Pictet Asset Management Holding SA Raises Holdings in The Kroger Co. $KR

Key Points

• Pictet Asset Management Holding SA increased its Kroger stake by 15.7% in the first quarter, buying 53,578 additional shares and bringing its total to 395,540 shares worth about $28.6 million.
• Kroger reported quarterly earnings of $1.58 per share, just below estimates, while revenue came in at $46.12 billion, topping expectations and rising 2.2% year over year.
• The company announced a higher quarterly dividend of $0.39 per share, up from $0.35, and also remains in the spotlight as analysts weigh its Giant Eagle acquisition plans and mixed rating changes.

Pictet Asset Management Holding SA lifted its position in shares of The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR - Free Report) by 15.7% during the first quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 395,540 shares of the company's stock after buying an additional 53,578 shares during the quarter. Pictet Asset Management Holding SA owned approximately 0.06% of Kroger worth $28,624,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. River Street Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Kroger during the 1st quarter valued at about $271,000. Corecam AG bought a new position in shares of Kroger during the first quarter valued at approximately $272,000. J2 Capital Management Inc increased its holdings in Kroger by 3.1% during the first quarter. J2 Capital Management Inc now owns 9,824 shares of the company's stock valued at $711,000 after buying an additional 292 shares during the period. Generali Investments Towarzystwo Funduszy Inwestycyjnych raised its stake in Kroger by 8.3% in the first quarter. Generali Investments Towarzystwo Funduszy Inwestycyjnych now owns 6,500 shares of the company's stock worth $470,000 after buying an additional 500 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Foster & Motley Inc. raised its stake in Kroger by 2.2% in the first quarter. Foster & Motley Inc. now owns 229,772 shares of the company's stock worth $16,626,000 after buying an additional 5,007 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.93% of the company's stock.

Kroger Stock Performance

KR opened at $56.13 on Thursday. The Kroger Co. has a 52-week low of $54.15 and a 52-week high of $76.58. 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 company has a market cap of $34.39 billion, a P/E ratio of 33.02, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.49 and a beta of 0.44. The firm's 50-day moving average price is $63.73 and its 200-day moving average price is $65.94.

Kroger (NYSE:KR - Get Free Report) last released 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 company had revenue of $46.12 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $45.59 billion. Kroger had a return on equity of 44.33% and a net margin of 0.71%.The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 2.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the business 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 fiscal year.

Kroger Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Stockholders of record on Saturday, August 15th will be paid 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 dividend yield of 2.8%. Kroger's payout ratio is presently 82.35%.

Key Headlines Impacting Kroger

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: The Giant Eagle acquisition could boost Kroger’s scale, market share, and revenue base in attractive regional markets while strengthening its pharmacy and digital fulfillment footprint. Kroger Tries a Smaller Grocery Deal After Albertsons Merger Fizzled
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and commentators viewed the deal as a more manageable, offensive move that could help Kroger defend against Walmart and Amazon while buying revenue at a relatively low sales multiple. Kroger Expands Footprint With $1.65 Billion Giant Eagle Acquisition
• Neutral Sentiment: Broader grocery-sector trading was mixed, offering little extra direction from the industry backdrop. Sector Update: Consumer Stocks Mixed Late Afternoon
• Negative Sentiment: Some investors appeared cautious on the acquisition because it adds integration risk and new liabilities at a time when Kroger already carries meaningful debt, which may pressure near-term margins and balance sheet flexibility. Kroger (KR) Stock Slips on Plans to Purchase Giant Eagle for $1.65B

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on KR. Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a "buy" rating and issued a $80.00 price target on shares of Kroger in a report on Wednesday, June 3rd. Wall Street Zen downgraded Kroger from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Saturday, June 20th. The Goldman Sachs Group reiterated a "buy" rating and issued a $82.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a research note on Friday, June 19th. Morgan Stanley reduced 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. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company set a $58.00 price target on shares of Kroger in a research report on Monday, June 22nd. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $71.94.

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.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.