On December 9, 2008, the Company released its earnings for third quarter 2008. Attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1, and filed herewith, is the text of that release.

2008 Guidance:

Annual identical supermarket sales growth
(excluding fuel sales) -     4.5 - 5.5%

Annual net earnings per      $1.88 - $1.91, excluding the $0.03 per diluted share
diluted share -              charge related to Hurricane Ike

Fourth quarter net earnings
per diluted share -          $0.49 - $0.52

Annual operating margin -    Flat to slightly declining.

Annual capital expenditures  $2.0 - $2.2 billion, excluding acquisitions. These
-                            capital projects include approximately 60 major
                             store projects covering new stores, expansions and
                             relocations, and 165 - 180 remodels, logistics
                             projects, and other investments to support our
                             Customer 1st business strategy.

Annual supermarket square
footage
growth -                     2.0 - 2.5% before acquisitions and operational
                             closings, with an emphasis on large, fast-growing
                             markets.

Annual expected tax rate -   Approximately 37.0%.

Labor:

We have negotiations this year covering store associates in Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Portland. Negotiations this year will be challenging as we must have competitive cost structures in each market while meeting our associates' needs for good wages and affordable health care.

2009 Guidance

Annual identical
supermarket sales growth               3 - 5%, assuming product cost inflation
(excluding fuel sales)                 of 2 - 3%

Our ability to achieve sales and earnings per share goals may be affected by:
labor disputes, particularly as the Company seeks to manage health care and pension costs; industry consolidation; pricing and promotional activities of existing and new competitors, including non-traditional competitors; our response to these actions; the state of the economy, including interest rates and the inflationary and deflationary trends in certain commodities; weather conditions; stock repurchases; the success of our future growth plans; goodwill impairment; and our ability to generate sales at desirable margins, as well as the success of our programs designed to increase our identical sales without fuel. In addition, any delays in opening new stores, or changes in the economic climate, could cause us to fall short of our sales and earnings targets. Our ability to increase identical supermarket sales could be adversely affected by increased competition and sales shifts to other stores that we operate, as well as increases in sales of our corporate brand products. Our capital expenditures, and the number of projects that we complete, could vary from our expectations if we are unsuccessful in acquiring suitable sites for new stores; development costs exceed those budgeted; or our logistics and technology or store projects are not completed on budget or in the time frame expected. Square footage growth during the year is dependent upon our ability to acquire desirable sites for construction of new facilities, as well as the timing of completion of projects. Any change in tax laws, the regulations related thereto, the applicable accounting rules or standards, or the interpretation thereof by federal, state or local authorities could affect our expected tax rate.

(d) Exhibits.

99.1 Earnings release for third quarter, filed herewith.