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☆ US antitrust regulator names Henry Liu to head competition unit
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Federal Trade Commission seal is seen at a news conference in Washington, U.S., July 24, 2019. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsAug 22 (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) said on Tuesday that Henry Liu, a partner at law firm Covington Burling, would be the new director of the commission's Bureau of Competition. "I'm excited to have Henry at the helm of the Bureau of Competition," Chair Lina Khan said in a statement. At Covington & Burling, where he worked for 14 years, Liu rose to be a partner in litigation and antitrust practices, according to the statement. Liu went to Yale Law School, graduating in 2007, according to his LinkedIn page.

Persons: Yuri Gripas, Henry Liu, Covington, Liu, Henry, Lina Khan, R, Guy Cole Jr, Bill Clinton, Diane Bartz, Ismail Shakil, Rami Ayyub, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: Federal Trade Commission, REUTERS, U.S . Federal Trade Commission, Competition, Meta's Facebook, Amazon.com, FTC, Big Tech, Justice Department, Albertsons, Covington &, Yale Law School, U.S ., Appeals, Sixth Circuit, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, commission's, Covington, Covington & Burling, Washington, Ottawa

☆ SIGN UP NOW: Experts discuss the evolving role of retail media and the challenges of brand advertising
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-22 | by ( Business Insider | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

On September 19, Insider is hosting "A New Era of Retail Media," a free virtual event at noon ET featuring speakers from Snowflake. Retail media experts will share skills and strategies brand owners can use to expand their advertising reach. Combining robust first-party data on shoppers, exclusive inventory, and engaging ad formats, retail media is now the third-largest digital channel in the world. Insider's virtual event, "A New Era of Retail Media'' presented by Snowflake, takes place on Tuesday, September 19, 2023, at noon ET. Speakers include:Kristi Argyilan - Senior Vice President, Albertsons Media CollectiveGlen Conybeare - Executive Lead, Retail Media, IPG MediabrandsErin Foxworthy - Industry Principal, Agencies & Advertisers, Snowflake Inc.We hope to see you there!

Persons: Snowflake, Lauren Johnson, Kristi Argyilan, IPG, Erin Foxworthy Organizations: Retail Media, Retail, Business, Service, Albertsons Media, Industry, Snowflake Inc Locations: Snowflake, Wall, Silicon

☆ Jaewon Kang — Reporter at The Wall Street Journal
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-19 | by ( Jaewon Kang | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Jaewon KangJaewon Kang covers food retail from The Wall Street Journal's corporate bureau in Chicago. She writes frequently about changes across the U.S. food industry and consumer behavior. Jaewon previously covered private equity for the Journal in New York. Before joining the Journal, she was a reporter at the Deal where she wrote about the telecommunications industry. She studied journalism and comparative literature at New York University.

Persons: Jaewon Kang Jaewon Kang Organizations: The, Kroger, Albertsons, Journal, New York University Locations: Chicago, U.S, New York

☆ Aldi is getting bigger. Here's why the no-frills German grocer is looking to the Southern U.S. for growth
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-19 | by ( Melissa Repko | In Melissa-Repko | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

No-frills discounter Aldi is the latest grocer to shake up the industry with big moves. It's also had to race to keep up with competitors' online options, prompting Aldi to expand curbside pickup to more stores. But the deal has big implications for publicly traded competitors including Walmart and Kroger, as well as regional grocers. CNBC spoke to Jason Hart, the CEO of Aldi U.S., about why the company is doing the deal and how it sees Aldi fitting into a fast-changing grocery landscape. Why was Aldi interested in acquiring Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket?

Persons: Kroger, Joe's, It's, Jason Hart, we've Organizations: Winn, Dixie, Southern, Aldi, Albertsons, Companies, Amazon, Walmart, Kroger, CNBC Locations: Southern U.S, Florida , Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Germany, Winn

Research from the University of Southern California in 2021 found one in three neighborhoods in 30 populous U.S. cities were "pharmacy deserts." California Attorney General Rob Bonta has previously said he was "deeply concerned" about the proposed merger. "Post-transaction, Kroger will operate the pharmacies that are part of the Albertsons' stores that it acquires," the spokesperson said. Neither of the people who spoke with Reuters about pharmacy deserts knew if enforcers would file a lawsuit aimed at stopping the proposed transaction or when enforcers would decide what action to take on Kroger's plan to buy Albertsons. One source told the California attorney general's office that low income people were likely to lose access to pharmacy services, which include vaccinations, if the deal goes forward.

