Sainsbury’s has agreed to sell its Argos general merchandise business to Swift Partners in a deal worth at least £120 million. Multiple outlets report that Swift Partners is a newly formed acquisition company, set up specifically for the purchase. The consideration is described as cash proceeds of at least £120 million, including an initial £70 million payment at completion, with completion expected in February next year. The transaction covers Argos standalone stores as well as Argos concessions within Sainsbury’s supermarkets, along with associated sales channels such as collection points. Bloomberg and other reports describe Swift Partners as being backed by figures from the retail and finance sector, including former Co-op boss Richard Pennycook, former Morrisons finance chief Trevor Strain, and True Capital co-founder Matt Truman. The Financial Times adds that the sale represents the second attempt by Sainsbury’s to dispose of Argos as it focuses more on its core food business. Reporting also includes references to job concerns, with Usdaw vowing to protect jobs, though specific terms are not detailed across all sources.