Sainsbury's Sells Argos for £120 Million — A Fraction of Its 2016 Acquisition Cost

Sainsbury's agreed on 31 July 2026 to sell Argos to Swift Partners for £120 million — under one-tenth of the £1.3 billion it paid in 2016 via the Home Retail Group takeover. The sale follows collapsed 2025 talks with JD.com. Sainsbury's wants to focus on its core food business. Full separation could take until early 2029, given roughly 440 Argos shops inside its stores and shared Nectar loyalty infrastructure.