Albertsons stock heads higher amid report of Kroger merger interest

Shares of Albertsons Cos. Inc.
ACI,
+10.54%
were up more than 11% in Thursday morning trading after Bloomberg News reported that Kroger Co.
KR,
-1.23%
was in merger talks with the smaller grocer. Kroger shares were down more than 2%. The report cited anonymous sources and noted that while a deal could be hammered out as soon as this week, talks could also fall through or be delayed. Shares of Albertsons were paused for volatility at 9:52 a.m. ET, and trading resumed five minutes later. Albertsons shares have gained 4.3% over the past 12 months as the S&P 500
SPX,
+1.88%
has declined 18%.