Albertsons reveals projected IPO proceeds

NEW YORK — Albertsons expects to raise more than $1.8 billion through its proposed initial public offering, according to an SEC filing made Friday. Much of that would be used to pay down Albertsons present debt load $12.1 billion, as of June 20.

 

For fiscal 2014, Albertsons reported net loss of $1.2 billion on net sales of $27.2 billion. Same-store sales were up 7.2%. At Safeway, prior to Albertson's acquisition of the grocer, the rate of identical store sales growth was 3% in fiscal 2014 and accelerated in the first quarter of fiscal 2015 to 3.8%.

 

"We are one of the largest food and drug retailers in the United States, with both strong local presence and national scale," Albertsons wrote. "As of June 20, 2015, we operated 2,205 stores across 33 states under 18 well-known banners. ... We operate in 121 Metropolitan Statistical Areas in the United States and are ranked No. 1 or No. 2 by market share in 68% of them. We provide our customers with a service-oriented shopping experience, including convenient and value-added services through 1,698 pharmacies and 378 adjacent fuel centers."

 

Over the past nine years, Albertsons has completed a series of acquisitions, beginning with its purchase of Albertson’s LLC in 2006 (the “legacy Albertsons stores”). This was followed in March 2013 by its acquisition of NAI from Supervalu, which included the Albertsons stores that were not already owned (the "Supervalu Albertsons stores”). In December 2013, Albertsons acquired United, a regional grocery chain in North and West Texas. And in January 2015, they acquired Safeway.

 

Albertsons will trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "ABS." 

 

However, there were no details as to the estimated price range of its IPO or the number of shares to be sold on the market. 

 

Goldman Sachs, BofA Merrill Lynch, Citigroup, Morgan Stanley and Lazard are acting as underwriters to the IPO.