As filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission on July 29, 2008

Registration No. 333-               

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C.  20549

 


 

FORM S-8

 

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

THE KROGER CO.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Ohio

 

31-0345740

(State or other jurisdiction of

 

(I.R.S. Employer

incorporation or organization)

 

Identification No.)

 

 

 

1014 Vine Street, Cincinnati, Ohio

 

45202

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

 

(Zip Code)

 

The Kroger Co. Savings Plan for Bargaining Unit Associates

(Full title of Plan)

 

Paul W. Heldman

Executive Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel

The Kroger Co.

1014 Vine Street

Cincinnati, Ohio  45202

(Name and address of agent for service)

 

(513) 762-4000

(Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company.  See the definitions of “large accelerated filer”, “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

Large accelerated filer x

 

Accelerated filer o

Non-accelerated filer o   (Do not check if smaller reporting company)

 

Smaller reporting company o

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

 

 

 

 

Proposed

 

Proposed

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maximum

 

Maximum

 

 

 

Title Of

 

Amount

 

Offering

 

Aggregate

 

Amount of

 

Securities To

 

To be

 

Price

 

Offering

 

Registration

 

Be Registered

 

Registered

 

Per Share(1)

 

Price(1)

 

Fee

 

Common Stock $1 Par Value

 

500,000 shares(2

$28.505

 

$14,252,500

 

$560.12

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(1) Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Securities Act Rule 457(c), on the basis of the average of the high and low sale prices of the Registrant’s Common Stock on the New York Stock Exchange on July 23, 2008, which date is within 5 business days prior to the date of the filing of this Registration Statement.

 

(2) In addition, pursuant to Rule 416(c) under the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement also covers an indeterminate amount of interests to be offered or sold pursuant to the employee benefit plan described herein.

 


 

 

 



 

PART II

 

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

 

The Registrant is registering additional securities under the Plan covered hereby for which a Registration Statement on Form S-8, bearing Registration No. 333-89977, currently is effective, and therefore, pursuant to General Instruction E. of Form S-8, the Registrant elects to incorporate by reference the contents of such Registration Statement which constitute information required in the Registration Statement.

 

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SIGNATURES

 

The Registrant.  Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Cincinnati, State of Ohio, on July 29, 2008.

 

 

THE KROGER CO.

 

 

 

 

 

By

 (* David B. Dillon)

 

 

David B. Dillon,

 

 

Chairman of the Board and

 

 

Chief Executive Officer

 

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities indicated, on July 29, 2008.

 

 

Signature

 

Title

 

 

 

(*David B. Dillon)

 

Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer and Director

David B. Dillon

 

(principal executive officer)

 

 

 

(*J. Michael Schlotman)

 

Chief Financial Officer

J. Michael Schlotman

 

(principal financial officer)

 

 

 

(*M. Elizabeth Van Oflen)

 

Vice President & Corporate Controller

M. Elizabeth Van Oflen

 

(principal accounting officer)

 

 

 

(*Reuben V. Anderson)

 

Director

Reuben V. Anderson

 

 

 

 

 

(*Robert D. Beyer)

 

Director

Robert D. Beyer

 

 

 

 

 

(*Susan J. Kropf)

 

Director

Susan J. Kropf

 

 

 

 

 

(*John T. LaMacchia)

 

Director

John T. LaMacchia

 

 

 

 

 

(*David B. Lewis)

 

Director

David B. Lewis

 

 

 

 

 

(*Don W. McGeorge)

 

President, Chief Operating Officer, and Director

Don W. McGeorge

 

 

 

 

 

(*W. Rodney McMullen)

 

Vice Chairman and Director

W. Rodney McMullen

 

 

 

 

 

(*Jorge P. Montoya)

 

Director

Jorge P. Montoya

 

 

 

3



 

(*Clyde R. Moore)

 

Director

Clyde R. Moore

 

 

 

 

 

(*Susan M. Phillips)

 

Director

Susan M. Phillips

 

 

 

 

 

(*Steven R. Rogel)

 

Director

Steven R. Rogel

 

 

 

 

 

(*James A. Runde)

 

Director

James A. Runde

 

 

 

 

 

(*Ronald L. Sargent)

 

Director

Ronald L. Sargent

 

 

 

 

 

(*Bobby S. Shackouls)

 

Director

Bobby S. Shackouls

 

 

 

 

 

By:

(*Bruce M. Gack)

 

 

 

Bruce M. Gack

 

 

 

Attorney-in-fact

 

 

 

4



 

The Plan.  Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the trustees (or other persons who administer the employee benefit plan) have duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Cincinnati, State of Ohio, on July 29, 2008.

 

 

THE KROGER CO. SAVINGS PLAN
FOR BARGAINING UNIT ASSOCIATES
ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE

 

 

 

 

 

By:

  /s/ Paul Heldman

 

Name:  Paul Heldman

 

Title:  Chairman of the Administrative

 

Committee

 

 

 

By:

  /s/ Richard A. Manka

 

Name:  Richard A. Manka

 

Title:  Member of the Administrative Committee

 

 

 

By:

  /s/ J. Michael Schlotman

 

Name:  J. Michael Schlotman

 

Title:  Member of the Administrative Committee

 

 

 

By:

  /s/ R. Pete Williams

 

Name:  R. Pete Williams

 

Title:  Member of the Administrative Committee

 

 

 

By:

  /s/ Michael J. Stoll

 

Name:  Michael J. Stoll

 

Title:  Member of the Administrative Committee

 

5



 

INDEX OF EXHIBITS

 

Exhibit 5.1

 

Opinion of Paul W. Heldman, Esquire, including his consent. Filed herewith.

 

 

 

Exhibit 5.2

 

IRS Determination Letter. Filed herewith.

 

 

 

Exhibit 23.1

 

Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Independent Accountants. Filed herewith.

 

 

 

Exhibit 23.2

 

Consent of Clark, Schaefer, Hackett & Co., Independent Accountants. Filed herewith.

 

 

 

Exhibit 23.3

 

Consent of Paul W. Heldman, Esquire. Contained in the opinion filed as Exhibit 5.1 hereto.

 

 

 

Exhibit 24

 

Powers of Attorney of certain officers and directors of Kroger. Filed herewith.

 

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