1 As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 15, 2000 Registration No. 333-________ --------------- SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549 --------------- FORM S-8 REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 THE KROGER CO. ------------------------------------------------------ (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) Ohio 31-0345740 ------------------------------- ------------------- (State or other jurisdiction of (I.R.S. Employer incorporation or organization) Identification No.) 1014 Vine Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 - ---------------------------------------- ------------ (Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code) The Kroger Co. Savings Plan (Full title of Plan) Paul W. Heldman Senior Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel The Kroger Co. 1014 Vine Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 --------------------------------------- (Name and address of agent for service) (513) 762-4000 ------------------------------------------------------------- (Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service) 2 CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Proposed Proposed Maximum Maximum Title Of Amount Offering Aggregate Amount of Securities To To be Price Offering Registration Be Registered Registered Per Share(1) Price(1) Fee Common Stock 12,000,000 $22.66 $271,920,000 $71,786.88 $1 Par Value shares(2) Preferred Stock Purchase Rights (3) (3) (3) (3) - ---------- (1) Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Securities Act Rule 457(c), on the basis of the average of the high and low sale prices of the Registrant's Common Stock on the New York Stock Exchange on September 8, 2000, which date is within 5 business days prior to the date of the filing of this Registration Statement, as reported by The Wall Street Journal. (2) Pursuant to Rule 416(c) under the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement also covers an indeterminate amount of plan interests to be offered or sold pursuant to the employee benefit plan described herein. (3) Preferred Stock Purchase Rights will be issued in conjunction with the shares of Common Stock to be issued for no additional consideration and therefore no registration fee is required. Prior to the occurrence of certain events, the Preferred Stock Purchase Rights will not be exercisable or evidenced separately from the Common Stock. ------------------------- 3 PART II INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT The Registrant is registering additional securities under the Plan covered hereby for which a Registration Statement on Form S-8, bearing Registration No. 333-11859, currently is effective, and therefore, pursuant to General Instruction E. of Form S-8, the Registrant elects to incorporate by reference the contents of such Registration Statement which constitute information required in the Registration Statement. 4 SIGNATURES The Registrant. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Cincinnati, State of Ohio, on September 15, 2000. THE KROGER CO. By * ------------------------- Joseph A. Pichler, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities indicated on September 15, 2000. Signature Title - --------- ----- * Group Vice President and - ----------------------------------- Chief Financial Officer J. Michael Schlotman (principal financial officer) * Vice President and - ---------------------------------- Corporate Controller M. Elizabeth Van Oflen (principal accounting officer) * Chairman of the Board of - ---------------------------------- Directors and Chief Executive Joseph A. Pichler Officer (principal executive officer) * President, Chief Operating - --------------------------------- Officer and Director David B. Dillon * Director - --------------------------------- Reuben V. Anderson Director - --------------------------------- Robert D. Beyer * Director - --------------------------------- Ronald W. Burkle * Director - --------------------------------- John L. Clendenin 5 * Director - --------------------------------- Carlton J. Jenkins Director - --------------------------------- Bruce Karatz * Director - --------------------------------- John T. LaMacchia * Director - --------------------------------- Edward M. Liddy * Director - --------------------------------- Clyde R. Moore * Director - ---------------------------------- T. Ballard Morton, Jr. Director - --------------------------------- Thomas H. O'Leary * Director - --------------------------------- Katherine D. Ortega * Director - --------------------------------- Steven R. Rogel Director - --------------------------------- Martha Romayne Seger * Director - --------------------------------- Bobby S. Shackouls * Director - --------------------------------- James D. Woods *By (Bruce M. Gack) ----------------------------- Bruce M. Gack Attorney-in-fact 6 INDEX OF EXHIBITS Exhibit 4.1 Amended and Restated Rights Agreement. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 1 of Form 8-A/A Registration Statement, dated April 4, 1997, as amended by Form 8-A/A dated October 18, 1998. Exhibit 5.1 Opinion of Paul W. Heldman, Esquire, including his consent. Filed herewith. Exhibit 5.2 IRS Determination Letter. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 5.2 of Registration Statement on Form S-8, File No. 333-11859. Exhibit 23.1 Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Independent Accountants. Filed herewith. Exhibit 23.2 Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP, Independent Auditors. Filed herewith. Exhibit 23.3 Consent of Paul W. Heldman, Esquire. Contained in the opinion filed as Exhibit 5 hereto. Exhibit 24 Powers of Attorney of certain officers and directors of Kroger. Filed herewith.