Seven & i Holdings said 7 eleven closing stores will total 645 across North America in fiscal 2026, which runs from March 1, 2026 to Feb. 28, 2027, according to a fourth quarter earnings document.
The document said the closings include conversions to wholesale fuel stores for some sites, and noted that wholesale locations are not included in 7-Eleven's store count.
The company also expects to open more than 200 North American locations in the same fiscal period, making fiscal 2026 the fifth consecutive year it will close more stores than it opens.
Conversion Strategy And Cost Controls
The earnings document described conversion to wholesale as a way to lower operating costs while still profiting from fuel sales, a strategy the report said 7-Eleven had not highlighted in recent years.
Reuters reported that the company did not immediately answer questions about how many sites would be converted versus fully closed, and it cited Arko Corp as an industry peer that has converted 409 sites through a dealerization strategy.
Seven & i has also been cutting expenses through productivity improvement initiatives and bringing some maintenance tasks in house, measures attributed to Yoshimichi Maruyama, a Seven & i director and managing officer.
Company executives signaled the moves form part of a broader effort to strengthen performance ahead of an initial public offering now targeted for 2027, a delay the filings and reporting linked to market uncertainty said has pushed the IPO back at least 11 months.
Separately, reports said 7-Eleven has already closed over 600 locations in the last two years as it reshapes its footprint to favor higher performing sites and formats.
Looking beyond closures, Seven & i Holdings told investors it plans to expand across North America with 1,300 new locations through 2030, starting with 600 stores between 2025 and 2027.
The new stores will adopt a large format, food focused design emphasizing prepared foods and beverages, with equipment intended to create distinctive menu items and enhance the in-store experience.
As part of that strategy, reporting noted 7-Eleven introduced a Japanese style egg sandwich to U.S. stores in December 2025, cited as an example of the food offerings the chain plans to highlight.
