ABN Amro Investment Solutions Boosts Stock Holdings in The Kroger Co. $KR

Key Points

• ABN Amro Investment Solutions increased its Kroger stake by 241.6% in the fourth quarter, bringing its holdings to 30,686 shares valued at about $1.92 million.
• Several other large institutional investors also boosted positions, and hedge funds and other institutions now own 80.93% of Kroger’s stock, signaling continued strong professional interest.
• Kroger is drawing attention for its upcoming June 18 first-quarter 2026 earnings call and for a possible price-cut strategy aimed at winning value-conscious shoppers, though that approach could pressure margins and near-term profitability.

ABN Amro Investment Solutions lifted its stake in shares of The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR - Free Report) by 241.6% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 30,686 shares of the company's stock after acquiring an additional 21,703 shares during the quarter. ABN Amro Investment Solutions' holdings in Kroger were worth $1,917,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other large investors have also modified their holdings of the stock. Wellington Management Group LLP grew its stake in shares of Kroger by 61.1% during the third quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 33,367,551 shares of the company's stock worth $2,249,307,000 after purchasing an additional 12,652,261 shares in the last quarter. Allianz Asset Management GmbH grew its stake in shares of Kroger by 66.6% during the third quarter. Allianz Asset Management GmbH now owns 5,255,084 shares of the company's stock worth $354,245,000 after purchasing an additional 2,100,444 shares in the last quarter. Worldquant Millennium Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of Kroger by 299.6% during the second quarter. Worldquant Millennium Advisors LLC now owns 2,420,495 shares of the company's stock worth $173,622,000 after purchasing an additional 1,814,721 shares in the last quarter. Raymond James Financial Inc. grew its stake in shares of Kroger by 95.6% during the second quarter. Raymond James Financial Inc. now owns 2,434,663 shares of the company's stock worth $174,638,000 after purchasing an additional 1,190,127 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Alyeska Investment Group L.P. boosted its stake in Kroger by 51.0% in the third quarter. Alyeska Investment Group L.P. now owns 2,991,513 shares of the company's stock valued at $201,658,000 after acquiring an additional 1,010,457 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.93% of the company's stock.

Key Kroger News

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Kroger announced it will host its first-quarter 2026 earnings conference call on June 18, which keeps investors focused on upcoming results and any updates on pricing strategy and margins. Kroger Announces First Quarter Conference Call with Investors
• Positive Sentiment: Kroger is also being viewed as a beneficiary of consumer trade-down trends as shoppers face higher gas prices, which could support traffic if its lower-price strategy resonates with value-focused households. Rising Gas Prices Are Hitting Household Budgets. Some Grocery Stores Are Eyeing Price Cuts In Response.
• Neutral Sentiment: Valerie Jabbar, senior vice president of Retail Divisions, retired after 38 years with Kroger; the move is a leadership update but does not appear to be a major stock driver on its own. Kroger Senior Vice President Valerie Jabbar Announces Retirement After 38 Years of Service
• Neutral Sentiment: Media coverage that Kroger is preparing price cuts and facing stiff competition from Walmart, Costco and Aldi reinforces the same story: stronger traffic potential, but likely margin pressure if discounts deepen. Kroger plans price cuts as new CEO looks to regain shoppers
• Negative Sentiment: Investors are likely concerned that a nationwide price-cut strategy could reduce profitability in the near term, especially if Kroger has to absorb higher costs while lowering shelf prices. Why Kroger Stock Dropped Today
• Negative Sentiment: Recent recall headlines involving Kroger-branded garlic cheese croutons and a separate Clean Air Act settlement may add modest reputational and legal overhang, though these look secondary to the pricing narrative. Kroger garlic cheese croutons sold in 17 states recalled for salmonella risk

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities analysts have issued reports on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group restated a "buy" rating and issued a $82.00 price objective on shares of Kroger in a research note on Thursday, March 5th. Roth Mkm restated a "buy" rating and issued a $78.00 price objective (up from $75.00) on shares of Kroger in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Weiss Ratings restated a "hold (c)" rating on shares of Kroger in a research note on Friday, March 27th. Citigroup upped their price objective on shares of Kroger from $68.00 to $71.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research note on Monday, March 9th. Finally, Barclays restated a "positive" rating on shares of Kroger in a research note on Monday, February 9th. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Kroger has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $74.87.

Kroger Trading Up 0.4%

Shares of Kroger stock opened at $67.32 on Friday. The Kroger Co. has a 12-month low of $58.60 and a 12-month high of $76.58. The company has a current ratio of 0.80, a quick ratio of 0.42 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.66. The stock has a market cap of $41.24 billion, a PE ratio of 44.00, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.79 and a beta of 0.46. The company has a 50-day moving average of $69.56 and a two-hundred day moving average of $66.73.

Kroger (NYSE:KR - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, March 5th. The company reported $1.28 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $1.20 by $0.08. The company had revenue of $34.73 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $35.10 billion. Kroger had a net margin of 0.69% and a return on equity of 41.08%. The firm's quarterly revenue was up 1.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company posted $1.14 earnings per share. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.300 EPS. On average, research analysts anticipate that The Kroger Co. will post 5.24 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Kroger Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 1st. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 15th will be given a $0.35 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 15th. This represents a $1.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.1%. Kroger's dividend payout ratio is currently 91.50%.

Kroger Profile

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.

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