Renaissance Technologies LLC Sells 17,700 Shares of The Kroger Co. $KR

Key Points

• Renaissance Technologies cut its Kroger stake by 63.9% in the first quarter, selling 17,700 shares and retaining 10,000 shares valued at approximately $724,000. Institutional investors collectively own 80.93% of Kroger.
• Kroger slightly missed quarterly EPS expectations, reporting $1.58 versus the $1.59 consensus, while revenue rose 2.2% year over year to $46.12 billion. The company maintained fiscal 2026 EPS guidance of $5.10–$5.30.
• Kroger raised its quarterly dividend to $0.39 per share, implying a 2.8% annualized yield. Analysts maintain a “Moderate Buy” consensus rating with an average price target of $72, above the stock’s reported $56.69 price.

Renaissance Technologies LLC reduced its holdings in shares of The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR - Free Report) by 63.9% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 10,000 shares of the company's stock after selling 17,700 shares during the period. Renaissance Technologies LLC's holdings in Kroger were worth $724,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in KR. Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C. boosted its holdings in shares of Kroger by 4.5% during the 4th quarter. Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C. now owns 3,537 shares of the company's stock worth $221,000 after buying an additional 153 shares in the last quarter. PFG Investments LLC increased its stake in shares of Kroger by 3.3% in the 1st quarter. PFG Investments LLC now owns 4,899 shares of the company's stock valued at $354,000 after acquiring an additional 157 shares in the last quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Kroger by 1.5% in the 4th quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 10,747 shares of the company's stock valued at $674,000 after acquiring an additional 162 shares in the last quarter. Stephens Inc. AR lifted its position in shares of Kroger by 1.0% during the 4th quarter. Stephens Inc. AR now owns 17,995 shares of the company's stock valued at $1,124,000 after acquiring an additional 174 shares during the period. Finally, Phillips Wealth Planners LLC lifted its position in shares of Kroger by 3.6% during the 4th quarter. Phillips Wealth Planners LLC now owns 5,348 shares of the company's stock valued at $342,000 after acquiring an additional 188 shares during the period. 80.93% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Kroger Stock Performance

Shares of KR opened at $56.69 on Friday. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $58.60 and a 200 day moving average of $64.92. The company has a market capitalization of $34.73 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 33.35, a PEG ratio of 1.52 and a beta of 0.43. The Kroger Co. has a 12 month low of $54.15 and a 12 month high of $76.58. The company has a current ratio of 0.79, a quick ratio of 0.39 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.43.

Kroger (NYSE:KR - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, June 18th. The company reported $1.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $1.59 by ($0.01). Kroger had a net margin of 0.71% and a return on equity of 44.33%. The business had revenue of $46.12 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $45.59 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $1.49 EPS. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 2.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.30 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that The Kroger Co. will post 5.21 earnings per share for the current year.

Kroger Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Investors of record on Saturday, August 15th will be given 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 yield of 2.8%. Kroger's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 82.35%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms have commented on KR. Royal Bank Of Canada restated an "outperform" rating on shares of Kroger in a report on Monday, June 1st. Barclays set a $61.00 price objective on shares of Kroger and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Monday, June 22nd. Erste Group Bank downgraded Kroger from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Monday, April 27th. Morgan Stanley decreased their target price on Kroger from $73.00 to $67.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a research report on Monday, June 22nd. Finally, Citigroup dropped their price target on Kroger from $71.00 to $61.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, June 23rd. Ten research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $72.00.

More Kroger News

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Kroger appointed former Jet.com and Walmart executive Nate Faust as its first chief e-commerce officer. His mandate includes simplifying the digital business, improving supply-chain efficiency and strengthening online grocery fulfillment—initiatives that could improve growth and margins over time. What Could Kroger Gain From Its New Ecommerce Chief And Texas Fresh Push?
• Positive Sentiment: BrightFarms expanded locally grown greenhouse greens into more than 1,000 Kroger stores in the Dallas area, giving the company additional fresh-produce offerings and a potential way to attract shoppers. Kroger is also planning a new Marketplace store in Northern Kentucky. Kroger Marketplace coming to NKY amid Publix threat
• Neutral Sentiment: Kroger said it will hold its second-quarter 2026 earnings call on September 11. The announcement provides a date for investors to assess sales trends, traffic, e-commerce progress and the company’s outlook, but contains no new financial information. Kroger Announces Second Quarter Conference Call with Investors
• Negative Sentiment: Reports indicate Kroger has closed at least 39 stores across nine banners and plans to shutter 60 locations as part of a nationwide overhaul. Closures may reduce near-term sales and highlight pressure on underperforming stores, even if they eventually lower costs. Major Supermarket Chain Closures
• Negative Sentiment: Kroger’s customer traffic reportedly ranked 13th among 16 retailers in July and has been declining, raising concerns about market-share losses to Walmart, Publix and other competitors. Analysts and industry observers also described the company’s e-commerce operation as overly complex, increasing execution risk for the new digital chief. Kroger’s traffic has been declining
• Negative Sentiment: A recall involving products sold at Kroger and other retailers over a salmonella outbreak adds a potential reputational and operational risk, although the reported information does not quantify any financial impact. Kroger Products Recalled Over Salmonella Outbreak

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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