In the letter, the attorneys general express their strong concern with Albertsons and Kroger's joint announcement that Albertsons will pay stockholders a cash dividend of up to $4 billion on November 7, 2022. Federal and state antitrust laws forbid parties from entering in agreements that substantially lessen competition or unreasonably restrain trade. Premerger notification requirements also prohibit "gun jumping," the practice of improperly engaging in joint decision-making by parties pending merger review. The planned dividend payment would substantially impact Albertsons cash flow, making it difficult to continue to compete with Kroger ahead of the merger. Grocery prices rose 12.2% from last summer to this summer, the biggest jump in over 40 years. If the proposed merger has anticompetitive effects, nearly every corner of this country will feel them. Right now, regulatory approval of the merger is far from assured.