Sanctuary Advisors LLC Has $7.82 Million Stock Position in The Kroger Co. $KR

Key Points

• Sanctuary Advisors LLC increased its Kroger stake by 47.4% in Q1, ending with 108,072 shares valued at about $7.82 million.
• Kroger’s latest earnings showed $1.58 EPS, slightly below estimates, while revenue came in at $46.12 billion, above expectations and up 2.2% year over year.
• The company raised its quarterly dividend to $0.39 per share, and analysts currently rate the stock as Moderate Buy with an average price target of $72.

Sanctuary Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR - Free Report) by 47.4% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 108,072 shares of the company's stock after buying an additional 34,755 shares during the quarter. Sanctuary Advisors LLC's holdings in Kroger were worth $7,820,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the stock. Allstate Corp increased its stake in Kroger by 108.5% during the fourth quarter. Allstate Corp now owns 47,991 shares of the company's stock valued at $2,998,000 after acquiring an additional 24,976 shares during the period. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Kroger by 1.1% during the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 77,169,425 shares of the company's stock worth $4,821,546,000 after purchasing an additional 868,529 shares in the last quarter. Conning Inc. increased its position in shares of Kroger by 10,178.7% during the fourth quarter. Conning Inc. now owns 507,459 shares of the company's stock valued at $31,706,000 after purchasing an additional 502,522 shares during the period. Nordea Investment Management AB raised its stake in shares of Kroger by 11.2% in the fourth quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB now owns 5,204,987 shares of the company's stock valued at $325,728,000 after purchasing an additional 524,768 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbH boosted its stake in Kroger by 30.6% during the fourth quarter. Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbH now owns 894,217 shares of the company's stock worth $55,946,000 after buying an additional 209,264 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.93% of the company's stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

KR has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Telsey Advisory Group set a $78.00 target price on Kroger and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Monday, June 22nd. Erste Group Bank lowered shares of Kroger from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Monday, April 27th. Wells Fargo & Company set a $58.00 price objective on Kroger in a research report on Monday, June 22nd. Morgan Stanley reduced their price target on Kroger from $73.00 to $67.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, June 22nd. Finally, UBS Group set a $63.00 price objective on Kroger and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a report on Monday, June 22nd. Ten investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Kroger presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $72.00.

Kroger Stock Up 0.5%

Shares of KR opened at $58.89 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 0.79, a quick ratio of 0.39 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.43. The stock has a market capitalization of $36.08 billion, a PE ratio of 34.64, a P/E/G ratio of 1.57 and a beta of 0.44. The firm's 50 day moving average is $61.70 and its 200-day moving average is $65.58. The Kroger Co. has a 12 month low of $54.15 and a 12 month high of $76.58.

Kroger (NYSE:KR - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results 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). The company had revenue of $46.12 billion for 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 company's quarterly revenue was up 2.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $1.49 EPS. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.30 EPS. Equities research analysts forecast that The Kroger Co. will post 5.21 EPS 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 $0.39 dividend. 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 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.6%. Kroger's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 82.35%.

Kroger News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Kroger announced a partnership with Mid-Ohio Food Collective aimed at a $100,000 flash match goal, highlighting continued community engagement and brand goodwill. Kroger partners with Mid-Ohio Food Collective for $100,000 flash match goal
• Positive Sentiment: Kroger is expanding its wine business with 147 new wine shops nationwide, a move that could support higher-margin sales and strengthen its premium offerings. Kroger bets on luxury wines with 147 new wine shops nationwide
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts and media coverage continue to debate Kroger’s valuation, with one recent piece suggesting the stock may be trading near fair value rather than at a discount. Is Kroger (KR) Stock Trading Around Fair Value Today?
• Neutral Sentiment: Kroger’s proposed acquisition activity is still facing regulatory review, with possible divestitures discussed, which keeps the deal story active but uncertain for investors. Kroger (KR) Awaits Giant Eagle Review As Tempo Starts Cook Never Club
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple reports of a shooting at a Cypress Kroger location, including critical injuries and an arrest, may weigh on sentiment due to safety concerns and potential reputational damage. Suspect charged after shooting inside Cypress Kroger; security expert shares tips on how to survive a violent situation
• Negative Sentiment: Recent coverage says Kroger foot traffic has slumped for a third straight month, suggesting softer in-store demand and pressure on near-term sales trends. Kroger foot traffic slumps, analyst says, continuing a three-month trend
• Negative Sentiment: Reports that Kroger scrapped most of its Florida Harris Teeter expansion plans also point to slower growth expectations in a key market. Kroger scraps plans for 80 Harris Teeter stores in Florida, except 1

About Kroger

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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