15 years and finally got out a year ago.
They have no point of difference anymore.. Walmart pull all the strings…
Good riddance I say..
Asda have gone down with been a nice place or have a wide range of stuff. Each area has different things online some areas the choice are so bad it’s better to pay Morrisons prices to hace choice. Plus the vegetables at asda are like plastic, and if you place an online order you are lucky not to have out of stocks and subs, go to Morrisons and very rarely are you let down.