US private equity group Blackstone and B&J Holdings, a 41.3% shareholder in Applegreen representing the holdings of Applegreen's founders, completed the acquisition of the remaining shares in Applegreen, an Irish company that operates a number of petrol stations in Ireland, the UK and the US, for €480m ($586m). The move to take Applegreen private comes as the business grapples with Covid-19, Brexit, and an accelerating shift by motorists towards electric vehicles. The board of Applegreen believes the offer, if effected, would represent a compelling opportunity for shareholders to realise their investment at an attractive premium to the prevailing share price.