XPost: or.politics, alt.politics.trump, alt.fan.rush-limbaugh   
   From: biased@nowhere.invalid   
      
   wsj.com   
   Kroger, Albertsons Agree to Pause Merger as FTC, State Challenges Proceed   
   Dave Michaels and Patrick Thomas   
      
   Kroger agreed to temporarily put their $20 billion deal on hold while   
   antitrust enforcers pursue lawsuits to block it.   
      
   The companies agreed to the temporary injunction in a state lawsuit filed   
   by Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser. The state sued to block the   
   merger in February, saying the transaction would reduce competition and   
   harm consumers, workers and suppliers.   
      
   The Federal Trade Commission has separately filed a lawsuit in federal   
   court in Oregon opposing the merger. The FTC says the combination would   
   raise food prices and hurt workers' bargaining power for pay raises.   
      
   A federal court will hear the FTC's request for an injunction on Aug. 26.   
   The judge in that case could issue an order imperiling the deal before the   
   conclusion of the state trial in Colorado, which begins on Sept. 30.   
      
   A Kroger spokeswoman said Thursday that the decision eliminates the need   
   for an August hearing in the Colorado case.   
      
   The merger between Kroger and Albertsons, initially announced in October   
   2022, would combine the two largest supermarket operators by store count   
   in the U.S. The grocers have argued the deal puts them on better footing   
   to compete with retail powerhouses Amazon and Walmart, which have pushed   
   further into the grocery business, and strengthens unionized supermarkets.   
      
   In April, Kroger and Albertsons agreed to sell more than 160 additional   
   stores as part of a divestiture package aimed at appeasing competition   
   regulators. The two have said they plan to sell 579 stores under a revised   
   deal with C&S Wholesale Grocers.   
      
   With the proposed divestitures, the companies would operate roughly 5,000   
   supermarkets. Including debt, the deal's value is around $25 billion.   
      
   In Thursday afternoon trading Kroger shares were down about 1%, while   
   Albertsons shares were up less than 1%.   
      
   —Victor Swezey contributed to this article.   
      
   Write to Dave Michaels at dave.michaels@wsj.com and Patrick Thomas at   
   patrick. thomas@wsj.com   
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