Sec Form 4 Filing - PERRY M MARNETTE @ KROGER CO - 2012-03-13

Insider filing report for Changes in Beneficial Ownership
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FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
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, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person
PERRY M MARNETTE
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
(Last) (First) (Middle)
1014 VINE STREET
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (MM/DD/YY)
03/13/2012
(Street)
CINCINNATI, OH45202
4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed (MM/DD/YY)
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)
__ X __ Form filed by One Reporting Person
_____ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City) (State) (Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Transaction Date (MM/DD/YY) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (MM/DD/YY) 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 03/13/2012 M 30,000 A $ 22.995 148,676.6436 D
Common Stock 03/13/2012 M 20,000 A $ 14.925 168,676.6436 D
Common Stock 03/13/2012 S 50,000 D $ 24.237 ( 1 ) 118,676.6436 ( 2 ) 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 (MM/DD/YY) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (MM/DD/YY) 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
(MM/DD/YY)
7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(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 of Derivative Security: 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 Performance Stock Option $ 22.995 03/13/2012 M 10,000 ( 3 ) 05/09/2012 Common Stock 10,000 $ 0 0 D
Non-Qualified Stock Option $ 22.995 03/13/2012 M 20,000 ( 4 ) 05/09/2012 Common Stock 20,000 $ 0 0 D
Non-Qualified Stock Option $ 14.925 03/13/2012 M 20,000 ( 4 ) 12/12/2012 Common Stock 20,000 $ 0 40,000 D
Reporting Owners
Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
PERRY M MARNETTE
1014 VINE STREET
CINCINNATI, OH45202
Senior Vice President
Signatures
/s/ M. Marnette Perry, by Bruce M. Gack, Attorney-in-Fact 03/14/2012
Signature of Reporting Person Date
Explanation of Responses:
( 1 )The price reported in Column 4 is a weighted average price. These shares were sold in multiple transactions at prices ranging from $24.19 to $24.31, 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.
( 2 )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.
( 3 )These options will vest during the first four years from the date of the grant only if the Company's stock price has achieved a 55% appreciation from the option price. Thereafter, the options vest only if the Company's stock price has achieved a minimum 13% appreciation per annum from the date of grant or 185% appreciation, whichever is less. The options vest nine years and six months after grant, if not sooner vested.
( 4 )These options were granted under a long-term incentive plan of The Kroger Co. and vest in equal annual installments in whole amounts over a five-year period, at the rate of 20% per year commencing one year from the date of the grant.

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* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
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