EP Wealth Advisors LLC Makes New $1.82 Million Investment in The Kroger Co. $KR

EP Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR - Free Report) in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund bought 32,754 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,819,000.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the company. Brighton Jones LLC raised its position in shares of Kroger by 27.3% in the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 15,733 shares of the company's stock valued at $962,000 after acquiring an additional 3,373 shares during the period. Woodline Partners LP grew its holdings in Kroger by 40.7% during the first quarter. Woodline Partners LP now owns 56,243 shares of the company's stock valued at $3,807,000 after purchasing an additional 16,270 shares during the period. Sivia Capital Partners LLC bought a new stake in Kroger in the second quarter valued at approximately $201,000. NewEdge Advisors LLC increased its stake in Kroger by 11.5% in the second quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 97,288 shares of the company's stock valued at $6,978,000 after purchasing an additional 10,051 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Nebula Research & Development LLC acquired a new stake in Kroger in the second quarter worth $1,840,000. 80.93% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

More Kroger News

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

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages have recently weighed in on KR. Jefferies Financial Group reissued a "buy" rating and set a $80.00 price target on shares of Kroger in a research report on Wednesday, June 3rd. HC Wainwright reaffirmed a "buy" rating on shares of Kroger in a research note on Thursday, July 2nd. Guggenheim reiterated a "buy" rating and set a $71.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a report on Thursday, July 2nd. Wells Fargo & Company set a $58.00 target price on Kroger in a research note on Monday, June 22nd. Finally, Weiss Ratings downgraded Kroger from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "hold (c)" rating in a report on Thursday, June 18th. Ten investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $72.00.

Kroger Stock Performance

Shares of KR opened at $57.86 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 Kroger Co. has a twelve month low of $54.15 and a twelve month high of $76.58. The firm's 50 day moving average price is $57.88 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $64.71. The firm has a market cap of $35.45 billion, a P/E ratio of 34.04, a PEG ratio of 1.55 and a beta of 0.43.

Kroger (NYSE:KR - Get Free Report) last released 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). Kroger had a net margin of 0.71% and a return on equity of 44.33%. The company had revenue of $46.12 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $45.59 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $1.49 EPS. The firm's quarterly revenue was up 2.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.30 EPS. On average, analysts forecast 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 will be paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Investors of record on Saturday, August 15th will be paid a $0.39 dividend. This represents a $1.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 14th. This is a boost from Kroger's previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. Kroger's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 91.76%.

About Kroger

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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