Big dealsOct 7, 2026
Wittington and Fairfax agree to buy Boots for about $8.9 billion, but not every Boots business is in the deal
The price includes assumed debt. Two of the group's European interests stay with the current owner, and Fairfax says it will own about half the equity.
Deal at a glance
Pending- Buyer
- Wittington Investments and Fairfax
- Target
- Boots
- Deal value
- $8.9B
- Price including assumed debt
- Announced
- Oct 2026
- Expected close
- Q1 2027
Figures are as stated by the companies, in US dollars. A deal can change or fall through before it closes.
Fairfax Financial announced on October 7, 2026 that it and Wittington Investments will buy Boots for about US$8.9 billion, including assumed debt. The buyers are Fairfax and Wittington Investments, Limited.
The release lists what is included: Boots retail operations in the UK and Ireland, Boots Opticians, the No7 Beauty Company, and Boots' Thailand and franchised businesses. It lists what is not: the group's interests in Farmacias Benavides and Alliance Healthcare Deutschland, which its current owner will keep.
Fairfax has an equity commitment letter for up to about US$2.3 billion and says it will own about 50% of Boots' equity after closing. Wittington will have operational control, and Galen Weston will serve as chair of Boots. The release describes the remaining financing only as the assumed debt in the price. Closing is expected in the first quarter of 2027, subject to customary closing conditions.
Sources
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