KROGER CO — Registration Form 2008

Jul 29, 2008

S-8 1 a08-20135_3s8.htm S-8

*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.

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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

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| (Clyde
R. Moore) | |
| --- | --- |
| 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 |

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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 | |

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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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