KROGER REPORTS 19% INCREASE IN EARNINGS PER SHARE, BEFORE MERGER COSTS AND ONE-TIME EXPENSES, FOR FIRST QUARTER
Merger Synergies Reach $366 Million; Company Completes $750 Million Stock Repurchase

CINCINNATI, OH, June 26, 2001 -- The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) today reported earnings of $0.38 per diluted share, excluding costs related to a merger and one-time expenses, for the 16-week first quarter ended May 26, 2001. These results represent an increase of 19% over the first quarter of fiscal 2000.

Total sales for the first quarter of fiscal 2001 increased 5.4% to $15.1 billion. Comparable food store sales, which include relocations and expansions, rose 2.5% for the quarter, while identical food store sales rose 1.9%.

EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, LIFO and one-time items) for the first quarter of 2001 totaled a record $1.05 billion, an increase of 8.1% from a year ago.

"We are very pleased with our financial performance in the first quarter," said Joseph A. Pichler, Kroger chairman and chief executive officer. "Kroger's earnings growth was driven by: additional synergies from the Fred Meyer merger; strong expense controls; continued growth in corporate-brand sales; improvement in warehousing and transportation expense; and another outstanding performance from our manufacturing plants."

Mr. Pichler said Kroger remains comfortable with achieving annual earnings per share growth of 16-18% through fiscal 2002 (which ends February 1, 2003) from an adjusted base of $1.31 per share in 2000. Looking beyond fiscal 2002, Kroger expects to achieve sustainable earnings per share growth of 15% annually, excluding major acquisitions, he said.

Among the financial highlights of the first quarter:
• FIFO gross profit margin, without one-time expenses, increased 12 basis points to 27.03% generated by merger synergies, corporate-wide category management strategies, increased corporate-brand sales and savings from centralized purchasing.
• Operating, general and administrative (OG&A) costs, without one-time expenses, decreased three basis points to 18.70%. Solid improvements in Kroger's productivity initiatives offset the negative impact of higher utility costs.
• Estimated combined synergy savings of $366 million, an increase of $36 million from the end of fiscal 2000. Mr. Pichler said the Company is well on its way toward achieving and exceeding the combined synergy savings goal of $380 million by the end of fiscal 2001 - a full year ahead of schedule.

"Kroger is committed to reducing OG&A costs as a percentage of sales year over year. I am pleased with the progress we are making in our productivity initiatives. We have also implemented a number of energy conservation measures to help offset some of the significant utility cost increases," Mr. Pichler said.

During the first quarter of 2001, Kroger opened, expanded, relocated or acquired 46 stores. Overall food store square footage increased 4.3% over the prior year. Including acquisitions, capital expenditures for the quarter totaled $645 million.

Net working capital totaled $700 million, an increase of $264 million from the first quarter of fiscal 2000. The Company attributed the increase primarily to increases in inventory.

"Our operators have the right incentives in place and are working diligently to reduce working capital. We remain committed to reducing working capital by $500 million from the benchmark we set in the third quarter of 1999," Mr. Pichler said.

The Company also announced that it repurchased approximately 12.9 million shares of Kroger common stock during the first quarter at an average price of $23.59 per share, for a total investment of $304 million. Kroger recently completed the $750 million stock repurchase program announced in April 2000 and at current prices is buying back stock under the $1 billion program authorized earlier this year by Kroger's Board of Directors.

Net total debt was $8.7 billion. Compared to the first quarter of 2000, net total debt increased $267 million primarily because of the increased investment in working capital and capital expenditures. Net total debt was 2.39 times EBITDA, as compared to 2.61 times in the first quarter of 2000. The Company continues to improve toward the goal of reducing debt to 2 times EBITDA.

During the first quarter, Kroger incurred merger-related and one-time expenses of $16.2 million pre-tax, primarily as a result of systems conversions and severance payments. Of this amount, $2.3 million was non-cash and $13.9 million was cash. For fiscal 2001, Kroger continues to expect merger-related costs to be in the range of $70-$80 million. These costs are primarily related to systems conversions.

Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, Kroger is the nation's largest retail grocery chain. At the end of the first quarter, the Company operated 2,380 supermarkets and multi-department stores in 32 states under approximately two dozen banners, including Kroger, Fred Meyer, Ralphs, Smith's, King Soopers, Dillon, Fry's, City Market, Food 4 Less and Quality Food Centers. Kroger also operates 788 convenience stores, 407 fine jewelry stores and 41 food processing plants.

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements about the future performance of the Company. These statements are based on management's assumptions and beliefs in light of the information currently available to it. We assume no obligation to update the information contained herein. These forward-looking statements are subject to uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such statements including, but not limited to, material adverse changes in the business or financial condition of Kroger and other factors affecting the businesses of the Company which are described in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Note: Kroger's quarterly conference call with investors will be broadcast live via the Internet at 10 a.m. (EST) on June 26, 2001 at www.kroger.com and www.streetevents.com. An on-demand replay of the webcast will be available from 2 p.m. (EDT) on June 26, 2001 through July 6, 2001.

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