Update: Market Chatter: Albertsons Seeking at Least $8 Billion From Kroger After Failed Merger

07:29 AM EDT, 10/13/2026 (MT Newswires) -- (Updates with Albertsons' reply to a request for comment in the penultimate paragraph.) Albertsons (ACI) wants Kroger (KR) to pay it at least $8 billion after the companies' proposed merger failed two years ago, The Wall Street Journal reported Monday, citing an unsealed filing in Delaware Chancery Court. Albertsons claims Kroger makes "lowball offers" to federal regulators to mostly keep the most profitable stores and separate the worse-performing stores, the report said, citing the court filing. A bench trial is slated to begin on Oct. 19 and will last about two weeks, the report said. "Kroger's board and management team explicitly agreed to take any and all actions to get the merger with Albertsons approved by regulators," Albertsons told MT Newswires via email. "We will show at trial that Kroger fell far short. Kroger refused to divest assets necessary for antitrust approval, ignored feedback from the FTC and state regulators and refused to work with Albertsons in good faith - choosing instead to prioritize its own profit targets." Kroger didn't immediately reply to a request for comment by MT Newswires. (Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)