Strs Ohio Has $22.83 Million Stock Position in The Kroger Co. $KR

Key Points

• Strs Ohio reduced its Kroger stake by 14% in the first quarter, selling 51,237 shares and ending with 315,489 shares valued at about $22.83 million.
• Analysts remain cautiously positive on Kroger, with a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and an average price target of $71.94; several firms recently reiterated buy ratings despite a mixed range of price targets.
• Kroger reported slightly weaker-than-expected EPS but solid revenue growth in its latest quarter, and it raised its quarterly dividend to $0.39 per share, up from $0.35.

Strs Ohio cut its stake in The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR - Free Report) by 14.0% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 315,489 shares of the company's stock after selling 51,237 shares during the period. Strs Ohio owned 0.05% of Kroger worth $22,829,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Ares Financial Consulting LLC acquired a new position in shares of Kroger in the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. Princeton Global Asset Management LLC increased its position in shares of Kroger by 268.1% during the fourth quarter. Princeton Global Asset Management LLC now owns 416 shares of the company's stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 303 shares during the period. MV Capital Management Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Kroger during the fourth quarter worth $26,000. Lloyd Advisory Services LLC. bought a new position in Kroger during the fourth quarter worth $28,000. Finally, JPL Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in Kroger during the third quarter worth $31,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.93% of the company's stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of analysts have commented on the stock. The Goldman Sachs Group reaffirmed a "buy" rating and set a $82.00 price target on shares of Kroger in a research report on Friday, June 19th. Jefferies Financial Group reissued a "buy" rating and issued a $80.00 price objective on shares of Kroger in a research note on Wednesday, June 3rd. Guggenheim restated a "buy" rating and set a $71.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a research report on Thursday. Wells Fargo & Company set a $58.00 target price on Kroger in a research report on Monday, June 22nd. Finally, Barclays set a $61.00 target price on Kroger and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research note 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 data from MarketBeat.com, Kroger presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $71.94.

Kroger Stock Performance

Shares of KR stock opened at $58.12 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 firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $63.32 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $65.85. The Kroger Co. has a 12 month low of $54.15 and a 12 month high of $76.58. The firm has a market capitalization of $35.61 billion, a PE ratio of 34.19, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.56 and a beta of 0.44.

Kroger (NYSE:KR - Get Free Report) last issued 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). The business had revenue of $46.12 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $45.59 billion. Kroger had a net margin of 0.71% and a return on equity of 44.33%. The firm's quarterly revenue was up 2.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $1.49 earnings per share. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.30 EPS. Analysts forecast 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. Shareholders of record on Saturday, August 15th will be issued a dividend of $0.39 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 14th. This represents a $1.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.7%. This is an increase from Kroger's previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. Kroger's dividend payout ratio is presently 82.35%.

Key Stories Impacting Kroger

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Kroger’s Giant Eagle purchase could expand its presence in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic, adding about 197 stores and roughly $9 billion in annual revenue while strengthening scale and market share. The Kroger Co. set to purchase Giant Eagle Inc.
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts have described the deal as margin-stable and potentially EPS-accretive, and Guggenheim reaffirmed a buy rating with a $71 price target, signaling confidence in Kroger’s expansion strategy. Kroger’s $1.65bn Giant Eagle Deal Seen as Margin‑Stable, EPS‑Accretive Growth Catalyst Supporting Buy Rating
• Neutral Sentiment: The acquisition is expected to close in 2027 and still needs regulatory approval, so execution risk remains a factor even though the deal appears smaller and less complex than the blocked Albertsons transaction. Kroger Thinks Smaller With $1.65B Giant Eagle Buy After Albertsons Merger Fizzled
• Neutral Sentiment: New coverage also highlighted Kroger’s ongoing focus on retail media, e-commerce, and broader omnichannel growth, which supports the long-term investment case but does not by itself change near-term fundamentals. 2 Supermarket Stocks Set to Thrive Despite Industry Headwinds
• Negative Sentiment: Some investor reaction is cautious because the grocery sector remains competitive and consolidation deals can bring regulatory, financial, and integration risks, especially after Kroger’s prior merger attempt failed. Kroger just shook up the supermarket landscape

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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