EARNINGS PER COMMON SHARE

12 Months Ended

Jan. 28, 2017

EARNINGS PER COMMON SHARE

EARNINGS PER COMMON SHARE

11.EARNINGS  PER  COMMON SHARE

Net earnings attributable to The Kroger Co. per basic common share equals net earnings attributable to The Kroger Co. less income allocated to participating securities divided by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding.  Net earnings attributable to The Kroger Co. per diluted common share equals net earnings attributable to The Kroger Co. less income allocated to participating securities divided by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding, after giving effect to dilutive stock options.  The following table provides a reconciliation of net earnings attributable to The Kroger Co. and shares used in calculating net earnings attributable to The Kroger Co. per basic common share to those used in calculating net earnings attributable to The Kroger Co. per diluted common share:

	For the year ended					For the year ended					For the year ended
	January 28, 2017					January 30, 2016					January 31, 2015
				Per					Per					Per
	Earnings		Shares	Share		Earnings		Shares	Share		Earnings		Shares	Share
(in millions, except per share amounts)	(Numerator)		(Denominator)	Amount		(Numerator)		(Denominator)	Amount		(Numerator)		(Denominator)	Amount
Net earnings attributable to The Kroger Co. per basic common share	$	1,959	942	$	2.08	$	2,021	966	$	2.09	$	1,711	981	$	1.74
Dilutive effect of stock options			16					14					12
Net earnings attributable to The Kroger Co. per diluted common share	$	1,959	958	$	2.05	$	2,021	980	$	2.06	$	1,711	993	$	1.72

The Company had combined undistributed and distributed earnings to participating securities totaling $16,  $18 and $17 in 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

The Company had options outstanding for approximately 7.1 million, 1.9 million and 4.6 million, respectively, for the years ended January 28, 2017, January 30, 2016 and January 31, 2015, which were excluded from the computations of net earnings per diluted common share because their inclusion would have had an anti-dilutive effect on net earnings per diluted share.