Persons: Kroger, Rob Bonta, Biden, Diane Bartz, Anna Driver Organizations: Albertsons, REUTERS, Rights, University of Southern, Reuters, Walmart, U.S, Kroger, Water Watch, Federal Trade Commission, Thomson Locations: Riverside , California, U.S, California, University of Southern California, Food

☆ Walmart vs Target: When it comes to groceries it's not really a competition
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( Dominick Reuter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Walmart posted surprisingly strong sales growth in the last quarter, while Target reported a decline. As shoppers increasingly prioritize essentials, one in four US grocery dollars are spent at Walmart. When Walmart's grocery sales are combined with those of its subsidiary warehouse club Sam's Club, the total approaches a third of total US grocery spending. Target meanwhile accounts for 3% of grocery dollars, or about a tenth of Walmart Inc., per Numerator. Target sells those things too, of course, but if shoppers are already heading to Walmart for groceries, they may not want to make a second stop.

Persons: headwind, Walmart's, John David Rainey, Rainey, Target's, Sara Batchelder, Neil Saunders Organizations: Walmart, Target, Service, Costco, Walmart —, Kroger, Albertsons, Sam's Club, Walmart Inc, Target's Locations: Wall, Silicon

REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Aug 16 (Reuters) - Officials from seven U.S. states wrote to U.S. antitrust enforcers on Wednesday to ask for Kroger's (KR.N) proposed $24.6 billion acquisition of Albertsons (ACI.N) to be stopped. In a letter to Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chair Lina Khan, the secretaries of state said that the deal would give a combined Kroger/Albertsons nearly a quarter of the U.S. food retail market. Large, non-unionized competitors such as Walmart and Amazon would be the only parties to benefit if it were blocked, the spokesperson said. While federal antitrust agencies often work with state attorneys general on merger reviews, they do not usually work with secretaries of state, who in many states have a more limited business-oversight role. Reporting by Diane Bartz and Jasper Ward; editing by Susan Heavey, Sharon Singleton and Andy SullivanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Lina Khan, Diane Bartz, Jasper Ward, Susan Heavey, Sharon Singleton, Andy Sullivan Organizations: Kroger Co, New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Rights, Albertsons, Federal Trade Commission, Kroger, Walmart, Amazon, FTC, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Colorado , Arizona , Maine, Minnesota, New Mexico, Rhode Island and Vermont

☆ Aldi is buying 400 Winn-Dixie and Harveys supermarkets
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( Ramishah Maruf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN —Grocery shoppers in the Southeast can expect to see more Aldi stores starting 2024. Some of the nearly 400 Winn-Dixie locations Aldi is acquiring will keep the familiar red-and-white Winn-Dixie branding and traditional store layout, but many will convert to Aldi’s brand and bare-bones store format. The acquisition – which includes Harveys Supermarket – will add locations across Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi to Aldi’s portfolio. Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket had long been staples in the Southeast region. Aldi has not disclosed how many of the Winn-Dixie and Harveys stores it plans on converting, or how much the deal cost.

Persons: Winn, Jason Hart, Aldi, Dixie, Neil Saunders, ” Saunders, ” Hart, Kroger, it’s, Phil Lempert, Lampert, “ that’s, ” Lempert, “, ” Lampert, Saunders Organizations: New, New York CNN, Aldi, Winn, Dixie, Harveys, Southeastern Grocers, Fresco Retail, Albertsons, Publix, Sunshine State Locations: New York, Alabama , Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida, United States, Southeast, “, Aldi, Winn, Sunshine

☆ This sophisticated investing strategy could be making a comeback after a blow to the FTC
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-13 | by ( Valida Pau | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Merger arbitrage investors have been struggling this year. Play the gap Merger arbitrage can be a tricky strategy for regular investors to incorporate. Investors can buy into the following funds for exposure to merger arbitrage: The Arbitrage Fund (ARBNX) The Merger Fund (MERIX) The NexPoint Merger Arbitrage fund (HMEAX) The First Trust Merger Arbitrage ETF (MARB) The IQ Merger Arbitrage ETF (MNA) To be sure, many of these funds charge a hefty fee. Kroger and Albertsons , the two largest biggest grocers by revenue, just notched a regulatory win after a judge dismissed a consumer lawsuit challenging the $25 billion merger. Tower Semiconductor is trading for around $34 a share such that the arbitrage spread stands at more than 50%.

