As Albertsons heads to pivotal vote in Rite Aid merger, touts strong earnings
July 20, 2018 at 09:00 AM EDT
As Albertsons Cos. and Rite Aid head to an August vote over their planned merger, the message to investors is simple: size still matters. The deal, announced in February, would create a new retail giant valued at roughly $24 billion that would combine Albertsons' grocery operations with Rite Aid's pharmacy business. But with Rite Aid, investors expected to hold a roughly 29 percent stake in the new company, some have pushed back against the combination, pointing to Albertsons' burdensome debt-load and recent performance struggles.