CINCINNATI, June 22, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Kroger Co.'s (NYSE:KR) Board of Directors approved a dividend increase from $1.04 to $1.16 per year. The next quarterly dividend of 29 cents per share will be paid on September 1, 2023, to shareholders of record as of close of business on August 15, 2023.

Kroger's quarterly dividend has grown at a 13.7% compounded annual growth rate since it was reinstated in 2006. This marks the 17^th consecutive year of dividend increases. The company continues to expect, subject to board approval, an increasing dividend over time.

"This dividend increase reflects the Board of Directors' confidence in our strategy of Leading with Fresh, Accelerating with Digital," said Rodney McMullen, Kroger's Chairman and CEO. "Our business continues to generate strong and consistent free cash flow and has proven to be resilient in a variety of operating environments. The strength of our balance sheet provides significant financial flexibility to continue to invest in our business to drive growth."

Capital Allocation Strategy

Kroger's capital allocation strategy is to use its free cash flow to invest in the business to drive long-term sustainable net earnings growth while also maintaining its current investment grade debt rating and returning capital to shareholders. The company actively balances the use of its free cash flow to achieve these goals.

About Kroger

At The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), we are dedicated to our Purpose: to Feed the Human Spirit™. We are, across our family of companies, nearly half a million associates who serve over nine million customers daily through a seamless digital shopping experience and 2,800 retail food stores under a variety of banner names, serving America through food inspiration and uplift, and creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities by 2025. To learn more about us, visit our newsroom and investor relations site.

This press release contains certain statements that constitute "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. Such statements are indicated by words or phrases such as, "committed," "continue," " "expect," " and "strategy". Various uncertainties and other factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. These include the specific risk factors identified in "Risk Factors" in our annual report on Form 10-K for our last fiscal year and any subsequent filings, as well as the following:

Kroger's ability to achieve sales, earnings, incremental FIFO operating profit, and adjusted free cash flow goals may be affected by: the risks relating to or arising from our proposed transaction with Albertsons announced in October 2022, including, among others, our ability to consummate the proposed transaction, including on the terms of the merger agreement, on the anticipated timeline, and/or with the required regulatory approvals; COVID-19 pandemic related factors, risks and challenges; labor negotiations; potential work stoppages; changes in the unemployment rate; pressures in the labor market; changes in government-funded benefit programs; changes in the types and numbers of businesses that compete with Kroger; pricing and promotional activities of existing and new competitors, including non-traditional competitors, and the aggressiveness of that competition; Kroger's response to these actions; the state of the economy, including interest rates, the current inflationary environment and future potential inflationary and/or deflationary trends and such trends in certain commodities, products and/or operating costs; the geopolitical environment including the war in Ukraine; unstable political situations and social unrest; changes in tariffs; the effect that fuel costs have on consumer spending; volatility of fuel margins; manufacturing commodity costs; supply constraints; diesel fuel costs related to Kroger's logistics operations; trends in consumer spending; the extent to which Kroger's customers exercise caution in their purchasing in response to economic conditions; the uncertainty of economic growth or recession; stock repurchases; changes in the regulatory environment in which Kroger operates; Kroger's ability to retain pharmacy sales from third party payors; consolidation in the healthcare industry, including pharmacy benefit managers; Kroger's ability to negotiate modifications to multi-employer pension plans; natural disasters or adverse weather conditions; the effect of public health crises or other significant catastrophic events; the potential costs and risks associated with potential cyber-attacks or data security breaches; the success of Kroger's future growth plans; the ability to execute our growth strategy and value creation model, including continued cost savings, growth of our alternative profit businesses, and our ability to better serve our customers and to generate customer loyalty and sustainable growth through our strategic pillars of fresh, our brands, personalization, and seamless; and the successful integration of merged companies and new partnerships. Our ability to achieve these goals may also be affected by our ability to manage the factors identified above. Our ability to execute our financial strategy may be affected by our ability to generate cash flow.

Kroger assumes no obligation to update the information contained herein unless required by applicable law. Please refer to Kroger's reports and filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a further discussion of these risks and uncertainties.

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SOURCE The Kroger Co.

Kroger Board of Directors Raises Quarterly Dividend by 12%