Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. Sells 16,688 Shares of The Kroger Co. $KR

Key Points

• Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group reduced its Kroger stake by 1.1%, selling 16,688 shares and retaining 1.57 million shares valued at approximately $92.1 million. Institutional investors and hedge funds collectively own 80.93% of Kroger.
• Kroger reported quarterly adjusted earnings of $1.09 per share, exceeding estimates, while revenue rose 2% year over year to $34.62 billion. The company expects fiscal 2026 EPS of $5.10–$5.30.
• Kroger declared a quarterly dividend of $0.39 per share, equivalent to a 2.3% annualized yield. Analysts maintain a “Moderate Buy” consensus rating with an average price target of $70.35, although competitive pressures and potential store closures remain risks.

Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. lessened its stake in The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR - Free Report) by 1.1% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 1,570,741 shares of the company's stock after selling 16,688 shares during the quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. owned about 0.27% of Kroger worth $92,077,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. BlackRock Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Kroger in the 2nd quarter worth $3,016,956,000. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP boosted its position in shares of Kroger by 0.4% during the 1st quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 12,296,026 shares of the company's stock valued at $889,878,000 after acquiring an additional 53,625 shares during the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE boosted its position in shares of Kroger by 17.0% during the 1st quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 6,041,028 shares of the company's stock valued at $437,129,000 after acquiring an additional 876,168 shares during the last quarter. Legal & General Group Plc acquired a new position in shares of Kroger during the 2nd quarter valued at about $284,501,000. Finally, Amundi grew its holdings in shares of Kroger by 17.9% in the first quarter. Amundi now owns 3,332,191 shares of the company's stock valued at $241,116,000 after purchasing an additional 506,776 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.93% of the company's stock.

Key Stories Impacting Kroger

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Unusually high call-option buying indicates increased bullish positioning among some traders, though options activity is speculative and does not guarantee further gains. Kroger Stock Sees Unusually High Call Option Buying
• Positive Sentiment: Kroger is proposing a new store in Butler Township, supporting the company’s broader growth strategy and potential future sales. New Kroger store proposed in Butler Township
• Positive Sentiment: A “Connected” store is using robots, RFID and artificial intelligence to improve inventory management and operating efficiency, potentially helping Kroger control costs and improve the shopping experience. Kroger’s Connected Store Puts Robots, RFID and AI at the Center of Operations
• Positive Sentiment: Kroger’s plan to open 110 new stores, with redesigned layouts aimed at budget-conscious shoppers, could support long-term growth and customer retention. Kroger plans 110 new stores
• Neutral Sentiment: The Kroger-Albertsons trial ended with a request for additional information, leaving the deal’s outcome and any potential synergies uncertain. The extended process may keep merger-related volatility elevated. Kroger, Albertsons trial ends with request for more information
• Negative Sentiment: Reports that more Kroger and Albertsons locations will close in 2026 highlight competitive pressure from Walmart, Amazon and other retailers, and could weigh on sales growth and restructuring costs. More Kroger and Albertsons locations will close in 2026
• Negative Sentiment: Wall Street Zen downgraded Kroger, adding a negative analyst signal despite the stock’s recent strength. Kroger Stock Gets Downgrade from Wall Street Zen

Kroger Price Performance

NYSE:KR opened at $68.45 on Tuesday. The Kroger Co. has a 52 week low of $54.15 and a 52 week high of $76.58. The stock's fifty day moving average is $60.85 and its two-hundred day moving average is $63.62. The company has a market capitalization of $40.42 billion, a P/E ratio of 37.20, a P/E/G ratio of 1.83 and a beta of 0.36. The company has a quick ratio of 0.31, a current ratio of 0.70 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.59.

Kroger (NYSE:KR - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Friday, September 11th. The company reported $1.09 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $1.05 by $0.04. The business had revenue of $34.62 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $34.64 billion. Kroger had a return on equity of 49.90% and a net margin of 0.73%. The company's revenue was up 2.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $1.04 EPS. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.300 EPS. Equities analysts expect that The Kroger Co. will post 5.20 EPS for the current year.

Kroger Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 1st. Shareholders of record on Monday, November 16th will be paid a dividend of $0.39 per share. This represents a $1.56 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, November 16th. Kroger's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 84.78%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Kroger news, EVP Mary Adcock sold 72,901 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, September 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $60.70, for a total transaction of $4,425,090.70. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 175,233 shares of the company's stock, valued at $10,636,643.10. This trade represents a 29.38% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. 0.41% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms recently issued reports on KR. Roth Capital restated a "buy" rating and set a $73.00 price objective on shares of Kroger in a research report on Monday, September 14th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a "hold (c)" rating on shares of Kroger in a research note on Monday, September 14th. Evercore set a $70.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a report on Monday, September 14th. UBS Group set a $66.00 price target on shares of Kroger and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 21st. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company set a $60.00 price target on shares of Kroger and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a report on Wednesday, October 21st. Twelve research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $70.35.

Kroger Company Profile

The Kroger Co is a U.S. food and grocery retailer headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. Founded by Bernard Kroger in 1883, the company operates supermarkets under banners that include Kroger, Ralphs, Fred Meyer, King Soopers, Fry's, Harris Teeter and Smith's, among others.

Kroger's business includes the sale of fresh food, groceries, general merchandise, household products and health and beauty items. Many of its stores also provide pharmacy services and fuel centers. The company offers digital shopping, pickup and delivery services, loyalty programs and a range of private-label products, including Simple Truth, Private Selection and Kroger-branded products.

Kroger primarily serves customers across the United States, with stores concentrated in the Midwest, South, West and parts of the Mid-Atlantic region.

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