B. Metzler seel. Sohn & Co. AG Acquires New Position in The Kroger Co. $KR

B. Metzler seel. Sohn & Co. AG bought a new position in shares of The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR - Free Report) during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm bought 44,509 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $2,472,000.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C. lifted its stake in shares of Kroger by 4.5% during the 4th quarter. Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C. now owns 3,537 shares of the company's stock valued at $221,000 after buying an additional 153 shares in the last quarter. PFG Investments LLC lifted its position in shares of Kroger by 3.3% in the first quarter. PFG Investments LLC now owns 4,899 shares of the company's stock valued at $354,000 after acquiring an additional 157 shares in the last quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Kroger by 1.5% in the fourth quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 10,747 shares of the company's stock worth $674,000 after acquiring an additional 162 shares during the period. Stephens Inc. AR grew its position in shares of Kroger by 1.0% during the fourth quarter. Stephens Inc. AR now owns 17,995 shares of the company's stock worth $1,124,000 after purchasing an additional 174 shares in the last quarter. Finally, ROI Financial Advisors LLC raised its stake in Kroger by 2.0% during the 1st quarter. ROI Financial Advisors LLC now owns 8,943 shares of the company's stock valued at $647,000 after purchasing an additional 175 shares during the period. 80.93% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Kroger News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Kroger’s dividend profile continues to attract attention from income-focused investors. Analysts reviewing the stock highlight its potential appeal as a dividend investment, which could support demand for the shares. Kroger Could Be a Great Choice
• Positive Sentiment: The company is expanding its Fold Bitcoin Gift Card offering after a successful pilot, adding another digital and cryptocurrency-related feature for customers. The initiative is strategically positive but is unlikely to materially affect near-term financial results. Kroger Expands Fold Bitcoin Gift Card Offering
• Positive Sentiment: Kroger is unveiling a remodeled store in Worthington, Ohio, reflecting continued investment in store quality and the customer experience. Kroger to Unveil Remodeled Store
• Neutral Sentiment: An ice cream brand sold at Kroger and other retailers filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The filing concerns the supplier’s ownership and future rather than Kroger’s finances, so the direct impact on KR appears limited. Ice Cream Brand Files for Chapter 11
• Neutral Sentiment: Kroger’s annual food-bank and peanut-butter donation efforts may support community goodwill but should have little direct effect on valuation. Kroger Holds Peanut Butter Drive
• Neutral Sentiment: Cincinnati officials limited protests near Kroger’s headquarters following complaints from a nearby small-business owner. The development reduces immediate disruption but highlights ongoing local tensions. Cincinnati Limits Kroger HQ Protests
• Negative Sentiment: Kroger plans to close 60 stores during 2026. Although closures could improve the portfolio by removing underperforming locations, the scale of the reductions raises concerns about sales, market presence and restructuring costs. Kroger to Shutter 60 Stores
• Negative Sentiment: Kroger faces a proposed $17 million class-action settlement involving pharmacy customers who used insurance for prescriptions. The settlement would create a financial cost and adds legal and reputational risk, though the amount is modest relative to Kroger’s scale. Kroger Pharmacy Settlement
• Negative Sentiment: Kroger agreed to pay $75,000 to resolve an EEOC disability-discrimination and retaliation lawsuit. The payment is financially immaterial but adds to legal and compliance headlines. Kroger EEOC Lawsuit Settlement

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts have issued reports on the stock. Erste Group Bank lowered shares of Kroger from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Monday, April 27th. Weiss Ratings cut shares of Kroger from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "hold (c)" rating in a research note on Thursday, June 18th. Royal Bank Of Canada reiterated an "outperform" rating on shares of Kroger in a research note on Monday, June 1st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price objective on shares of Kroger from $72.00 to $70.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a report on Thursday, June 11th. Finally, Evercore reaffirmed an "outperform" rating and issued a $78.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a report on Tuesday, July 7th. Ten investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Kroger has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $72.00.

Kroger Price Performance

NYSE:KR opened at $57.86 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $35.45 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 34.04, a PEG ratio of 1.55 and a beta of 0.43. 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 business has a 50 day simple moving average of $57.88 and a 200-day simple moving average of $64.71. The Kroger Co. has a 1 year low of $54.15 and a 1 year high of $76.58.

Kroger (NYSE:KR - Get Free Report) last released its 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). Kroger had a net margin of 0.71% and a return on equity of 44.33%. The company had revenue of $46.12 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $45.59 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $1.49 EPS. The business's revenue for the quarter was up 2.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.30 EPS. Equities analysts forecast that The Kroger Co. will post 5.21 EPS for the current year.

Kroger Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Shareholders of record on Saturday, August 15th will be given a dividend of $0.39 per share. This represents a $1.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.7%. This is a positive change from Kroger's previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 14th. Kroger's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 91.76%.

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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