<p>Safeway has been a hot topic this week with recent reports detailing the approval of Sobeys’ acquisition of Canada Safeway and Cerberus’ buyout interest. Last Wednesday, Safeway’s stock went up 8.4% at $35.67 a share, earlier climbing to a new 52-week high of $36.75, according to NASDAQ. As of now, according to Safeway’s investors page, shares are at $36.06.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">As Safeway’s stock prices rise, the company also becomes less vulnerable to a takeover. Incidentally, Safeway adopted a one-year stockholder rights plan, or a “poison pill” to prevent a possible hostile takeover when Jana Partners LLC acquired an approximate 6.2% position in Safeway, claiming the company’s shares were undervalued.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"> Earlier, Sobeys announced that it has signed a consent agreement with the Canadian Competition Bureau, allowing it to proceed with the acquisition of substantially all of the assets of Canada Safeway. As part of this consent agreement, Sobeys must divest 23 stores – 13 Canada Safeway stores and 10 Sobeys stores – across British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"> A day later, Cerberus Capital Management LP was reportedly considering a full or partial buyout deal with Safeway. Consequently, Safeway is now considering options with advisor Goldman Sachs Group Inc.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"> How might this rise in stock prices affect Safeway’s upcoming Q4 2013 earnings report in February?<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"> Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow for more comments and opinions.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href=" http://www.nasdaq.com/article/consumer-stocks-mixed-in-late-trade-safeway-hits-new-52week-high-on-fresh-buyout-talk-cm290725" target="_new"> NASDAQ </a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href=" http://www.safeway.com/ShopStores/Investors.page#iframetop" target="_new"> Safeway</a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
