Walgreens reportedly close to roughly $10B deal to go private

Walgreens Boots Alliance is reportedly near a deal with private-equity firm Sycamore Partners that would remove the chain from the public market for roughly $10 billion, per a exclusive WSJ report that cited people familiar with the matter. 

The people said the deal could come as soon as Thursday, if a problem doesn’t put the talks off or end them. The report also said the two sides have been talking about Sycamore paying between $11.30 a share and $11.40 a share in cash, the people said. The deal could also include contingent value rights that would increase the value if certain targets are later reached, according to the people, the report said. 

[Related: Walgreens buyout reportedly could result in three divisions]

If Sycamore completes the deal for the whole company, it is expected to maintain the core U.S. retail business and sell off or take public the other parts of the company, the people said.

The Wall Street Journal reported in mid-December that Sycamore was in talks for a deal to take the pharmacy chain off the public market after its shares had been on a downward slide for nearly a decade. 

 [Related: Sycamore Partners reportedly working on financing to acquire Walgreens]