Seneca House Advisors Acquires 21,658 Shares of The Kroger Co. $KR

Key Points

• Seneca House Advisors increased its Kroger stake by 68.5% in the fourth quarter, buying 21,658 additional shares and bringing its total holding to 53,256 shares worth about $3.33 million.
• Other institutional investors have also been active in KR, and institutions overall now own about 80.93% of Kroger’s stock, underscoring broad professional interest in the name.
• Analyst sentiment remains mixed but generally constructive: Kroger carries a Moderate Buy consensus with a $74.67 target, though recent notes were split between modest target cuts and upbeat ratings, while shares recently traded near $64.

Seneca House Advisors grew its holdings in shares of The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR - Free Report) by 68.5% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 53,256 shares of the company's stock after purchasing an additional 21,658 shares during the quarter. Kroger comprises approximately 1.2% of Seneca House Advisors' portfolio, making the stock its 25th biggest holding. Seneca House Advisors' holdings in Kroger were worth $3,327,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in KR. Brighton Jones LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Kroger by 27.3% in the fourth quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 15,733 shares of the company's stock worth $962,000 after buying an additional 3,373 shares in the last quarter. Woodline Partners LP lifted its holdings in shares of Kroger by 40.7% in the first quarter. Woodline Partners LP now owns 56,243 shares of the company's stock worth $3,807,000 after buying an additional 16,270 shares in the last quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Kroger in the second quarter worth about $201,000. NewEdge Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Kroger by 11.5% in the second quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 97,288 shares of the company's stock worth $6,978,000 after buying an additional 10,051 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Nebula Research & Development LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Kroger in the second quarter worth about $1,840,000. Institutional investors own 80.93% of the company's stock.

Key Headlines Impacting Kroger

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and options traders are highlighting Kroger as a potential earnings play, with expectations for higher Q1 earnings and no major surprise likely to the outlook, which can support sentiment if the company confirms steady execution. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Kroger is also being mentioned in consumer-focused promotions and expansion news, including a national retail rollout for Avaline across Kroger divisions, which suggests continued relevance as a key grocery channel for brand partners. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Additional coverage around Kroger-owned Harris Teeter’s new “Aisle Adventures” shopping experience and holiday-style promotions points to efforts to drive shopper engagement and store traffic. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Oppenheimer said Kroger’s fiscal first-quarter results should come in largely in line with expectations, which may limit the stock’s upside unless the company delivers a clear beat or stronger guidance. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: The Humane League escalated its national campaign against Kroger and Harris Teeter over delayed cage-free egg sourcing, adding reputational pressure and potentially increasing scrutiny of the company’s supply-chain commitments. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Separate consumer coverage around Kroger’s “controversial” price-tag technology and aggressive price cuts versus Walmart may raise concerns about margin pressure if the chain leans harder into price competition. Article Title

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on KR. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price target on shares of Kroger from $72.00 to $70.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, June 11th. Weiss Ratings reissued a "hold (c)" rating on shares of Kroger in a report on Friday, March 27th. Citigroup increased their price target on shares of Kroger from $68.00 to $71.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a report on Monday, March 9th. Telsey Advisory Group increased their price target on shares of Kroger from $80.00 to $82.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Thursday, March 5th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company downgraded shares of Kroger from an "overweight" rating to an "equal weight" rating and lowered their price target for the stock from $70.00 to $68.00 in a report on Wednesday, February 25th. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Kroger currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $74.67.

Kroger Trading Down 0.1%

Shares of KR opened at $64.00 on Wednesday. The firm's 50 day simple moving average is $66.35 and its 200 day simple moving average is $66.51. The company has a market capitalization of $39.21 billion, a P/E ratio of 41.83, a P/E/G ratio of 1.81 and a beta of 0.42. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.66, a current ratio of 0.80 and a quick ratio of 0.42. The Kroger Co. has a 1-year low of $58.60 and a 1-year high of $76.58.

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.

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