Shares of Albertsons Companies Inc. ACI jumped 2.0% in premarket trading Thursday, to buck the selloff in the broader market, after the grocery chain, which has agreed to be acquired by Kroger Co. KR, said it will pay out its previously announced special dividend on Jan. 20. The special dividend of $6.85 a share, which was originally announced on Oct. 14 to be payable on Nov. 7, but has been blocked by courts, will now be paid Friday to shareholders of record on Oct. 24. The company had said on Jan. 2 that the State of Washington Supreme Court moved up the date of the review of the restraining order on the dividend to Jan. 17 from Feb. 9; the restraining order was lifted. Albertsons’ stock rally comes as futures ES00 for the S&P 500 KR dropped 0.8%.
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