In an 8-K filed July 1, 2026, The Kroger Co. disclosed an agreement to acquire family-owned regional grocer Giant Eagle, Inc. for approximately $1.65 billion — $1.25 billion in cash plus roughly $400 million in assumed liabilities. Giant Eagle operates stores across Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, and Indiana.
Deal Structure and Regulatory Path
Kroger said it expects the transaction to close in 2027, subject to clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act. The company anticipates making “limited Giant Eagle store divestitures” to obtain regulatory approval. Kroger’s board approved the transaction unanimously.
Context
The announcement marks Kroger’s return to sizeable dealmaking after its far larger, roughly $24.6 billion merger with Albertsons was blocked by courts and abandoned in late 2024. That deal was the subject of a June 25, 2026 ruling by the Delaware Court of Chancery in ongoing litigation between Kroger and Albertsons over the collapsed transaction.
(Source tag: The Kroger Co., Form 8-K, July 1, 2026)