Kroger's (KR) shares jumped over 8% in early trading Thursday after the grocery chain reported fourth-quarter profit that beat analyst estimates.

Kroger reported quarterly adjusted 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:earnings per share (EPS) of $1.34, above expectations. Net income of $736 million was up from $450 million in the fourth quarter of 2022, while sales came to $37.06 billion, up from $34.82 in the prior-year perio♛d.

The company guided for full-year fiscal 2024 adjuste🦂d EPS between $4.30 to $4.50, while analysts were looking for th꧑e low end of that range.

Kroger indicated that it still intends to pursue its merger with Albertsons, which was 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:delayed in January, as it continued its pause to its buyback program in the fourth quarter to prioritize the ability to pay down debts once the merger is complete. 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:Last week, the 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed a lawsuit to block the mer𒁃🔜ger over concerns that it would decrease competition and raise prices.

Kroger has contended that the opposite is true, and merging with Albertsons would allow it to better compete with larger retailers like Walmart (WMT) and Costco (COST), leading to lower prices for consumers. Inte🌟rim Ch♑ief Financial Officer Todd Foley also said the company intends to continue lowering prices and raise pay for its employees this year.

Shares of Kroger were up 8.7% at $54.88 as of 11:45 a.m. ET. Thursday. With Thursday's rise, they've gained over 18% year to date.