In Penske buyout, Mitsui aims to beat private equity at its own game

Business dealsJapanese trading house prefers long-term view as investor in auto and truck retailerMitsui & Co., which has invested in Penske Automotive Group since 2001, now looks to take the company private. (Source photos by Nikkei and PAG)KEIICHI FURUKAWA and KENTO HIRASHIMAJuly 24, 2026 00:56 JSTTOKYO -- Mitsui & Co.'s proposal to take U.S.-based Penske Automotive Group private in a $3.8 billion deal provides the Japanese trading house with an opportunity to showcase the advantages of its way of doing business over that of private equity funds.