Persons: Activision Blizzard, Andrew Beer, Dealmaking, John Orrico, Salvatore Bruno, VMware's, Black Knight, it's Organizations: Federal Trade Commission, Activision, FTC, Microsoft, Hedge Fund Research, Beta Investments, Global, Horizon Therapeutics, Activision Blizzard, Broadcom, VMware, Intercontinental Exchange, Black, CNBC, Kroger, Albertsons, Intel, Semiconductor Locations: Island, Water Island, British, Israel

[1/2] A customer leaves an Albertsons grocery store, as Kroger agrees to buy rival Albertsons in a deal to combine the two supermarket chains, in Riverside, California, U.S., October 14, 2022. It is unclear if the FTC will try to stop the transaction or when a decision would be reached. "Kroger and the FTC are focused on ensuring that any divested stores are positioned for success," the company said in a statement. Between them, Kroger and Albertsons operate nearly 5,000 stores with more than 800 in California. FTC staff spoke with the group in April.

Persons: Kroger, Biden, I'm, Rob Bonta, Chris Jones, We're, we're, Jones, Dan Waldvogle, Waldvogle, Sara John, Mayor Diego Plata, Diane Bartz, Chris Sanders, Anna Driver Organizations: Albertsons, REUTERS, Federal Trade Commission, Staff, FTC, Kroger, National Grocers Association, Walmart, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, Center for Science, Safeway, Mayor, Thomson Locations: Riverside , California, U.S, Colorado, California, COVID, Colorado's Rocky, Gunnison, Plata

☆ Top regulators defend stricter merger guidelines, call 'hysteria' overblown
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Chelsey Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON — Two of the nation's top corporate regulators on Thursday defended new guidelines on merger enforcement that have attracted pushback from the business community. "Which mergers go through and which ones do not can be hugely consequential for people's lives," Lina Khan, Federal Trade Commission chair said at an event hosted by the nonprofit American Economic Liberties Project. Khan was joined at the event by Jonathan Kanter, assistant attorney general for the Justice Department's antitrust division. "I think a lot of the hysteria is perhaps overblown, that we're not blocking every merger," Kanter said. The draft guidelines were released jointly by the Federal Trade Commission and the Justice Department's Antitrust Division in July.

Persons: Antitrust Jonathan Kanter, Lina Khan, Khan, Jonathan Kanter, Kanter, There's, Sen, Elizabeth Warren, Neil Bradley, Bradley Organizations: Antitrust, Federal Trade, American Bar Association Antitrust, Marriott Marquis, Washington , D.C, WASHINGTON —, Federal Trade Commission, American Economic Liberties, Justice, Justice Department's Antitrust, Albertsons, U.S . Chamber of Commerce, DOJ, FTC Locations: Washington ,

☆ New DoorDash customers are turning to the app for grocery deliveries and flowers, not just restaurant meals
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( Nancy Luna | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

DoorDash is seeing a surge in non-restaurant orders from new customers, including grocery and flower deliveries. The delivery company has 100,000 retail stores on its app, surpassing Instacart's 80,000 merchants. The company said more new customers are turning to the app for non-restaurant orders as DoorDash has grown its retail selection to more than 100,000 stores. In July, online grocery sales dropped 7% to $7.2 billion compared to July 2022 , according to the latest monthly Brick Meets Click/Mercatus Grocery Shopping Survey. Driving the downturn was delivery sales, which decreased 13.3% to $2.6 billion , according to the July survey released August 9.

Persons: Tony Xu, DoorDash, Xu, Grubhub, Uber, It's, Petco, Staples, Brittain Ladd, Instacart, confidentially Organizations: Service, Albertsons, Aldi, Target, Walgreens, Dollar Locations: Wall, Silicon, Stanford, PetSmart, North America

☆ Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen goes one-on-one with Jim Cramer
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( Jim Cramer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen goes one-on-one with Jim CramerKroger CEO Rodney McMullen sit down with 'Mad Money' host Jim Cramer to talk its merger with Albertsons, Kroger's Back to School campaign and more.

