Mitchell Capital Management Co. Increases Position in The Kroger Co. $KR

Key Points

• Mitchell Capital Management increased its Kroger stake by 59.9% in the fourth quarter, buying 27,073 additional shares and bringing its total holding to 72,272 shares worth about $4.5 million.
• Kroger reported strong quarterly earnings of $1.28 per share, beating analyst expectations, though revenue of $34.73 billion came in slightly below forecasts. The company also raised its FY2026 guidance to $5.10-$5.30 EPS.
• The company declared a quarterly dividend of $0.35 per share, yielding about 2.2%, while analysts currently hold a consensus rating of Moderate Buy with a price target of $74.87.

Mitchell Capital Management Co. lifted its position in The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR - Free Report) by 59.9% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 72,272 shares of the company's stock after purchasing an additional 27,073 shares during the period. Mitchell Capital Management Co.'s holdings in Kroger were worth $4,516,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Stephens Inc. AR increased its stake in shares of Kroger by 1.0% in the fourth quarter. Stephens Inc. AR now owns 17,995 shares of the company's stock worth $1,124,000 after purchasing an additional 174 shares in the last quarter. HUB Investment Partners LLC increased its stake in shares of Kroger by 3.0% in the second quarter. HUB Investment Partners LLC now owns 6,568 shares of the company's stock worth $471,000 after purchasing an additional 192 shares in the last quarter. Parsons Capital Management Inc. RI increased its stake in shares of Kroger by 1.3% in the fourth quarter. Parsons Capital Management Inc. RI now owns 15,756 shares of the company's stock worth $984,000 after purchasing an additional 195 shares in the last quarter. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. increased its stake in shares of Kroger by 17.4% in the third quarter. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. now owns 1,328 shares of the company's stock worth $90,000 after purchasing an additional 197 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Gratus Wealth Advisors LLC increased its stake in shares of Kroger by 1.8% in the fourth quarter. Gratus Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 11,377 shares of the company's stock worth $711,000 after purchasing an additional 202 shares in the last quarter. 80.93% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Kroger Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:KR opened at $62.25 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.66, a quick ratio of 0.42 and a current ratio of 0.80. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $68.56 and a 200 day moving average price of $66.75. The Kroger Co. has a fifty-two week low of $58.60 and a fifty-two week high of $76.58. The firm has a market cap of $38.14 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 40.69, a P/E/G ratio of 1.65 and a beta of 0.46.

Kroger (NYSE:KR - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, March 5th. The company reported $1.28 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $1.20 by $0.08. Kroger had a net margin of 0.69% and a return on equity of 41.08%. The firm had revenue of $34.73 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $35.10 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $1.14 earnings per share. Kroger's revenue for the quarter was up 1.2% on a year-over-year basis. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.300 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that The Kroger Co. will post 5.24 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Kroger Dividend Announcement

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

Key Headlines Impacting Kroger

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks pieces frame Kroger as potentially undervalued and a possible dividend/value pick versus Walmart, which may support investor interest in the stock. Are Investors Undervaluing The Kroger Co. (KR) Right Now?
• Positive Sentiment: Kroger received a 2026 Gold Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health for the fifth straight year, reinforcing its employer brand and suggesting continued focus on workforce stability and culture. Kroger Earns Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health for Fifth Consecutive Year
• Neutral Sentiment: Additional commentary highlights KR as a candidate for dividend-focused investors, but this is largely a reiteration of Kroger’s existing income profile rather than a fresh catalyst. Kroger (KR) Could Be a Great Choice
• Neutral Sentiment: Industry comparison articles such as KR vs. WMT are more about relative valuation than a company-specific development, so they are likely having only a limited direct impact. KR vs. WMT: Which Stock Is the Better Value Option?
• Negative Sentiment: A report that Kroger is facing a costly store fix after a federal lawsuit could pressure margins and raise concerns about legal and compliance-related expenses. Kroger forced to make costly store fix after federal lawsuit
• Negative Sentiment: News that Kroger’s North American Ocado fulfillment centers were shut in part due to weaker-than-expected demand is a reminder of previous technology/investment missteps, which may weigh on investor confidence. UK grocer Asda taps Ocado to revamp online business
• Negative Sentiment: Reports of multiple executive departures under new CEO Greg Foran add leadership uncertainty at a time when the company is still being reshaped. Kroger loses four top executives under new CEO Greg Foran

Analysts Set New Price Targets

KR has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. Jefferies Financial Group reissued a "buy" rating and issued a $82.00 price objective on shares of Kroger in a research note on Thursday, March 5th. Barclays restated a "positive" rating on shares of Kroger in a research report on Monday, February 9th. BMO Capital Markets restated a "market perform" rating and set a $70.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. Wolfe Research restated an "outperform" rating and set a $75.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. Finally, Weiss Ratings restated a "hold (c)" rating on shares of Kroger in a research report on Friday, March 27th. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $74.87.

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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