California Company, Aletheia, Acquires 25% stake in A&P

A California investment company has acquired a 25% ownership stake in A&P. Aletheia Research & Management, Inc., based in Santa Monica, built its ownership position by purchasing 147 million shares of A&P stock on the open market over a three-month period between October and December of 2009.

Aletheia, founded in 1997, claims to use unique research to compile information on market activities leading to investment decisions aimed at maximizing investment returns. Its founders and management leaders have backgrounds with former investment and asset management firms such as Bear Stearns & Co. and E. F. Hutton, as well as other experience in research analysis, corporate law and the Mutual Fund industry.

Together with an earlier 27% investment stake taken by Yucaipa Cos., also of California, A&P has seen more than 50% of its ownership change hands in 2009. Aletheia has indicated that it does not expect to seek changes in A&P’s business operations or leadership. However, it has reserved the right to seek changes as deemed appropriate in the future.