The Kroger Co. $KR Position Cut by SteelPeak Wealth LLC

Key Points

• SteelPeak Wealth cut its Kroger stake by 56.1% in the third quarter, selling 80,195 shares and retaining 62,763 shares valued at approximately $3.68 million. Institutional investors still own 80.93% of Kroger.
• Kroger exceeded quarterly earnings expectations, reporting $1.09 in EPS versus the $1.05 consensus estimate, while revenue rose 2% year over year to $34.62 billion. The company reaffirmed fiscal 2026 EPS guidance of $5.10–$5.30.
• Kroger declared a quarterly dividend of $0.39 per share, equivalent to $1.56 annually and a 2.5% yield. Analysts maintain a “Moderate Buy” consensus rating with an average price target of $69.82.

SteelPeak Wealth LLC trimmed its stake in The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR - Free Report) by 56.1% during the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 62,763 shares of the company's stock after selling 80,195 shares during the quarter. SteelPeak Wealth LLC's holdings in Kroger were worth $3,679,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. BlackRock Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Kroger in the 2nd quarter worth about $3,016,956,000. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP lifted its position in Kroger by 0.4% in the 1st quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 12,296,026 shares of the company's stock valued at $889,878,000 after purchasing an additional 53,625 shares during the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE lifted its position in Kroger by 17.0% in 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 purchasing an additional 876,168 shares during the last quarter. Legal & General Group Plc acquired a new position in Kroger during the 2nd quarter valued at about $284,501,000. Finally, Amundi boosted its stake in Kroger by 18.3% during the 2nd quarter. Amundi now owns 3,942,230 shares of the company's stock valued at $218,912,000 after purchasing an additional 610,039 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.93% of the company's stock.

Kroger Stock Performance

Shares of KR opened at $63.53 on Friday. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $58.86 and a 200 day moving average price of $61.69. The firm has a market capitalization of $37.52 billion, a PE ratio of 34.53, a P/E/G ratio of 1.74 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. The Kroger Co. has a 52-week low of $54.15 and a 52-week high of $76.58.

Kroger (NYSE:KR - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Friday, September 11th. The company reported $1.09 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.05 by $0.04. Kroger had a net margin of 0.73% and a return on equity of 49.90%. The firm had revenue of $34.62 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $34.64 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $1.04 EPS. Kroger's quarterly revenue was up 2.0% on a year-over-year basis. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.300 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that The Kroger Co. will post 5.19 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Kroger Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 1st. Stockholders of record on Monday, November 16th will be given a dividend of $0.39 per share. The ex-dividend date is Monday, November 16th. This represents a $1.56 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.5%. Kroger's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 84.78%.

More Kroger News

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Quarterly results and outlook supported the stock. Kroger reported adjusted earnings of $1.09 per share on approximately $34.6 billion in sales, ahead of earnings expectations, while reaffirming fiscal 2026 adjusted EPS guidance of $5.10–$5.30. Management also cited improving pharmacy margins, e-commerce profitability, retail-media growth and additional cost savings. Kroger Gains as Investors Focus on Earnings Beat and Stable Profit Outlook
• Positive Sentiment: Corporate restructuring could improve profitability. Kroger plans to eliminate roughly 3,000 corporate positions over three years while expanding its use of artificial intelligence. The company says the savings can help fund lower prices, potentially strengthening its competitive position and margins. An investor day scheduled for October 20 could provide more detail on the strategy. Kroger cites AI efficiency push as it cuts corporate jobs
• Positive Sentiment: Seasonal demand and market share remain favorable. Kroger expects to sell 25 million pounds of Halloween candy, highlighting the potential for seasonal sales momentum. Separately, the grocer continues to lead the Central Ohio grocery market. Kroger is America's candy destination

Insider Activity

In other news, EVP Mary Adcock sold 72,901 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Friday, September 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $60.70, for a total value of $4,425,090.70. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 175,233 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $10,636,643.10. The trade was a 29.38% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Company insiders own 0.41% of the company's stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities research analysts have commented on KR shares. Morgan Stanley dropped their price target on shares of Kroger from $73.00 to $67.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, June 22nd. Telsey Advisory Group reduced their price objective on Kroger from $78.00 to $75.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research report on Monday, September 14th. Evercore set a $70.00 price objective on Kroger in a research report on Monday, September 14th. Roth Capital reissued a "buy" rating and issued a $73.00 price objective on shares of Kroger in a report on Monday, September 14th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $68.00 target price on Kroger in a research report on Wednesday, September 9th. Twelve investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Kroger presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $69.82.

About Kroger

The Kroger Co is a U.S.-based food and consumer goods retailer headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. Founded in 1883 by Bernard Kroger, the company has grown into one of the largest supermarket operators in the United States.

Kroger operates supermarkets, multi-department stores, marketplace-format stores, pharmacies and fuel centers. Its stores sell groceries, fresh produce, meat, seafood, bakery and deli products, household essentials, health and beauty items, and general merchandise. The company also offers digital shopping, pickup and delivery services, loyalty programs, and a range of private-label products.

The company serves customers across numerous U.S.

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