Janus Henderson Group PLC Has $6.30 Million Stake in The Kroger Co. $KR

Janus Henderson Group PLC increased its position in The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) by 143.1% in the 1st quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 87,153 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 51,308 shares during the quarter. Janus Henderson Group PLC’s holdings in Kroger were worth $6,305,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of KR. Ares Financial Consulting LLC bought a new stake in Kroger in the fourth quarter valued at about $25,000. MV Capital Management Inc. bought a new position in Kroger during the fourth quarter worth about $26,000. Whipplewood Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Kroger during the first quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Lloyd Advisory Services LLC. acquired a new stake in Kroger during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Finally, JPL Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Kroger in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Institutional investors own 80.93% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Wells Fargo & Company set a $58.00 target price on Kroger in a report on Monday, June 22nd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price target on Kroger from $72.00 to $70.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, June 11th. HC Wainwright reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Kroger in a research note on Thursday, July 2nd. Telsey Advisory Group set a $78.00 price objective on Kroger and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, June 22nd. Finally, Evercore restated an “outperform” rating and issued a $78.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a research note on Tuesday, July 7th. Ten research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Kroger currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $72.00.

Kroger Stock Performance

NYSE:KR opened at $57.31 on Friday. The Kroger Co. has a 1 year low of $54.15 and a 1 year high of $76.58. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $59.26 and a 200-day moving average of $65.22. The company has a current ratio of 0.79, a quick ratio of 0.39 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.43. The stock has a market capitalization of $35.11 billion, a P/E ratio of 33.71, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.52 and a beta of 0.43.

Kroger (NYSE:KR) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, June 18th. The company reported $1.58 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.59 by ($0.01). Kroger had a return on equity of 44.33% and a net margin of 0.71%.The business had revenue of $46.12 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $45.59 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $1.49 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was up 2.2% on a year-over-year basis. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.30 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that The Kroger Co. will post 5.21 EPS 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 paid a $0.39 dividend. This represents a $1.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.7%. This is a boost from Kroger’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 14th. Kroger’s dividend payout ratio is 82.35%.

Trending Headlines about Kroger

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: New AI advertising placement could support growth. Kroger Precision Marketing has added “product listing ads” to Kroger’s AI shopping assistant. The initiative gives suppliers another way to promote products and could increase advertising revenue while improving the company’s digital-shopping capabilities. Kroger Adds Product Listing Ads To AI Shopping Assistant
• Neutral Sentiment: Ohio lawsuit settled. Kroger reached a settlement related to the death by suicide of an Ohio employee. The resolution removes some litigation uncertainty, although financial terms and any broader reputational impact were not disclosed. Kroger Settles Lawsuit Over Ohio Worker’s Death by Suicide
• Neutral Sentiment: Store network changes appear localized. An Owensboro, Kentucky, Kroger location is expected to close ahead of the opening of a new Marketplace-format store, suggesting a transition within the company’s footprint rather than a broad retrenchment. Owensboro Kroger Site Closing Ahead of New Marketplace Location
• Negative Sentiment: Recall creates a limited product-safety risk. The FDA recalled a ready-to-eat meal sold at Kroger and other retailers because of possible metal contamination. The recall appears supplier-specific, but food-safety incidents can create reputational and compliance costs. FDA Recalls Ready-to-Eat Meal Sold at Kroger
• Negative Sentiment: Recent weakness reflects broader market pressure rather than a new earnings catalyst. Kroger underperformed the broader market in the latest session. Investors may remain cautious after the company’s most recent quarterly earnings slightly missed EPS expectations, despite revenue exceeding forecasts and management maintaining fiscal 2026 EPS guidance. Here’s Why Kroger Fell More Than Broader Market

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.