The marriage would produce the fourth-largest food retailer in the United States by market share, behind Walmart, Kroger Co. and Albertsons Cos. The merger is subject to shareholder and regulatory approval and is expected to close in mid-2016. The boards of both companies have unanimously recommended that shareholders support the deal. The companies announced they were in preliminary talks to merge in May. Although the partners are based in Europe, each gets more than 60% of its revenues from operations in the United States. The merger will bring together Delhaize America's Food Lion and Hannaford supermarket chains with Ahold USA's Stop & Shop, Giant Food, Giant Food Stores and Martin's Food Markets grocery chains, as well as its Peapod online grocery sales and ground delivery service. Overall in the United States, the combined company would have 2,063 stores and annual sales of about $37 billion.