Asia's largest private equity firm, MBK Partners, is seeking to sell Homeplus Express, a supermarket unit of Homeplus, with Morgan Stanley chosen as the sales manager for the deal. MBK Partners had acquired a 100 percent stake in Homeplus for 7.2 trillion won ($5.23 billion) in 2015, reducing its outstanding debt to nearly 500 billion won through the sales of Homeplus' real estate properties. The appointment of new co-CEOs earlier this year signaled the potential for an upcoming exit from the discount chain. Despite rumors of potential acquisition by Ali Express, both Alibaba Group and MBK Partners have denied such speculations. Homeplus Express, one of the major express supermarket franchises in South Korea, has seen significant growth, recording 6.93 trillion won in sales between March 2023 and February 2024, with an EBITDA of 272 billion won. However, it experienced an operating loss of 199 billion won during the period, with the retailer attributing this to increased financing costs and ongoing investments in its online and offline spaces to drive future profitability. Industry sources have noted that several retailers, both domestic and international, have expressed interest in acquiring Homeplus Express through investment banks, indicating potential competition for the sale.