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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.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Catalina Health on Thursday announced it will complete installation of all Safeway pharmacies into its retail pharmacy network at the end of November. Safeway will be utilizing Catalina Health pharmacy programs to disseminate information to their customers to encourage prescription medication adherence and compliance and advocate healthy lifestyles.

SAN FRANCISCO — McKesson on Thursday confirmed its proposed acquisition of Celesio, a leading international wholesale and retail company and provider of logistics and services to the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors, with an agreement to acquire a majority stake in Celesio for €23 per share (US$31.75 per share) and to launch parallel voluntary public tender offers for the remaining publicly traded shares and outstanding convertible bonds of Celesio.  

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Giant Eagle is launching a prescription delivery service beginning next week, according to a report published Wednesday in the Columbus Dispatch. 

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. — Coupons.com on Thursday announced the appointment of former Safeway executive Mir Aamir as the company’s CFO and COO. He will oversee all financial and accounting functions.  

The roles are presently managed by Richard Hornstein, the company’s CFO and general counsel. Hornstein will continue in the role of general counsel and chief legal officer, a role he has held for the past two-and-a-half years. Aamir, in addition to the finance functions, will also oversee the company’s operations and the international business.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Caremark has been awarded Pharmacy Benefit Management and Drug Therapy Management accreditation from URAC, a Washington, D.C.-based healthcare accrediting organization that establishes quality standards for the healthcare industry, the pharmacy retailer has announced.

MINNEAPOLIS — A new store pickup program and price matching are among the ways Target is looking to attract customers during the holiday shopping season, the mass merchandise retailer said Thursday.

Target is introducing the new pickup program, which began rolling out in select stores this month and will be available nationwide by Nov. 1. The program allows customers to buy items online or through their mobile devices and then pick them up the same day at a Target store where the item is in stock.