Prosperity Consulting Group LLC lowered its holdings in The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR – Free Report) by 54.7% during the 1st quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 12,461 shares of the company’s stock after selling 15,059 shares during the quarter. Prosperity Consulting Group LLC’s holdings in Kroger were worth $902,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in KR. Norges Bank bought a new stake in Kroger during the fourth quarter worth approximately $470,561,000. Worldquant Millennium Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of Kroger by 299.6% in the second quarter. Worldquant Millennium Advisors LLC now owns 2,420,495 shares of the company’s stock valued at $173,622,000 after buying an additional 1,814,721 shares in the last quarter. Alyeska Investment Group L.P. increased its holdings in shares of Kroger by 48.6% in the fourth quarter. Alyeska Investment Group L.P. now owns 4,445,479 shares of the company’s stock valued at $277,754,000 after buying an additional 1,453,966 shares in the last quarter. GQG Partners LLC lifted its position in shares of Kroger by 11.3% during the 4th quarter. GQG Partners LLC now owns 13,398,072 shares of the company’s stock valued at $837,113,000 after acquiring an additional 1,360,946 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Raymond James Financial Inc. lifted its position in shares of Kroger by 95.6% during the 2nd quarter. Raymond James Financial Inc. now owns 2,434,663 shares of the company’s stock valued at $174,638,000 after acquiring an additional 1,190,127 shares during the last quarter. 80.93% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth
A number of equities analysts recently issued reports on the company. Morgan Stanley decreased their target price on Kroger from $73.00 to $67.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, June 22nd. UBS Group set a $63.00 target price on Kroger and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Monday, June 22nd. Weiss Ratings lowered Kroger from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research report on Thursday, June 18th. HC Wainwright reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Kroger in a research note on Thursday, July 2nd. Finally, Telsey Advisory Group set a $78.00 price objective on shares of Kroger and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Monday, June 22nd. Ten research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $72.00.
Kroger Price Performance
Shares of NYSE:KR opened at $58.89 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $36.08 billion, a P/E ratio of 34.64, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.57 and a beta of 0.44. The company’s fifty day moving average is $61.70 and its two-hundred day moving average is $65.58. The company has a quick ratio of 0.39, a current ratio of 0.79 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.43. The Kroger Co. has a 12-month low of $54.15 and a 12-month high of $76.58.
Kroger (NYSE:KR – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, June 18th. The company reported $1.58 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.59 by ($0.01). The business had revenue of $46.12 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $45.59 billion. Kroger had a net margin of 0.71% and a return on equity of 44.33%. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 2.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $1.49 EPS. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.30 EPS. Equities analysts expect that The Kroger Co. will post 5.21 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Kroger Increases Dividend
The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Stockholders of record on Saturday, August 15th will be issued a $0.39 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 14th. This represents a $1.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.6%. This is a positive change from Kroger’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. Kroger’s dividend payout ratio is currently 82.35%.
Kroger News Roundup
Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Kroger announced a partnership with Mid-Ohio Food Collective aimed at a $100,000 flash match goal, highlighting continued community engagement and brand goodwill. Kroger partners with Mid-Ohio Food Collective for $100,000 flash match goal
- Positive Sentiment: Kroger is expanding its wine business with 147 new wine shops nationwide, a move that could support higher-margin sales and strengthen its premium offerings. Kroger bets on luxury wines with 147 new wine shops nationwide
- Neutral Sentiment: Analysts and media coverage continue to debate Kroger’s valuation, with one recent piece suggesting the stock may be trading near fair value rather than at a discount. Is Kroger (KR) Stock Trading Around Fair Value Today?
- Neutral Sentiment: Kroger’s proposed acquisition activity is still facing regulatory review, with possible divestitures discussed, which keeps the deal story active but uncertain for investors. Kroger (KR) Awaits Giant Eagle Review As Tempo Starts Cook Never Club
- Negative Sentiment: Multiple reports of a shooting at a Cypress Kroger location, including critical injuries and an arrest, may weigh on sentiment due to safety concerns and potential reputational damage. Suspect charged after shooting inside Cypress Kroger; security expert shares tips on how to survive a violent situation
- Negative Sentiment: Recent coverage says Kroger foot traffic has slumped for a third straight month, suggesting softer in-store demand and pressure on near-term sales trends. Kroger foot traffic slumps, analyst says, continuing a three-month trend
- Negative Sentiment: Reports that Kroger scrapped most of its Florida Harris Teeter expansion plans also point to slower growth expectations in a key market. Kroger scraps plans for 80 Harris Teeter stores in Florida, except 1
About Kroger
The Kroger Co (NYSE: KR) is one of the largest supermarket operators in the United States, offering a wide range of retail grocery and related services. Founded in Cincinnati in 1883 by Bernard Kroger, the company operates a portfolio of supermarket and multi-department store banners and provides customers with fresh foods, packaged groceries, deli and bakery items, meat and seafood, produce, and prepared foods. Kroger’s stores commonly include pharmacy services and fuel centers, positioning the company as a broad-based neighborhood retail destination for everyday needs.
In addition to traditional in-store retailing, Kroger manufactures and distributes a variety of private-label brands and operates its own food production and supply-chain facilities.
Featured Articles
- Five stocks we like better than Kroger
- AST SpaceMobile Stock Sinks as SpaceX Fallout Rattles Space Sector
- Aehr Test Systems Stock Soars on Earnings, Eyes Over 150% Revenue Growth
- TSMC Just Gave AI Chip Bulls Another Reason to Stay Confident
- GE Aerospace Faces a Prove-It Moment in Q2 Earnings
Want to see what other hedge funds are holding KR? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR – Free Report).
Receive News & Ratings for Kroger Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Kroger and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.
