Bank of Nova Scotia Purchases Shares of 384,352 The Kroger Co. $KR

Bank of Nova Scotia purchased 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 & Exchange Commission. The fund purchased 384,352 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $21,343,000. Bank of Nova Scotia owned about 0.06% of Kroger as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of KR. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its stake in Kroger by 1.1% during the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 77,169,425 shares of the company's stock valued at $4,821,546,000 after purchasing an additional 868,529 shares in the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Kroger during the second quarter worth $3,016,956,000. State Street Corp lifted its stake in shares of Kroger by 1.2% during the third quarter. State Street Corp now owns 31,948,112 shares of the company's stock worth $2,153,622,000 after buying an additional 386,503 shares during the period. GQG Partners LLC grew its holdings in shares of Kroger by 11.3% during the fourth quarter. GQG Partners LLC now owns 13,398,072 shares of the company's stock valued at $837,113,000 after buying an additional 1,360,946 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP grew its holdings in shares of Kroger by 0.4% during the first quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 12,296,026 shares of the company's stock valued at $889,878,000 after buying an additional 53,625 shares during the last quarter. 80.93% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Kroger Price Performance

Shares of KR opened at $57.86 on Monday. The business's 50-day moving average is $57.88 and its two-hundred day moving average is $64.72. The company has a market capitalization of $35.45 billion, a P/E ratio of 34.04, a P/E/G ratio of 1.55 and a beta of 0.43. The Kroger Co. has a fifty-two week low of $54.15 and a fifty-two week high of $76.58. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.43, a quick ratio of 0.39 and a current ratio of 0.79.

Kroger (NYSE:KR - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, June 18th. The company reported $1.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.59 by ($0.01). The company had revenue of $46.12 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates 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 period last year, the firm earned $1.49 EPS. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.30 EPS. Research analysts predict that The Kroger Co. will post 5.21 earnings per share for the current year.

Kroger Increases Dividend

The business 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 $0.39 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 14th. This represents a $1.56 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.7%. This is a boost from Kroger's previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. Kroger's payout ratio is currently 91.76%.

Trending Headlines about Kroger

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 Analyst Weigh In

KR has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Jefferies Financial Group restated a "buy" rating and issued a $80.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a research note on Wednesday, June 3rd. Erste Group Bank downgraded Kroger from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Monday, April 27th. Evercore reissued an "outperform" rating and issued a $78.00 price objective on shares of Kroger in a report on Tuesday, July 7th. Barclays set a $61.00 price objective on Kroger and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Monday, June 22nd. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group reiterated a "buy" rating and issued a $82.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a research report on Friday, June 19th. Ten equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have issued a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $72.00.

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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