Flputnam Investment Management Co. Invests $3.11 Million in The Kroger Co. $KR

Key Points

• Flputnam Investment Management acquired 56,029 Kroger shares worth approximately $3.11 million in the second quarter; institutional investors and hedge funds now own 80.93% of the stock.
• Analysts maintain a generally positive outlook, with a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and a $72 price target. Kroger reported quarterly revenue of $46.12 billion, up 2.2% year over year, but narrowly missed EPS estimates.
• Kroger raised its quarterly dividend to $0.39 per share, or $1.56 annually, representing a 2.8% yield; however, the company faces concerns over declining customer traffic, store closures and e-commerce execution.

Flputnam Investment Management Co. acquired a new stake in The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR - Free Report) in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund acquired 56,029 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $3,111,000.

Several other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Ares Financial Consulting LLC purchased a new position in Kroger during the fourth quarter worth about $25,000. MV Capital Management Inc. purchased a new stake in Kroger in the 4th quarter valued at about $26,000. Whipplewood Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Kroger during the 1st quarter valued at about $27,000. Lloyd Advisory Services LLC. acquired a new position in shares of Kroger during the 4th quarter valued at about $28,000. Finally, Axiom Investment Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Kroger during the 1st quarter worth about $31,000. 80.93% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms recently issued reports on KR. Royal Bank Of Canada reissued an "outperform" rating on shares of Kroger in a research report on Monday, June 1st. Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a "buy" rating and set a $80.00 price target on shares of Kroger in a research report on Wednesday, June 3rd. The Goldman Sachs Group reaffirmed a "buy" rating and set a $82.00 price target on shares of Kroger in a research note on Friday, June 19th. HC Wainwright reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of Kroger in a report on Thursday, July 2nd. Finally, Barclays set a $61.00 price objective on shares of Kroger and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Monday, June 22nd. 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 currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $72.00.

More Kroger News

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Kroger appointed former Jet.com and Walmart executive Nate Faust as its first chief e-commerce officer. His mandate includes simplifying the digital business, improving supply-chain efficiency and strengthening online grocery fulfillment—initiatives that could improve growth and margins over time. What Could Kroger Gain From Its New Ecommerce Chief And Texas Fresh Push?
• Positive Sentiment: BrightFarms expanded locally grown greenhouse greens into more than 1,000 Kroger stores in the Dallas area, giving the company additional fresh-produce offerings and a potential way to attract shoppers. Kroger is also planning a new Marketplace store in Northern Kentucky. Kroger Marketplace coming to NKY amid Publix threat
• Neutral Sentiment: Kroger said it will hold its second-quarter 2026 earnings call on September 11. The announcement provides a date for investors to assess sales trends, traffic, e-commerce progress and the company’s outlook, but contains no new financial information. Kroger Announces Second Quarter Conference Call with Investors
• Negative Sentiment: Reports indicate Kroger has closed at least 39 stores across nine banners and plans to shutter 60 locations as part of a nationwide overhaul. Closures may reduce near-term sales and highlight pressure on underperforming stores, even if they eventually lower costs. Major Supermarket Chain Closures
• Negative Sentiment: Kroger’s customer traffic reportedly ranked 13th among 16 retailers in July and has been declining, raising concerns about market-share losses to Walmart, Publix and other competitors. Analysts and industry observers also described the company’s e-commerce operation as overly complex, increasing execution risk for the new digital chief. Kroger’s traffic has been declining
• Negative Sentiment: A recall involving products sold at Kroger and other retailers over a salmonella outbreak adds a potential reputational and operational risk, although the reported information does not quantify any financial impact. Kroger Products Recalled Over Salmonella Outbreak

Kroger Trading Down 0.0%

NYSE KR opened at $56.69 on Monday. The company's fifty day moving average price is $58.60 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $64.92. The company has a market capitalization of $34.73 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 33.35, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.52 and a beta of 0.43. The Kroger Co. has a 12 month low of $54.15 and a 12 month high of $76.58. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.43, a current ratio of 0.79 and a quick ratio of 0.39.

Kroger (NYSE:KR - Get Free Report) last issued 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 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 revenue for the quarter was up 2.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $1.49 EPS. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.30 EPS. As a group, research analysts predict that The Kroger Co. will post 5.21 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Kroger Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Stockholders of record on Saturday, August 15th will be given a $0.39 dividend. This represents a $1.56 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.8%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 14th. This is a positive change from Kroger's previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. Kroger's payout ratio is 91.76%.

Kroger Company 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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