Persons: Rodney McMullen, Jim Cramer Kroger, Jim Cramer Organizations: Albertsons

☆ Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen: Customers on a budget are shopping more frequently but spending less per trip
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( Jim Cramer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

In this videoShare Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailKroger CEO Rodney McMullen: Customers on a budget are shopping more frequently but spending less per tripKroger CEO Rodney McMullen sit down with 'Mad Money' host Jim Cramer to talk its merger with Albertsons, Kroger's Back to School campaign and more.

Persons: Kroger, Rodney McMullen, Jim Cramer Organizations: Albertsons

☆ Kroger CEO is confident about Albertson's deal despite FTC merger crackdown
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( Julie Coleman | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen discussed the company's proposed merger with rival grocery chain Albertson's with CNBC's Jim Cramer, saying he's confident about the deal despite the Federal Trade Commission's recent crackdown on mergers. The rival grocers announced their plans to merge in October, proposing a $24.6 billion deal. McMullen said he thinks the government will approve the merger, saying it will only benefit customers and employees. The merger would allow the companies to capture nearly 16% of the U.S. grocery market, according to market researcher Numerator. Kroger is currently the second-largest grocer by market share in the United States, behind Walmart , and Albertsons is fourth, after Costco, Numerator also shows.

Persons: Rodney McMullen, CNBC's Jim Cramer, McMullen, We've, we'll Organizations: Federal Trade, Kroger, Walmart, Albertsons, Costco Locations: United States

☆ Amazon's Whole Foods to triple shelf space for vertical farmer Bowery
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( Ophelia Anwah | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Bowery, a vertical farming company that grows crops indoors, is getting more shelf space at Amazon 's Whole Foods, with a deal to triple the stores stocking its salad kits. Currently, Bowery's salad kits and a selection of greens are carried at 50 Whole Foods Market stores in the Northeast. The deal comes amid challenges for both vertical farming and Amazon's efforts to expand its grocery footprint. The vertical farming industry, meanwhile, has been under pressure, like many formerly high-flying, heavily VC-funded startup niches. According to PitchBook, through the first quarter of 2023, vertical farming deals declined by 91% year-over-year.

Persons: Matt Williams, Zesty Caesar, Balsamic Vinaigrette, romaine, Andy Jassy, Jassy Organizations: Foods, Bowery, CNBC, Walmart, Albertsons, Westside, FreshDirect, Amazon Locations: Northeast, Westside Market, Brooklyn, East Coast, Florida, Virginia, Tennessee , North Carolina, Charlotte, Atlanta, Jacksonville, Miami

☆ What we hope to see from 9 Club stocks out with earnings in the week ahead
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-22 | by ( Zev Fima | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +14 min

Looking to next week, earnings season will ramp up — and though we'll get some important economic data, expect the corporate releases and management commentary on the post-game calls to be firmly in the driver's seat. Here are two important things to know for the week ahead. Quarterly earnings : As important as economic releases are, it's earnings that will garner the bulk of investors' attention. For those looking to review first-quarter performance ahead of these releases, keep our first-quarter earnings report card handy. Here's the full rundown of all the important domestic data in the week ahead.

