Flputnam Investment Management Co. Sells 30,679 Shares of The Kroger Co. $KR

Flputnam Investment Management Co. reduced its holdings in shares of The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR - Free Report) by 35.4% in the second quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 56,029 shares of the company's stock after selling 30,679 shares during the quarter. Flputnam Investment Management Co.'s holdings in Kroger were worth $3,111,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Cookson Peirce & Co. Inc. lifted its position in Kroger by 5.4% in the 2nd quarter. Cookson Peirce & Co. Inc. now owns 27,930 shares of the company's stock valued at $1,551,000 after acquiring an additional 1,424 shares in the last quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. boosted its stake in Kroger by 1.0% during the 2nd quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 26,983 shares of the company's stock valued at $1,498,000 after purchasing an additional 266 shares during the last quarter. Mufg Securities Americas Inc. increased its holdings in Kroger by 6.0% during the 2nd quarter. Mufg Securities Americas Inc. now owns 17,084 shares of the company's stock worth $949,000 after purchasing an additional 974 shares in the last quarter. Navellier & Associates Inc. raised its stake in shares of Kroger by 6.9% in the second quarter. Navellier & Associates Inc. now owns 52,007 shares of the company's stock worth $2,888,000 after purchasing an additional 3,362 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Field & Main Bank purchased a new stake in shares of Kroger in the second quarter worth approximately $95,000. 80.93% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Trending Headlines about Kroger

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Kroger announced its 2026 Wellness Tour, with September in-store and community events intended to increase customer engagement and reinforce the company’s health-and-wellness offerings. The initiative is strategically positive, though its near-term financial impact is likely limited. Kroger Wellness Tour announcement
• Positive Sentiment: Unusually heavy call-option activity, with purchases more than double the typical daily volume, suggests increased bullish speculative interest. However, options activity does not guarantee sustained buying in the stock.
• Neutral Sentiment: Murray’s Cheese, a Kroger brand, expanded its premium cave-aged collection to select Harris Teeter stores in Charlotte. The launch supports product differentiation and potentially higher-margin sales but is unlikely to materially affect companywide results. Murray’s Cheese Harris Teeter launch
• Neutral Sentiment: Kroger’s recent earnings showed revenue growth and earnings ahead of the prior-year period, but earnings per share narrowly missed estimates. Management’s fiscal-year EPS guidance remains a key factor for investors assessing whether the current valuation is justified.
• Negative Sentiment: Industry data indicated Kroger’s foot traffic declined in July as the broader supermarket sector also struggled. Persistent traffic weakness could pressure comparable sales and raise concerns about consumer demand. Kroger July foot traffic report
• Negative Sentiment: Kroger agreed to pay $17 million to settle a class-action lawsuit alleging prescription-drug pricing practices. The cash cost is manageable relative to Kroger’s size, but the settlement adds legal expense and reputational risk. Kroger prescription pricing settlement
• Negative Sentiment: Sony Music sued Kroger over alleged unauthorized use of songs in social-media advertising, creating another potential legal liability. The financial impact is uncertain, but the lawsuit adds to investor concerns following the pharmacy settlement. Sony Music lawsuit against Kroger

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages recently issued reports on KR. Barclays set a $61.00 target price on Kroger and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Monday, June 22nd. Weiss Ratings cut Kroger from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "hold (c)" rating in a research note on Thursday, June 18th. Telsey Advisory Group set a $78.00 price objective on shares of Kroger and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Monday, June 22nd. HC Wainwright reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of Kroger in a research note on Thursday, July 2nd. Finally, Morgan Stanley lowered their target price on shares of Kroger from $73.00 to $67.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a report on Monday, June 22nd. Ten 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.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $72.00.

Kroger Stock Performance

KR stock opened at $57.73 on Monday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.39, a current ratio of 0.79 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.43. The firm has a market cap of $35.37 billion, a PE ratio of 33.96, a P/E/G ratio of 1.55 and a beta of 0.43. The business has a 50 day moving average of $57.63 and a 200-day moving average of $64.41. The Kroger Co. has a 12-month low of $54.15 and a 12-month high of $76.58.

Kroger (NYSE:KR - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, June 18th. The company reported $1.58 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $1.59 by ($0.01). Kroger had a return on equity of 44.33% and a net margin of 0.71%.The business had revenue of $46.12 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $45.59 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $1.49 earnings per share. The business's 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. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that The Kroger Co. will post 5.21 earnings per share for the current year.

Kroger Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Investors of record on Saturday, August 15th will be given a dividend of $0.39 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 14th. This is an increase from Kroger's previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. This represents a $1.56 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.7%. 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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