Nykredit A S Makes New $117.32 Million Investment in The Kroger Co. $KR

Key Points

• Nykredit A S acquired 2.11 million Kroger shares valued at approximately $117.3 million, representing a 0.34% stake. Institutional investors and hedge funds collectively own 80.93% of Kroger.
• Kroger reported quarterly EPS of $1.09, exceeding the $1.05 consensus estimate, while revenue reached $34.62 billion. The company maintained fiscal 2026 EPS guidance of $5.10–$5.30.
• Analysts collectively rate Kroger a “Moderate Buy” with a consensus price target of $69, compared with a recent share price near $60.70. Kroger also declared a quarterly dividend of $0.39 per share, equivalent to a 2.6% annual yield.

Nykredit A S acquired a new stake in The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR - Free Report) in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm acquired 2,112,747 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $117,321,000. Nykredit A S owned 0.34% of Kroger as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust grew its stake in shares of Kroger by 5.4% during the second quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 4,070 shares of the company's stock worth $226,000 after purchasing an additional 207 shares in the last quarter. HORAN Wealth LLC raised its stake in Kroger by 21.7% in the second quarter. HORAN Wealth LLC now owns 9,022 shares of the company's stock valued at $501,000 after buying an additional 1,606 shares in the last quarter. Amundi lifted its holdings in Kroger by 18.3% during the 2nd quarter. Amundi now owns 3,942,230 shares of the company's stock worth $218,912,000 after buying an additional 610,039 shares during the last quarter. Advus Financial Partners LLC lifted its holdings in Kroger by 17.4% during the 2nd quarter. Advus Financial Partners LLC now owns 6,515 shares of the company's stock worth $362,000 after buying an additional 964 shares during the last quarter. Finally, VIRGINIA RETIREMENT SYSTEMS ET Al acquired a new position in shares of Kroger during the 2nd quarter worth about $13,945,000. 80.93% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts have recently commented on KR shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price objective on Kroger from $72.00 to $70.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, June 11th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a "hold (c)" rating on shares of Kroger in a report on Monday. Telsey Advisory Group dropped their price target on shares of Kroger from $78.00 to $75.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research note on Monday. The Goldman Sachs Group reissued a "buy" rating and set a $82.00 price objective on shares of Kroger in a report on Friday, June 19th. Finally, UBS Group restated a "neutral" rating on shares of Kroger in a research report on Friday, September 4th. Ten investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have assigned a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $69.00.

Kroger News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Quarterly dividend maintained: Kroger declared a quarterly dividend of $0.39 per share, payable December 1 to shareholders of record November 16. The payout supports the stock’s defensive, income-oriented appeal. Kroger's Board of Directors Declares Quarterly Dividend
• Positive Sentiment: Investment in stores and private label: Kroger plans to spend approximately $253 million on a brand upgrade and new stores, while expanding private-label products to offer lower prices. These initiatives could support customer traffic, loyalty, and long-term competitiveness. Kroger plans to spend $253 million on brand upgrade, new stores
• Neutral Sentiment: Profit outlook held despite softer sales: Kroger reduced its 2026 same-store sales outlook but maintained its earnings forecast. Cost savings are supporting margins, although management may use those savings to reduce prices, potentially limiting near-term profit growth. Can Kroger Keep Its Earnings Promise With Sales This Weak?
• Negative Sentiment: Red Bull removed nationwide: Kroger confirmed that it stopped selling Red Bull in its supermarkets and gas stations after selling its remaining inventory by the end of August. The move highlights ongoing supplier and pricing tensions and eliminates sales of a popular beverage brand. Kroger no longer selling Red Bull at stores nationwide
• Negative Sentiment: Produce-related disruption hurt sales: Kroger said a summer cyclosporiasis outbreak led shoppers to avoid its produce departments and cost more than $100 million in lost sales, adding to concerns about weak near-term comparable-store performance. Kroger says cyclosporiasis outbreak cost over $100M in lost sales

Kroger Stock Down 0.7%

Kroger stock opened at $60.70 on Friday. The Kroger Co. has a fifty-two week low of $54.15 and a fifty-two week high of $76.58. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.59, a quick ratio of 0.31 and a current ratio of 0.70. The company has a market capitalization of $37.19 billion, a P/E ratio of 32.99, a PEG ratio of 1.67 and a beta of 0.41. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $57.97 and a 200-day simple moving average of $63.43.

Kroger (NYSE:KR - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Friday, September 11th. The company reported $1.09 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $1.05 by $0.04. The firm had revenue of $34.62 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $34.64 billion. Kroger had a return on equity of 49.90% and a net margin of 0.73%.The firm's quarterly revenue was up 2.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $1.04 EPS. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.300 EPS. Equities research analysts expect that The Kroger Co. will post 5.19 earnings per share for the current year.

Kroger Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 1st. Stockholders of record on Monday, November 16th will be given a dividend of $0.39 per share. The ex-dividend date is Monday, November 16th. This represents a $1.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.6%. Kroger's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 84.78%.

About Kroger

The Kroger Co NYSE: KR is one of the largest grocery retailers in the United States. Founded in Cincinnati in 1883 by Bernard Kroger, the company operates supermarkets, multi-department stores, pharmacies, convenience stores and fuel centers across the country.

Kroger sells a broad range of fresh foods, packaged groceries, household products, health and beauty items, prepared foods and general merchandise. Its private-label offerings include Simple Truth, Private Selection and Kroger brands.

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