Miramar Capital LLC Buys New Stake in The Kroger Co. $KR

Key Points

• Miramar Capital LLC opened a new position in Kroger during the fourth quarter, buying 131,577 shares valued at about $8.22 million. Kroger now represents 1.8% of Miramar’s portfolio and is its 29th-largest holding.
• Institutional interest in Kroger remains high, with hedge funds and other investors owning 80.93% of the stock. Several firms also recently added small new positions or increased their stakes.
• Kroger posted mixed but solid fundamentals: its latest quarterly EPS of $1.28 beat estimates, while revenue came in slightly below expectations. Analysts currently rate the stock a Moderate Buy with an average price target of $74.73.

Miramar Capital LLC bought a new stake in shares of The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR - Free Report) during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund bought 131,577 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $8,221,000. Kroger makes up 1.8% of Miramar Capital LLC's portfolio, making the stock its 29th biggest position.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Ares Financial Consulting LLC bought a new stake in shares of Kroger in the 4th quarter worth about $25,000. Princeton Global Asset Management LLC boosted its stake in Kroger by 268.1% during the 4th quarter. Princeton Global Asset Management LLC now owns 416 shares of the company's stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 303 shares during the period. Avalon Trust Co acquired a new position in Kroger during the 3rd quarter valued at about $29,000. Lloyd Advisory Services LLC. acquired a new position in Kroger during the 4th quarter valued at about $28,000. Finally, JPL Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Kroger in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $31,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.93% of the company's stock.

Kroger News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Kroger is promoting its new limited-time “All-American Ice Cream Collection” and giving away 100,000 free pints for the summer solstice, a marketing push that could lift traffic and reinforce customer engagement. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Multiple reports noted new or upcoming Kroger Marketplace openings and development progress in Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, and West Virginia, signaling continued store expansion and local market investment. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Several lifestyle and local-news pieces highlighted the ice cream giveaway and store openings, but these are largely promotional updates rather than material financial catalysts. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Kroger agreed to a $2.5 million DOJ settlement over alleged Clean Air Act emissions violations, which adds a legal and compliance overhang even if the dollar amount is relatively small. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: A report suggesting Kroger may lose more executives could raise concerns about management turnover and continuity. Article Title

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

KR has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a "buy" rating and issued a $80.00 price target on shares of Kroger in a research note on Wednesday. Citigroup boosted their price target on shares of Kroger from $68.00 to $71.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a report on Monday, March 9th. Erste Group Bank lowered shares of Kroger from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Monday, April 27th. Telsey Advisory Group upped their price objective on shares of Kroger from $80.00 to $82.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Thursday, March 5th. Finally, Barclays reiterated a "positive" rating on shares of Kroger in a research note on Monday, February 9th. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $74.73.

Kroger Stock Performance

NYSE:KR opened at $63.59 on Monday. The firm has a market capitalization of $38.96 billion, a PE ratio of 41.56, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.69 and a beta of 0.43. The company has a quick ratio of 0.42, a current ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.66. The Kroger Co. has a 12-month low of $58.60 and a 12-month high of $76.58. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $67.52 and a 200 day moving average price of $66.63.

Kroger (NYSE:KR - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, March 5th. The company reported $1.28 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $1.20 by $0.08. The business had revenue of $34.73 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $35.10 billion. Kroger had a net margin of 0.69% and a return on equity of 41.08%. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 1.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $1.14 EPS. Research analysts anticipate that The Kroger Co. will post 5.24 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Kroger Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, June 1st. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 15th were given a $0.35 dividend. This represents a $1.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.2%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, May 15th. Kroger's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 91.50%.

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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