Persons: Dow, we'll, we've, Lawrence Yun, Jerome Powell's, Sartorius, Sartorius preannounced, It's, management's, We'll, Tesla, Ford's, Sherwin, Williams, Archer, Clark, Lam, Edwards Lifesciences, Hewlett, Northrop, Dr Pepper, Davidson, Jim Cramer's, Jim Cramer, Jim, Spencer Platt Organizations: Nasdaq, Economic, National Association of Realtors, Nine, GE Healthcare, Microsoft, YouTube, Linde, LIN, Honeywell, Aerospace, Technologies, Ford, Procter & Gamble, Dynex, HBT, Hope Bancorp, NXP Semiconductors, Cadence Design Systems, Whirlpool, Logitech International, Liberty Global, Verizon Communications, General Motors, General Electric, GE, Spotify, Raytheon Technologies, Daniels, Midland, Albertsons Companies, ACI, Polaris Industries, Inc, Dow Chemical, DOW, Xerox, Texas Instruments, WM, Canadian National Railway Company, Chubb Corporation, Universal Health Services, Powell, Boeing, Hilton, Union Pacific, General Dynamics, Quest Diagnostics, Otis Worldwide, Grill, Lam Research, eBay, EBAY, Mattel, Hewlett Packard, L3Harris Technologies, Gross, Royal Caribbean Cruises, Southwest Airlines, Mastercard, Myers Squibb, Northrop Grumman, Hertz, Tractor Supply Company, HCA Healthcare, Boston, Hershey, Comcast, Harley, Norfolk Southern, Intel, Mobile, United States Steel Corp, KLA Corporation, Boston Beer Company, Nation Entertainment, Texas, Procter, Gamble, Exxon Mobil, Chevron, Charter Communications, AstraZeneca, Colgate, Palmolive, Newell Brands, Sanofi, Dwight, Jim Cramer's Charitable, CNBC, New York Stock Exchange, Getty Locations: U.S, Hollywood, Cleveland, Corning, Kimberly, Bristol, Norfolk

☆ You can now find Costco-style low prices for generic prescription drugs at Kroger in a partnership with Mark Cuban's online pharmacy
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Alex Bitter | Yeji Jesse Lee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Kroger is working with Mark Cuban's Cost Plus Drugs to offer some prescriptions at its pharmacies. Cost Plus customers can now pick up their drugs at one of 2,000 Kroger pharmacies. Patients who get their drugs through Cost Plus Drugs can now pick them up at one of 2,000 stores operated by Kroger, Cost Plus tweeted on Wednesday. He started Cost Plus in 2022. Cost Plus Drugs buys drugs directly from the manufacturer and ships them to patients at a 15% markup plus pharmacy fees.

Persons: Kroger, Mark Cuban's, Mark, — Mark, It's Organizations: Service, Kroger, — Mark Cuban, Plus Drug, Dallas Mavericks NBA, Costco, Walmart, Albertsons, Intelligence Locations: Wall, Silicon, Ralph's, Cuban

☆ Amazon really wants you to shop at an Amazon Fresh store this Prime Day
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Amazon is offering Prime members up to 25% off Amazon Fresh purchases for Prime Day this year. The retail giant is beefing up its grocery deals after nearly three years of running Fresh stores. Amazon is also offering 6% back to Prime members who use its Visa credit card at Amazon Fresh. The deals are more substantial than what Amazon offered at Amazon Fresh on Prime Day in the past. The latest deals also come as Amazon tries to find a path forward for its Fresh grocery stores.

Persons: hasn't, Andy Jassy, —, We're, Jassy Organizations: Amazon, Service, Amazon's, Foods, Albertsons

☆ Biden names two Republican nominees for FTC commissioner, White House says
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, July 3 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden has nominated Virginia Solicitor General Andrew Ferguson and Utah Solicitor General Melissa Holyoak to fill Republican slots at the Federal Trade Commission, the White House said Monday. The FTC "operates best at full strength, and I will look forward to working with them," she said. A native of Virginia, Ferguson has an undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia and a law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law. Holyoak is the Utah Solicitor General with the Utah Attorney General's Office. Her undergraduate degree is from the University of Utah, as is her law degree.

Persons: Joe Biden, Andrew Ferguson, Melissa Holyoak, Lina Khan, Khan, Ferguson, Holyoak, Biden, Donald Trump's, Mitch McConnell, Lindsey Graham, Chuck Grassley, Myers, Amgen's, Black Knight, Diane Bartz, Kanishka Singh, Eric Beech, David Gregorio Our Organizations: Federal Trade Commission, U.S, Senate, FTC, Democratic, Facebook, Amazon.com, Albertsons, Senate Republican, University of Virginia, University of Virginia School of Law, Utah Attorney General's, Myers LLP, Hamilton Lincoln Law Institute, Competitive Enterprise Institute, Center for, University of Utah, Activision, Horizon Therapeutics, Black, Thomson Locations: Utah, Virginia

☆ DoorDash is changing how it pays its 13 million gig drivers – and will let customers boost tips after delivery
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( Nancy Luna | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

New features include giving customers the ability to edit tips after the delivery is complete. The company is also giving its gig workers the choice to earn their pay per hour, instead of by delivery order. Customers can add or increase a tip for drivers on the app up to 30 days after delivery. At DoorDash, consumers won't be able to reduce tips after delivery, the company said. DoorDash is also launching SNAP benefits for online payments for grocery delivery with brands such as Safeway, Albertsons, Meijer, Aldi, and 7-Eleven.

