Livforsakringsbolaget Skandia Omsesidigt Grows Position in The Kroger Co. $KR

Key Points

• Livforsakringsbolaget Skandia Omsesidigt increased its Kroger stake by 9.9% in the first quarter, adding 23,200 shares to bring its total holding to 256,586 shares worth about $18.6 million.
• Kroger recently reported quarterly earnings of $1.58 per share, just below analyst expectations, while revenue came in at $46.12 billion, above estimates and up 2.2% year over year.
• The company raised its quarterly dividend to $0.39 per share from $0.35, and analysts currently have a Moderate Buy consensus with an average price target of $72.00.

Livforsakringsbolaget Skandia Omsesidigt boosted its position in The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR - Free Report) by 9.9% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 256,586 shares of the company's stock after acquiring an additional 23,200 shares during the quarter. Livforsakringsbolaget Skandia Omsesidigt's holdings in Kroger were worth $18,561,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in KR. Brighton Jones LLC lifted its position in shares of Kroger by 27.3% during the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 15,733 shares of the company's stock worth $962,000 after purchasing an additional 3,373 shares during the last quarter. Woodline Partners LP grew its stake in shares of Kroger by 40.7% during the first quarter. Woodline Partners LP now owns 56,243 shares of the company's stock worth $3,807,000 after purchasing an additional 16,270 shares in the last quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC purchased a new position in Kroger in the second quarter valued at $201,000. NewEdge Advisors LLC raised 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 buying an additional 10,051 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Nebula Research & Development LLC acquired a new stake in Kroger in the second quarter valued at $1,840,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.93% of the company's stock.

Kroger Price Performance

KR stock opened at $58.66 on Wednesday. The company has a current ratio of 0.79, a quick ratio of 0.39 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.43. The company has a market capitalization of $35.94 billion, a P/E ratio of 34.51, a PEG ratio of 1.59 and a beta of 0.44. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $62.18 and a 200-day simple moving average of $65.70. The Kroger Co. has a twelve month low of $54.15 and a twelve month high of $76.58.

Kroger (NYSE:KR - Get Free Report) last announced its 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). The business 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 was up 2.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $1.49 earnings per share. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.30 EPS. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that The Kroger Co. will post 5.21 EPS for the current year.

Kroger Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Shareholders of record on Saturday, August 15th will be paid a $0.39 dividend. This is a boost from Kroger's previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. This represents a $1.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.7%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 14th. Kroger's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 82.35%.

Trending Headlines about Kroger

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Kroger is expanding its premium offering by launching in-store wine shops, which could help lift sales mix and attract higher-spending customers. Kroger launches store wine shops to tap into consumer demand for premium options
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and industry coverage have pointed to Kroger’s focus on fresh food and merchandising improvements as a potential competitive advantage that could support long-term customer loyalty and growth. Is Fresh Food Becoming Kroger's Biggest Competitive Advantage?
• Positive Sentiment: Reports suggest the Kroger-Giant Eagle deal may win approval with only limited store divestitures, easing concerns that antitrust review could derail the transaction. The Kroger-Giant Eagle deal is seen being approved after limited store divestitures
• Neutral Sentiment: Kroger is reportedly scrapping plans to build dozens of Harris Teeter stores across Florida, though some reports say a Jacksonville location may still move forward. The pullback lowers expansion expectations but also reduces near-term capital spending. Kroger wipes out plan for 80 stores in Florida
• Neutral Sentiment: Industry chatter continues around the regulatory path for the Kroger-Giant Eagle merger, with antitrust experts discussing possible hurdles and remedies. Will the Kroger-Giant Eagle deal face regulatory challenges?
• Neutral Sentiment: Broader consumer trend stories about shoppers spending more time on meal planning and grocery shopping do not directly change Kroger’s fundamentals, but they reinforce demand for convenience-focused grocery and prepared-food offerings. US Millennials and Gen Z Are Losing Hours Each Week to Food Friction

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research analysts have recently issued reports on KR shares. Royal Bank Of Canada reaffirmed an "outperform" rating on shares of Kroger in a research report on Monday, June 1st. Wall Street Zen lowered Kroger from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Saturday, June 20th. Citigroup cut their target price on Kroger from $71.00 to $61.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, June 23rd. HC Wainwright restated a "buy" rating on shares of Kroger in a research note on Thursday, July 2nd. Finally, Erste Group Bank downgraded Kroger from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Monday, April 27th. Ten equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $72.00.

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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