We review Albertsons third quarter performance as the retailer continues to progress its planned merger with Kroger. Identical sales growth driven by inflation Albertsons announced its net sales and other revenue increased 9% year-on-year (YoY) to $18.2 bn. The sales increase was driven by the retailer’s 7.9% increase in identical sales and higher fuel sales. Retail price inflation was stat...

Kroger’s merger with Albertsons, if approved by the FTC (Federal Trade Commission), will create a retailer with sales of around $200 bn, operating 5,000 stores (excluding divestments). With very few truly national grocery retailers in the US, we consider what this deal could mean for some of its biggest suppliers. Solidifies position among America’s leading retailers As the two largest superm...

Kroger and Albertsons, the two biggest supermarket operators in the USA, have entered into a definite agreement to merge in a $25 bn deal. This could be a transformational deal for the businesses and the wider industry. We look at why this is taking place and the potential impacts. Why is this deal being proposed? Earlier this year, Albertsons announced that it was undertaking a Board-led rev...