Key Takeaways Kroger shares rose Thursday morning after the retailer said it is abandoning the Albertsons merger and restarting stock buybacks.The grocery chain said after the bell Wednesday that it will begin a new $7.

Free from the financial burdens of trying to buy rival Albertsons, shares of supermarket giant Kroger were sitting at new highs on Thursday.

Albertson's and Kroger will now face each other in court, following the failed merger between the two grocery chains. Albertson's has terminated its planned sale to Kroger, after a federal court blocked the deal.