Seven & I Holdings is considering selling part of its stake in Seven Bank to Itochu, people familiar with the matter said Tuesday.

The move is part of Seven & I's efforts to improve its corporate value by focusing on its convenience store business at a time when Canadian convenience store operator Alimentation Couche-Tard is trying to acquire the Japanese retailer.

Seven-Eleven Japan, Ito-Yokado and York Benimaru — all Seven & I units — owned some 46% of Seven Bank together as of the end of March 2025. Seven & I has said it will lower the stake below 40%.

FamilyMart, the convenience store arm of Itochu, a Japanese trading house, may strengthen ties with Seven Bank. FamilyMart currently outsources the management of automated teller machines at its stores to E-net, which is mainly owned by banks.

"No decision has been made ... at this time," Seven & I said in a statement about its stake in Seven Bank.