Couche-Tard rolling out Circle K banner throughout southeastern U.S. this spring

LAVAL, Que. – Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. says its Circle K brand will be in place at hundreds of additional U.S. stores by this spring as the Quebec-based company moves to adopt a global identity for its convenience stores and gas stations.

Couche-Tard (TSX:ATD.B) says it’s on track to put the new image on more than 400 stores in the southeastern United States by the end of its financial year, which concludes in April.

In total, it expects to rebrand more than 1,000 stores in the region as it integrates the Pantry chain into its network of stores and filling stations.

It also has two Circle K pilot stores in Norway, where Couche-Tard got its start in Europe with the purchase of Statoil Retail.

The company said in September that it will keep its Couche-Tard banner in Quebec but adopt the Circle K banner for its Mac’s stores elsewhere in Canada as well as throughout its retail network in other countries where it operates.

The update on Couche-Tard’s brand strategy was included with the company’s third-quarter financial report issued Tuesday.

For the 13 weeks ended Jan. 31, Couche-Tard had US$274 million of net income, up 10.4 per cent from US$248.1 million a year earlier. Earnings per share rose to 48 cents from 44 cents. Revenue grew 2.5 per cent to US$9.33 billion from US$9.11 billion a year earlier.