Qatari Fund, Lau Said to Consider Full Takeover of Lifestyle

Qatar Investment Authority and Hong Kong’s Lau family are considering options including a full takeover of department store operator Lifestyle International Holdings Ltd. after the sovereign wealth fund bought a minority stake, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

QIA and Thomas Lau, Lifestyle’s chief executive officer and largest shareholder, see more value in the $2.9 billion company by taking it private, two of the people said, asking not to be identified because the discussions are confidential. QIA today agreed to buy 19.9 percent of Lifestyle, the owner of the Sogo department store in Hong Kong, for about HK$4.78 billion ($616 million).