True Value Co. is considering a sale that could value the home-improvement store chain at about $800 million, Bloomberg News reported yesterday. The company is working with an investment bank to examine strategic options, including a sale. The process is expected to attract private equity firms, but no final decision has been made. The company reported revenue of $1.51 billion in 2016, up 1.1 percent from the previous year, and it’s exploring alternatives at a time when other retailers are filing for bankruptcy at a record rate. True Value, led by Chief Executive Officer John Hartmann, is a cooperative of more than 4,000 stores across more than 58 countries, according to its website. Members of the cooperative, which can trace its origins back to 1948, also operate under the names Party Central, Taylor Rental, and Grand Rental Station.
