Rona, Canada's largest home improvement and gardening retailer, is selling off its commercial and professional market division.
The specialist plumbing, heating, ventilation and air conditioning business was created when Rona, which has its headquarters in Quebec, acquired Noble in 2007. It is being bought by Talisker Plumbing Corp, a subsidiary of Ontario-based construction products distributor Emco Corp, in a deal worth C$215m.

But Rona said it was expecting to record, in the second quarter of 2013, a pre-tax loss of approximately $125m resulting from the transaction, mostly related to a write-down of the division's goodwill.

Rona has struggled in the face of growing competition within its retail market, with the world's top two home improvement retailers, America's Home Depot and Lowe's chains, both stepping up their Canadian presence over the past few years.

The company was recently the subject of an unsolicited C$1.8bn takeover bid by Lowe's - which is currently trying to buy US chain Orchard Supply Hardware Stores, which has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

Commenting on its deal with Talisker, Rona said: "In line with its strategic priorities, Rona has been focusing on unlocking the full potential of its retail and distribution business."

Rona operates a network of over 800 corporate, franchise and affiliate retail stores of various sizes and formats under different banners, and has revenues of C$4.9bn.