Stock Options. Reuters.com reports that Safeway, the country's #3 grocer, has bowed to shareholder pressure and will begin to expense stock options in 2005.

Safeway Inc., bowing to pressure from a shareholder revolt over corporate governance concerns, on Monday said it would name three new independent directors and begin expensing stock options next year. Safeway also said it is committed to expensing stock options in 2005, a demand which the public pension funds had accused the company of ignoring even with a majority vote backing the move last year.