While I was in Blacksburg, Va., my coworkers would speak in reverential tones of a supermarket that used to be in Roanoke. Harris Teeter Supermarkets Inc (NYSE:HTSI) was spoken of as a magical place, where subs were freshly made, and the produce department overflowed with vibrant greens. When I moved closer to one in North Carolina, I discovered that actually, it was just another nice-ish store. The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) apparently thought more highly of the business, and today it agreed to buy the whole thing.
A Harris Teeter primer
If you’ve never lived in a mid-Atlantic state, you’ve probably never come across the brand: Harris Teeter Supermarkets Inc (NYSE:HTSI) operates in eight states and the District of Columbia. In its last fiscal year, the company reported $1.1 billion in sales, with an operating margin of 3.5%. The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR), on the other hand, pulled in $96.7 billion in sales, with a slim 2.9% operating margin.
Harris Teeter Supermarkets Inc (NYSE:HTSI)’s management announced earlier this year that the company was exploring a sale, though that move was prompted by interest from private equity. The news revived the flagging stock, which had fallen 16% in the 12 months before the exploratory announcement. Since that time, the stock has risen sharply, up 33% and resulting in a mere 2% premium on the sale.
What’s next
While the increased margin is nice, it’s not the reason The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) is buying the brand. Harris Teeter Supermarkets Inc (NYSE:HTSI) has a strong regional brand and a reputation as the “nicer” place to go shopping. Kroger is planning to keep that brand, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it transition Harris Teeter locations into something that can compete with Whole Foods Market, Inc. (NASDAQ:WFM).
While Whole Foods has made a solid dent in the mid-Atlantic, The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) has been thin on the ground. Whole Foods Market, Inc. (NASDAQ:WFM) has marched, seemingly uninterrupted, to a predicted 6.7% operating margin, blowing Kroger and Harris Teeter Supermarkets Inc (NYSE:HTSI) out of the water.
If I were The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR), I would bump up the balance of organic and local food in my new Harris Teeter locations, while not abandoning standby offerings. If the company can manage to take some more share from Whole Foods Market, Inc. (NASDAQ:WFM), it could set itself up for expansion over the next five years, bringing a new offering to consumers looking for a middle ground between Kroger and Whole Foods. I think the Harris Teeter Supermarkets Inc (NYSE:HTSI) brand has a long way to run, and Kroger just picked it up for a song.
The article Harris Teeter Lands in Kroger’s Cart originally appeared on Fool.com and is written by Andrew Marder.
Fool contributor Andrew Marder has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Whole Foods Market (NASDAQ:WFM). The Motley Fool owns shares of Whole Foods Market.
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