Financial News

NEW YORK — Bloomberg on Thursday lined up the potential suitors in discussion with Safeway on a sale of the grocer, citing people with knowledge of the matter. 

Firms CVC Capital Partners and Leonard Green & Partners are among the the interested parties, as is Cerberus Capital Management. 

KKR & Co. bought Safeway in 1986 for about $4.3 billion, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The retailer went public in 1990.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. —  Walmart knew fourth quarter results and its outlook would be weak so it gave investors Thursday morning something more substantial to digest by announcing plans to double the number of small format stores it will open this year and an increased omnichannel focus.

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Safeway on Wednesday afternoon confirmed it is in discussions concerning a possible transaction involving the sale of the company. However, the company declined to comment further at this time. "Although the discussions are ongoing, the company has not reached an agreement on a transaction, and there can be no assurance that these discussions will lead to an agreement or a completed transaction," Safeway stated as part of its earnings release. 

NEW YORK — Credit Suisse on Tuesday speculated that Safeway may be considering either a sale or acquisition. 

DUBLIN — Actavis and Forest Labs. on Tuesday announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Actavis will acquire Forest for a combination of cash and equity valued at approximately $25 billion, or $89.48 per Forest share ($26.04 in cash and 0.3306 Actavis shares for each share of Forest common stock). The per share consideration represents a premium of approximately 25% per share over Forest’s stock price, and a premium of approximately 31% over Forest’s 10-day volume weighted average stock price, as of the close of trading on Feb.

CINCINNATI — Kroger on Tuesday announced it has purchased the assets of You Technology Brand Services, a Silicon Valley-based platform of digital coupons and promotions.

PARIS and LAUSANNE, Switzerland — French beauty brand L’Oréal is buying back 8% of its shares from Nestlé, loosening their long-standing alliance, the companies have announced.

L’Oréal will buy 48.5 million of its own shares. Following the transaction, Nestlé’s stake in L’Oréal will be reduced from 29.4% to 23.29% of the share capital and the Bettencourt Meyers family’s stake in L’Oréal will increase from 30.6% to 33.31%.

SAN FRANCISCO — McKesson on Thursday confirmed that it has completed the previously announced agreement with Franz Haniel & Cie. GmbH to acquire their entire holding of Celesio shares. McKesson also confirmed it has completed the previously announced agreement with an affiliate of Elliott Management to acquire Celesio convertible bonds.  

McKesson now exceeds 75% ownership of Celesio shares on a fully diluted basis.