As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 16, 2011

 

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

(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 Shares $1 Par Value

 

20,000,000 shares

(2)

$

23.75

 

$

475,000,000

 

$

54,435.00

 

(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 Shares on the New York Stock Exchange on December 14, 2011, 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. 333-152604 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 December 16, 2011.

 

 

THE KROGER CO.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By

*/s/ 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 December 16, 2011.

 

Signature

 

Title

 

 

 

*/s/ David B. Dillon

 

Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer and Director

David B. Dillon

 

(principal executive officer)

 

 

 

*/s/ J. Michael Schlotman

 

Chief Financial Officer

J. Michael Schlotman

 

(principal financial officer)

 

 

 

*/s/ M. Elizabeth Van Oflen

 

Vice President and Corporate Controller

M. Elizabeth Van Oflen

 

(principal accounting officer)

 

 

 

*/s/ Reuben V. Anderson

 

Director

Reuben V. Anderson

 

 

 

 

 

*/s/ Robert D. Beyer

 

Director

Robert D. Beyer

 

 

 

 

 

*/s/ Susan J. Kropf

 

Director

Susan J. Kropf

 

 

 

 

 

*/s/ John T. LaMacchia

 

Director

John T. LaMacchia

 

 

 

 

 

*/s/ David B. Lewis

 

Director

David B. Lewis

 

 

 

 

 

*/s/ W. Rodney McMullen

 

President, Chief Operating Officer and Director

W. Rodney McMullen

 

 

 

 

 

*/s/ Jorge P. Montoya

 

Director

Jorge P. Montoya

 

 

 

 

 

*/s/ Clyde R. Moore

 

Director

Clyde R. Moore

 

 

 

3



 

*/s/ Susan M. Phillips

 

Director

Susan M. Phillips

 

 

 

 

 

*/s/ Steven R. Rogel

 

Director

Steven R. Rogel

 

 

 

 

 

*/s/ James A. Runde

 

Director

James A. Runde

 

 

 

 

 

*/s/ Ronald L. Sargent

 

Director

Ronald L. Sargent

 

 

 

 

 

*/s/ Bobby S. Shackouls

 

Director

Bobby S. Shackouls

 

 

 

 

 

By:

*/s/ 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 December 16, 2011.

 

 

THE KROGER CO. SAVINGS PLAN

 

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/ Theresa Monti

 

Name: Theresa Monti

 

Title: Member of the Administrative Committee

 

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INDEX OF EXHIBITS

 

Exhibit 5.1

 

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

 

 

 

Exhibit 23.1

 

Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Independent Accountants. Filed herewith.

 

 

 

Exhibit 23.2

 

Consent of Clark, Shaefer, 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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