Persons: —, Rajat Shroff, DoorDash's, Shroff, Austin Haugen, Uber, Sergio Avedian, DoorDash, Cody Aughney, Aughney Organizations: Service, Consumers, Logistics, Dasher & Logistics, Safeway, Albertsons Locations: DoorDash, Los Angeles, Canada, Australia, Meijer, Aldi

Shares of the retailer, which had consistently raised its outlook over the past two years, fell 4.5% to $45.07 after the dull forecast. Last month, rival Walmart raised its annual forecasts as more Americans shopped for its lower-priced groceries and other essentials. However, Kroger's gross margins rose 21 basis points, compared to a fall a year earlier, benefiting from lower supply chain costs as well as its efforts to source some products closer to its distribution centers. It also profited from shoppers - including higher-income consumers looking for more economical options amid persistent inflation - preferring its store-label brands to pricier national brands. Reporting by Granth Vanaik in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini GanguliOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Joseph Feldman, Kroger, Rodney McMullen, Kroger's McMullen, Arun Sundaram, Granth, Shinjini Organizations: Kroger, Investors, Walmart, Albertsons, CFRA, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru

☆ Kroger beats profit estimates on easing costs, steady grocery demand
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

June 15 (Reuters) - Supermarket chain Kroger (KR.N) beat market expectations for quarterly profit and same-store sales on Thursday, benefiting from easing costs and steady demand for groceries and household essentials. Big-box retailers like Kroger and Walmart (WMT.N) have used their extensive nationwide operations to negotiate better deals with suppliers, which allowed them to keep prices substantially lower than competition and lure more people. The company said same-store sales, excluding fuel, rose 3.5% in the first quarter ended May 20, compared with analysts' average estimate of a 3.27% increase, according to Refinitiv IBES data. Excluding special items, Kroger earned $1.51 per share, beating estimates of $1.46 per share. Reporting by Granth Vanaik in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini GanguliOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Kroger, Granth, Shinjini Organizations: Kroger, Walmart, pricier, Albertsons, Thomson Locations: Cincinnati , Ohio, Bengaluru

☆ New Mexico and Walgreens reach $500 million opioid settlement
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-10 | by ( Ramishah Maruf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —New Mexico reached a $500 settlement agreement with Walgreens over the pharmaceutical giant’s role in the opioid epidemic, lawyers for the state said Friday. Last fall, the state obtained another $274 million in settlements from Albertsons, CVS, Kroger, and Walmart, the lawyers said. The addition of the Walgreens settlement brings the total to $1 billion brought into the state through opioid litigation. “No amount of money will bring back the lives lost and ruined because of the over-prescription of prescription opioids,” New Mexico attorney Luis Robles said. In May, Walgreens and San Francisco reached a $230 million settlement over the opioid crisis.

Persons: Luis Robles, “, Walgreens, ”, Dan Albertstone, Kroger Organizations: New, New York CNN, Walgreens, CVS, Kroger, Walmart Locations: New York, Mexico, New Mexico, Albertsons, State, San Francisco, West Virginia

☆ Cramer says don't be complacent ahead of Fed meeting: 'I do not trust a benign market like this one'
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-09 | by ( Julie Coleman | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

"No surprise to regular viewers, I do not trust a benign market like this one," Cramer said. On Monday, Cramer will be watching out for software company Oracle 's report, which is expected after market's close. Cramer asked, "Because they don't want to lose those low mortgages they got over the last five years." Wednesday will bring news from the Fed, and Cramer isn't convinced Chairman Jay Powell has completely lost his hawkish streak. Friday will hopefully bring investors more clearly into the minds of consumers, Cramer said, with the release of the University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment index.

Persons: CNBC's Jim Cramer, Cramer, market's, Cramer isn't, Jay Powell, Lina Khan, we've, —, Wall Organizations: Oracle, Kroger, Albertsons, Federal Trade, University of Michigan, Fed Locations: Florida

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