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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, DC 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report: January 15, 1999
THE KROGER CO.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
An Ohio Corporation No. 1-303 31-0345740
(State or other jurisdiction (Commission File (IRS Employer
of incorporation) Number) Number)
1014 Vine Street
Cincinnati, OH 45201
(Address of principal
executive offices)
Registrant's telephone number: (513) 762-4000
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Item 8. Change in Fiscal Year
On January 6, 1999, the Company made the determination
to change its fiscal year-end to the Saturday nearest
January 31 of each year. The fiscal year-end for which
the change will first be effective will be the 52-week
period ended January 29, 2000, and will include a 16-
week first quarter ending May 22, 1999, and 12-week
second, third and fourth quarters ending August 14,
1999, November 6, 1999, and January 29, 2000,
respectively. The Company intends to file separate
audited statements of operations and cash flows
covering the transition period from January 3, 1999 to
January 30, 1999 on a Current Report on Form 8-K on or
before May 15, 1999.
Quarterly reports for fiscal year 1998 include results
of a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company based on
13-week quarterly periods, for which it will not be
practicable or cost-justifiable to recast results in a
manner consistent with the quarterly reporting periods
of the newly adopted fiscal year. As a result,
quarterly reports in the newly adopted fiscal year will
include comparative financial statements for periods of
the preceding fiscal year that are most nearly
comparable to the newly adopted quarterly reporting
periods. Disclosure regarding factors that affect the
comparability of the information presented, and an
assessment of the comparability of the data, will
accompany the financial statements included in Form 10-Q
for each quarterly period of the newly adopted fiscal
year.
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SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on
its behalf by the undersigned hereto duly authorized.
THE KROGER CO.
January 15, 1999 By: (Paul W. Heldman)
Paul W. Heldman
Senior Vice President,
Secretary, and General Counsel
