denkapparat Operations GmbH Buys 17,558 Shares of The Kroger Co. $KR

Key Points

• denkapparat Operations GmbH increased its Kroger stake by 82.8% in the second quarter, purchasing 17,558 shares for a total holding of 38,766 shares valued at approximately $2.15 million.
• Institutional ownership remains high at 80.93%, with several other funds also adding or initiating positions in Kroger during recent quarters.
• Kroger shares opened at $58.53, while analysts maintain a “Moderate Buy” consensus and a $71.75 price target; the company also raised its quarterly dividend to $0.39 per share, although concerns remain about weak identical-store sales and acquisition-related regulatory risks.

denkapparat Operations GmbH grew its stake in The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR - Free Report) by 82.8% in the second quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 38,766 shares of the company's stock after purchasing an additional 17,558 shares during the period. Kroger makes up about 0.7% of denkapparat Operations GmbH's holdings, making the stock its 10th largest holding. denkapparat Operations GmbH's holdings in Kroger were worth $2,153,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in KR. SGL Investment Advisors Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Kroger during the 2nd quarter worth about $2,764,000. Allstate Corp raised its holdings in Kroger by 108.5% in the 4th quarter. Allstate Corp now owns 47,991 shares of the company's stock valued at $2,998,000 after buying an additional 24,976 shares during the period. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. acquired a new position in Kroger in the second quarter valued at about $76,633,000. Conning Inc. boosted its stake in Kroger by 10,178.7% during the fourth quarter. Conning Inc. now owns 507,459 shares of the company's stock worth $31,706,000 after buying an additional 502,522 shares during the period. Finally, North Dakota State Investment Board purchased a new position in Kroger during the fourth quarter worth about $1,299,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.93% of the company's stock.

Kroger News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Kroger named Mark Ibbotson executive vice president and chief store operations officer, effective September 14. His experience leading Walmart’s e-commerce platform could support Kroger’s digital ordering, store productivity and omnichannel strategy. Kroger names Mark Ibbotson Executive Vice President and Chief Store Operations Officer
• Neutral Sentiment: Brokerages collectively maintain a “Moderate Buy” rating on KR, suggesting analysts see potential upside but not a strong consensus catalyst. Kroger Given Average Rating of Moderate Buy
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts describe Kroger’s valuation as broadly fair after a roughly 40% five-year return. The assessment offers limited support for the shares but does not identify a compelling bargain. Kroger Stock Looks Fair On Earnings While Returns Stay Strong
• Neutral Sentiment: New Kroger Marketplace developments in London, including a Crumbl Cookies location, indicate continued investment in stores and expanded customer offerings, although the direct financial impact appears limited. Kroger Marketplace and Crumbl Cookies Among New London Developments
• Negative Sentiment: Oppenheimer expects Kroger’s fiscal second-quarter identical sales to fall short of consensus amid a challenging grocery environment. A weaker same-store sales outlook raises concerns about customer traffic, pricing and margin performance. Kroger Could Miss Quarterly Identical Sales Views
• Negative Sentiment: Kroger’s planned $1.65 billion grocery acquisition is drawing scrutiny because the company remains in litigation related to its prior merger attempt. Reusing a similar regulatory strategy could increase execution risk, legal costs and uncertainty around the deal. Kroger Is Buying Another Grocery Chain While Still in Court
• Negative Sentiment: A recent sell-focused analysis points to Kroger’s underperformance over the past six months and argues that investors may find more attractive opportunities elsewhere. This reinforces the broader cautious tone surrounding the shares. 3 Reasons to Sell KR and 1 Stock to Buy Instead

Kroger Trading Up 0.5%

NYSE KR opened at $58.53 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.43, a quick ratio of 0.39 and a current ratio of 0.79. The firm has a market cap of $35.86 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 34.43, a PEG ratio of 1.63 and a beta of 0.41. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $57.69 and a 200-day simple moving average of $64.09. The Kroger Co. has a one year low of $54.15 and a one 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 (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $1.59 by ($0.01). The business had revenue of $46.12 billion for 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 quarterly revenue was up 2.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $1.49 earnings per share. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.30 EPS. Equities research analysts anticipate that The Kroger Co. will post 5.21 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Kroger Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Investors of record on Saturday, August 15th were issued a $0.39 dividend. This represents a $1.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.7%. This is a boost from Kroger's previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. The ex-dividend date was Friday, August 14th. Kroger's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 91.76%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

KR has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Wall Street Zen cut shares of Kroger from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Saturday, June 20th. Wells Fargo & Company set a $58.00 target price on Kroger in a research report on Monday, June 22nd. Telsey Advisory Group set a $78.00 price target on Kroger and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Monday, June 22nd. Barclays set a $61.00 price target on Kroger and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Monday, June 22nd. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group reaffirmed a "buy" rating and issued a $82.00 price objective on shares of Kroger in a research note on Friday, June 19th. Ten equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Kroger currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target 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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