KROGER

NEW YORK — Safeway could fetch an asking price of more than $45 per share, estimated Credit Suisse in a research note issued Thursday. 

Shares of Safeway were up slightly by 15 cents to $35.73 in early morning trading.

Responding to a Reuters report on private equity firm Cerberus' interest in the supermarket chain, Credit Suisse research analyst Ed Kelly suggested that a Cerberus-Safeway deal would be compelling for the following reasons: 

LAKE MARY, Fla. — A group that accredits healthcare organizations has renewed its certification for the Kroger Co.'s specialty pharmacy division.

Axium Healthcare Pharmacy said Wednesday that it received a renewal of its accreditation status from the Accreditation Commission for Health Care for its specialty pharmacy services.

CINCINNATI — Kroger on Thursday announced that Michael Ellis will be named president and COO, effective Jan. 1, 2014, completing the succession plan announced in September. The company expects its board of directors to elect and name Ellis to those titles at the next board meeting in December.

MATTHEWS, N.C. — Harris Teeter Supermarkets on Thursday announced that Harris Teeter’s shareholders overwhelmingly voted to approve the previously announced merger agreement among Harris Teeter, Hornet Acquisition and Kroger. Approximately 98.6% of the votes cast during the day's special meeting were voted in favor of the merger agreement, representing approximately 82.5% of Harris Teeter’s outstanding common stock as of Aug. 22, 2013, the record date for the special meeting. 

INDIANAPOLIS — Health insurer WellPoint said Tuesday that most of its affiliated Medicare drug plans and medical plans with drug coverage will participate in a preferred pharmacy network that includes Rite Aid, Kroger and Walmart pharmacies.

Together, WellPoint said, members had access to more than 11,000 locations around the country. The preferred pharmacy network is part of all of WellPoint's affiliated Part D standalone prescription drug plans and most of its Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug Plans.

CINCINNATI — The Kroger Co. has promoted Steve McKinney to president of the Fry's Food Stores division. Fry's operates 119 food stores in Arizona.

McKinney, 57, has been VP of operations at the company's Ralphs division since 2007. He succeeds Jon Flora, who passed away unexpectedly two weeks ago.

CINCINNATI — The Kroger Co. on Friday announced its inaugural listing on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index-North America.

The Dow Jones Sustainability Index-North America tracks the economic, environmental and social sustainability performance of the top 20% of the 600 largest North America-based companies in the Dow Jones Global Total Stock Market Index.

CINCINNATI — Kroger on Tuesday announced it has committed $3 million in donations for local breast cancer initiatives across the country to support National Breast Cancer Awareness month in October. 

This will be the seventh year since Kroger began the Giving Hope a Hand initiative. By the end of 2013, Kroger will have donated more than $24 million to support breast cancer research, education and services since 2006, the grocer reported.