McKinney Stephen M Form 4 KROGER / Stephen M McKinney ownership change

SEC Form 4

FORM 4

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person^*

McKinney Stephen M

(Last) (First) (Middle)

THE KROGER CO.

1014 VINE STREET

(Street)

CINCINNATI OH 45202

(City) (State) (Zip)

2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
KROGER CO [ KR ]

5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)

	Director	10% Owner
X	Officer (give title below)	Other (specify below)
Senior Vice President

3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
07/12/2019

4. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)

6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)

X	Form filed by One Reporting Person
	Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1. Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed Of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)			5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4)	6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
			Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price
Common Stock	07/12/2019		F		8,023(1)	D	$21.89	168,070.2971	D
Common Stock	07/15/2019		F		1,360(1)	D	$22.08	166,710.2971	D
Common Stock	07/15/2019		M		2,800	A	$10.08	169,510.2971	D
Common Stock	07/15/2019		M		3,200	A	$12.37	172,710.2971	D
Common Stock	07/15/2019		M		9,600	A	$10.98	182,310.2971	D
Common Stock	07/15/2019		S		15,600	D	$22.0492(2)	166,710.2971(3)	D

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)		7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 3 and 4)		8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)	9. Number of derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)	10. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
				Code	V	(A)	(D)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares
Non-Qualified Stock Option	$10.08	07/15/2019		M			2,800	(4)	06/24/2020	Common Stock	2,800	$0.00	0	D
Non-Qualified Stock Option	$12.37	07/15/2019		M			3,200	(4)	06/23/2021	Common Stock	3,200	$0.00	0	D
Non-Qualified Stock Option	$10.98	07/15/2019		M			9,600	(4)	07/12/2022	Common Stock	9,600	$0.00	0	D

Explanation of Responses:

1. Payment of tax liability associated with restricted stock.

2. The price reported is a weighted average price. These shares were sold in multiple transactions at prices ranging from $22.02 to $22.10, inclusive. The reporting person undertakes to provide to The Kroger Co., any security holder of The Kroger Co., or the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission, upon request, full information regarding the number of shares sold at each separate price within the range set forth above.

3. Between January 1, 2019 and June 30, 2019, the reporting person acquired 754.665 shares of Kroger common stock in the Company's employee benefit plans, based on information from plan trustees. The total amount of securities directly owned by the reporting person includes shares in the Company's employee benefit plans that are deemed to be "tax-conditioned plans" pursuant to Rule 16b-3, to the extent disclosed on reports received from plan trustees.

4. These options were granted under a long-term incentive plan of The Kroger Co. and vested in equal annual installments over a five-year period, at the rate of 20% per year commencing one year from the date of the grant.

Remarks:

	/s/ Stephen M. McKinney, by Stacey M. Heiser, Attorney-in-Fact	07/16/2019
	** Signature of Reporting Person	Date
Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4 (b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
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