Amundi Purchases 610,039 Shares of The Kroger Co. $KR

Key Points

• Amundi increased its Kroger position by 18.3% in the second quarter, purchasing 610,039 additional shares and bringing its total holdings to 3.94 million shares worth approximately $218.9 million.
• Kroger shares were trading near $57.15, down 2.5%, while the company reported quarterly revenue of $46.12 billion and earnings of $1.58 per share, slightly below analyst expectations.
• Kroger raised its quarterly dividend from $0.35 to $0.39 per share, providing a 2.7% annualized yield. Analysts maintain a “Moderate Buy” consensus with an average price target of $71.75.

Amundi increased its position in shares of The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR - Free Report) by 18.3% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 3,942,230 shares of the company's stock after buying an additional 610,039 shares during the period. Amundi owned about 0.64% of Kroger worth $218,912,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in KR. Whipplewood Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Kroger in the 1st quarter worth approximately $27,000. MV Capital Management Inc. purchased a new stake in Kroger during the fourth quarter worth $26,000. Axiom Investment Management LLC bought a new stake in Kroger during the 1st quarter valued at $31,000. Cedar Mountain Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Kroger during the 1st quarter valued at $33,000. Finally, Lloyd Advisory Services LLC. purchased a new position in shares of Kroger in the 4th quarter valued at $28,000. 80.93% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Kroger Trading Down 2.5%

Shares of NYSE:KR opened at $57.15 on Wednesday. The business's 50-day moving average is $57.79 and its 200 day moving average is $63.84. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.43, a current ratio of 0.79 and a quick ratio of 0.39. The Kroger Co. has a 1 year low of $54.15 and a 1 year high of $76.58. The firm has a market capitalization of $35.01 billion, a P/E ratio of 33.62, a P/E/G ratio of 1.64 and a beta of 0.41.

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 the consensus estimate of $1.59 by ($0.01). The business had revenue of $46.12 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $45.59 billion. Kroger had a return on equity of 44.33% and a net margin of 0.71%.Kroger's revenue was up 2.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $1.49 EPS. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.30 EPS. On average, research analysts predict that The Kroger Co. will post 5.21 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Kroger Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Stockholders of record on Saturday, August 15th were paid a dividend of $0.39 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, August 14th. This is an increase from Kroger's previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. This represents a $1.56 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.7%. Kroger's payout ratio is presently 91.76%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

KR has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. Citigroup restated a "neutral" rating and set a $57.00 price objective (down from $61.00) on shares of Kroger in a research note on Tuesday, September 1st. Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a "buy" rating and issued a $80.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a report on Wednesday, June 3rd. Telsey Advisory Group set a $78.00 price target on shares of Kroger and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Monday, June 22nd. Royal Bank Of Canada restated an "outperform" rating on shares of Kroger in a report on Monday, June 1st. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company set a $58.00 price objective on shares of Kroger in a research report on Monday, June 22nd. Ten equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have assigned a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Kroger presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $71.75.

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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