Swiss Life Asset Management Ltd Sells 30,351 Shares of The Kroger Co. $KR

Key Points

• Swiss Life Asset Management cut its Kroger stake by 14.4% in the fourth quarter, selling 30,351 shares and leaving it with 180,505 shares worth about $11.28 million.
• Kroger’s latest quarter beat earnings expectations, reporting $1.28 EPS versus the $1.20 consensus, though revenue came in slightly below estimates at $34.73 billion.
• The company also announced a quarterly dividend of $0.35 per share, payable June 1, while Wall Street currently rates the stock a consensus Hold with a $74.56 average price target.

Swiss Life Asset Management Ltd decreased its position in The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR - Free Report) by 14.4% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 180,505 shares of the company's stock after selling 30,351 shares during the period. Swiss Life Asset Management Ltd's holdings in Kroger were worth $11,278,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. WESPAC Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of Kroger by 1.2% during the 3rd quarter. WESPAC Advisors LLC now owns 13,585 shares of the company's stock worth $916,000 after purchasing an additional 167 shares during the last quarter. WPG Advisers LLC increased its position in shares of Kroger by 16.8% during the 3rd quarter. WPG Advisers LLC now owns 1,160 shares of the company's stock worth $78,000 after purchasing an additional 167 shares during the last quarter. Community Bank & Trust Waco Texas increased its position in shares of Kroger by 0.9% during the 3rd quarter. Community Bank & Trust Waco Texas now owns 18,846 shares of the company's stock worth $1,270,000 after purchasing an additional 173 shares during the last quarter. HUB Investment Partners LLC increased its position in shares of Kroger by 3.0% during the 2nd quarter. HUB Investment Partners LLC now owns 6,568 shares of the company's stock worth $471,000 after purchasing an additional 192 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Parsons Capital Management Inc. RI increased its position in shares of Kroger by 1.3% during the 4th quarter. Parsons Capital Management Inc. RI now owns 15,756 shares of the company's stock worth $984,000 after purchasing an additional 195 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 80.93% of the company's stock.

Kroger Stock Down 0.3%

KR stock opened at $64.63 on Wednesday. The company has a current ratio of 0.80, a quick ratio of 0.42 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.66. The firm has a market capitalization of $39.59 billion, a PE ratio of 42.24, a PEG ratio of 1.72 and a beta of 0.46. The Kroger Co. has a 1-year low of $58.60 and a 1-year high of $76.58. The business's 50 day simple moving average is $70.12 and its 200 day simple moving average is $66.67.

Kroger (NYSE:KR - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, March 5th. The company reported $1.28 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $1.20 by $0.08. The business had revenue of $34.73 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $35.10 billion. Kroger had a return on equity of 41.08% and a net margin of 0.69%.The firm's revenue was up 1.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $1.14 EPS. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.300 EPS. As a group, research analysts anticipate that The Kroger Co. will post 5.24 EPS for the current year.

Kroger Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 1st. Investors of record on Friday, May 15th will be issued a dividend of $0.35 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 15th. This represents a $1.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.2%. Kroger's payout ratio is presently 91.50%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

KR has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Wolfe Research reaffirmed an "outperform" rating and set a $75.00 price target on shares of Kroger in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. Morgan Stanley set a $73.00 price target on Kroger and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. Barclays reaffirmed a "positive" rating on shares of Kroger in a research report on Monday, February 9th. Erste Group Bank lowered Kroger from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Monday, April 27th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets reaffirmed a "market perform" rating and set a $70.00 price target on shares of Kroger in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $74.56.

Key Stories Impacting Kroger

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Higher grocery inflation in April could support Kroger’s pricing power and help offset some cost pressures, which may be constructive for margins if consumers keep absorbing higher food prices. US Inflation Accelerates to 3.8% in April as Energy and Grocery Prices Surge
• Neutral Sentiment: News that Kroger completed a $1.4 million store renovation in Cedar Springs and launched an exclusive 7UP Mandarin Orange product reflects ongoing merchandising and store-investment activity, but these items are unlikely to move the stock meaningfully on their own. Kroger completes $1.4M Cedar Springs store upgrade Kroger adds exclusive new Coca-Cola rival soda
• Neutral Sentiment: Recent commentary highlighting Kroger’s “robust margin” performance and income-investor appeal points to continued confidence in the business, but it does not appear to be based on a fresh operating update. Robust Margin Boosted The Kroger Company (KR) Performance Robust Margin Boosted The Kroger Company (KR) Performance Should Income Investors Look At The Kroger Co. NYSE: KR Before Its Ex-Dividend?
• Negative Sentiment: Kroger shares also weakened in the prior session as the market improved, suggesting some investor caution or profit-taking after the recent run. Kroger (KR) Stock Declines While Market Improves: Some Information for Investors
• Negative Sentiment: Broader concerns about grocery-sector competition, lawsuits, and pressure on Albertsons may also remind investors that the supermarket industry remains highly competitive and low-margin. Albertsons' sales dip in this area sparks concern

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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