Aligned with our long-term growth strategy, we continuously review and optimize our portfolio to deliver convenience where, when, and how customers need it," 7-Eleven told Deli

The 444 stores to close are among 13,000 stores the convenience chain has in the U.S. and Canada. A list of stores to close was not released by the company, which announced the plan to shutter the stores during its most recent earnings call late last week. The closures are expected to happen in the fourth quarter of this year.

Convenience-store chain 7-Eleven is closing hundreds of "underperforming" stores in North America, its Japanese-owner said.

It looks like a tough bump in the road for 7-Eleven. Seven & i Holdings, the parent company of the convenience store chain, announced this week that it would be closing more than 400 stores throughout the country, according to a report in USA Today.

The ubiquitous convenience store owed its recent revenue drops to inflation, declining cigarette sales and a shift in palates toward fresh food and specialty drinks.

The move comes as the convenience store’s parent company tries to stave off a takeover bid from the owner of competing chain Circle K. 7-Eleven is closing 444 of its “underperforming” convenience-store locations across North America,

Last month, discount retailer, Big Lots announced that it had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The company plans to sell the business to Nexus Capital Management. The retailer is also in the midst of closing hundreds of stores.