Content about Save-A-Lot

MINNEAPOLIS — Supervalu posted sales of $3.89 billion and a loss of $1.41 billion in fourth quarter 2013, the company said Wednesday.

That result compared with sales of $3.98 billion and a loss of $424 million in fourth quarter 2012.

For the fiscal year, sales were $17.1 billion, compared with $17.3 billion in fiscal year 2012, while the company incurred a loss of $1.46 billion, compared with a $1.04 billion loss the year before.

MINNEAPOLIS — Supervalu on Thursday announced the completion of the sale of its Albertsons, Acme, Jewel-Osco, Shaw’s and Star Market stores and related Osco and Sav-on in-store pharmacies to AB Acquisition LLC, an affiliate of a Cerberus Capital Management-led investor consortium, in a stock deal valued at $3.3 billion, including $100 million in cash and $3.2 billion in debt assumption. 

When Supervalu announced this past summer a review of strategic alternatives, its goals were to improve its business, better position the company for the future and create the best opportunity to deliver shareholder value. This effort has led to the sale of 877 stores to AB Acquistion.

Following the sale, Supervalu will consist of its wholesaler business, which serves 1,950 stores across the country; Save-A-Lot with approximately 1,300 stores across 35 states; and Supervalu's regional retail food banners Cub, Farm Fresh, Shoppers, Shop 'n Save and Hornbacher's.

Last week in a much anticipated move, Cerberus Capital Management acquired 877 supermarkets from Supervalu for $100 million in cash and the assumption of $3.2 billion in debt.  Also part of the deal, a Cerberus-led investor consortium will provide the remaining Supervalu business an influx with the purchase of up to 30% of Supervalu stock at a purchase price of $4 per share. 

MINNEAPOLIS — In a move that will reunite all Albertsons stores under one operator, Supervalu on Thursday morning announced a definitive agreement under which it will sell 877 stores across the Albertsons, Acme, Jewel-Osco, Shaw’s and Star Market banners and related Osco and Sav-on in-store pharmacies to AB Acquisition, an affiliate of Cerberus Capital Management, in a transaction valued at $3.3 billion.

MINNEAPOLIS  — Supervalu confirmed on Thursday that the previously announced review of strategic alternatives is proceeding, and it continues to be in active discussion with several parties.

The retailer stated that there can be no assurance that this process will result in any transaction or any change in the company’s overall structure or its business model.

MINNEAPOLIS — While Supervalu has completed its overhaul of its value proposition across its Jewel-Osco banner, the grocer will be analyzing the impact before replicating the price repositioning across its entire chain, the Minnesota-based supermarket chain announced Thursday morning. "We continue to have a market-leading price position amongst conventional food retailers in three markets," Wayne Sales, Supervalu president, CEO and chairman told analysts during the second-quarter conference call.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — The journey to a complete turnaround begins with the first step. Supervalu's restructuring, refocusing and revitalizing the executive team may have been the first step, but it's been quickly followed by the second — culling out underperforming stores and reinvesting those saved dollars into that refocused, revitalized business. The question, really, is this: Is 60 enough? Is closing out 60 underperforming or nonstrategic stores out of the company's total 2,400-plus store base (including Save-A-Lot), enough?

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT’S IMPORTANT — Supervalu now is in full turnaround mode, and with the naming of Wayne Sales as CEO to lead the charge, analysts are saying the Canadian retail executive who helped turn around Canadian Tire is the right man for the job. But Supervalu still has plenty of heavy lifting to do.

(THE NEWS: Supervalu names new president, CEO. For the full story, click here)

MINNEAPOLIS — Supervalu on Thursday announced a number of dramatic measures to stabilize its business — reduction in capital spending, suspension of the company's dividend, even the exploration of possible strategic alternatives — in conjunction with its declining first-quarter earnings results.

ST. LOUIS — Supervalu's Save-A-Lot division on Tuesday announced plans for a new 250,374-sq.-ft. food distribution center in Pompano Beach, Fla. The center is expected to open by the end of fiscal year 2013, which ends Feb. 23, 2013. 

MINNEAPOLIS — Looking ahead to fiscal 2013, Supervalu will continue its focus on "hyperlocal" merchandising, value-driven pricing and its transformational remodels to build on its momentum coming out of fiscal 2012. "For us momentum is just starting to build," Craig Herkert, Supervalu president and CEO, told analysts Tuesday morning. "We enter the new fiscal year as a leaner company together with a business strategy" that will drive results, he added.