By Russell Redman
Source: Supermarket News
After lawsuits filed by three state and the District of Columbia attorneys general, a county court in Washington state has paused Albertsons Cos.’ planned $4 billion dividend payment in connection with its proposed acquisition by The Kroger Co.
A King County Superior Court commissioner yesterday granted a motion by Washington AG Bob Ferguson (D.) for a national temporary restraining order to block the Albertsons $4 billion dividend payment. As part of the Kroger-Albertsons merger transaction, Boise, Idaho-based Albertsons was slated to pay its shareholders a special cash dividend of $6.85 per share, totaling about $4 billion, on Nov. 7.
