The Kroger Co. $KR Shares Acquired by Te Ahumairangi Investment Management Ltd

Key Points

• Te Ahumairangi Investment Management Ltd boosted its Kroger stake by 18.1% in Q3 to 150,356 shares (about $10.14M), making Kroger ~1.7% of its portfolio and its 14th‑largest holding; overall institutional ownership is roughly 80.9%.
• Kroger posted an earnings beat (Q EPS $1.28 vs. $1.20), set FY2026 guidance of 5.10–5.30 EPS, declared a quarterly dividend of $0.35 per share, and is expanding pharmacy access (now dispensing Eli Lilly’s Zepbound), developments analysts say could support margin upside despite some valuation cautions.

Te Ahumairangi Investment Management Ltd lifted its position in shares of The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR - Free Report) by 18.1% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 150,356 shares of the company's stock after acquiring an additional 23,027 shares during the quarter. Kroger accounts for approximately 1.7% of Te Ahumairangi Investment Management Ltd's investment portfolio, making the stock its 14th biggest holding. Te Ahumairangi Investment Management Ltd's holdings in Kroger were worth $10,135,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the business. Avalon Trust Co acquired a new position in Kroger in the 3rd quarter worth about $29,000. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC raised its stake in shares of Kroger by 87.8% during the 2nd quarter. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC now owns 445 shares of the company's stock worth $32,000 after buying an additional 208 shares during the period. Twin Peaks Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Kroger during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $33,000. Westside Investment Management Inc. lifted its position in shares of Kroger by 100.0% during the 3rd quarter. Westside Investment Management Inc. now owns 490 shares of the company's stock valued at $33,000 after buying an additional 245 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Evolution Wealth Management Inc. acquired a new stake in Kroger in the 2nd quarter valued at $36,000. 80.93% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

More Kroger News

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Kroger is now dispensing Eli Lilly’s Zepbound® KwikPen at participating Kroger pharmacies — expanding access to a high‑demand GLP‑1 therapy and honoring the manufacturer’s self‑pay savings card. This strengthens the higher‑margin pharmacy/health growth narrative that management has highlighted as a key earnings driver. Kroger Brings Zepbound KwikPen to Retail Pharmacy
• Positive Sentiment: The Board declared a quarterly dividend of $0.35 per share (record May 15, payable June 1), reinforcing Kroger’s capital‑return track record and supporting income‑oriented investor interest amid the company’s transformation. Kroger's Board of Directors Declares Quarterly Dividend
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst optimism and price‑target increases following Kroger’s March 5 earnings beat and FY2026 guidance appear to be sustaining momentum — investors are rewarding execution on digital and pharmacy initiatives that could lift margins over time. Kroger shares rise as post-earnings optimism and price-target hikes build
• Neutral Sentiment: Kroger recently hit an all‑time share high — a market outcome reflecting the combined effect of earnings, guidance and analyst revisions rather than a new fundamental change. Kroger stock reaches all-time high
• Neutral Sentiment: Ocado is shifting toward store‑based e‑commerce fulfillment as it moves beyond its prior exclusive deal with Kroger. That reduces one potential source of differentiated automation upside for Kroger, though the company still emphasizes in‑house and other digital initiatives. Ocado turns to store-based e-commerce fulfillment
• Negative Sentiment: Kroger plans to close about 50 Little Clinics, a move that could slow near‑term healthcare footprint expansion and reduce cross‑sell opportunities between clinics and pharmacy services; investors will watch whether cost savings or lost growth potential dominates. Kroger plans to shutter 50 Little Clinics
• Negative Sentiment: Some analysts argue the stock is fairly valued after the rally (a downgrade/commentary), suggesting limited near‑term upside unless fundamentals accelerate beyond current guidance. That view could cap multiple expansion. Kroger: Strong E-Commerce Growth, But Fairly Valued After Rally (Downgrade)

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several brokerages recently commented on KR. Citigroup boosted 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. Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Kroger from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Saturday, December 27th. Guggenheim reissued a "buy" rating and set a $78.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a research note on Tuesday, February 10th. Jefferies Financial Group restated a "buy" rating and set a $82.00 price target on shares of Kroger in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. Finally, Wolfe Research reaffirmed an "outperform" rating and issued a $75.00 price target on shares of Kroger in a research note on Thursday, March 5th. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $74.56.

Kroger Trading Up 0.0%

NYSE:KR traded up $0.03 on Friday, reaching $74.99. The company's stock had a trading volume of 982,785 shares, compared to its average volume of 7,001,699. The Kroger Co. has a 12-month low of $58.60 and a 12-month high of $76.58. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $66.20 and a 200 day moving average price of $65.99. The firm has a market cap of $47.46 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 49.01, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.92 and a beta of 0.62. The company has a quick ratio of 0.42, a current ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.66.

Kroger (NYSE:KR - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, March 5th. The company reported $1.28 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.20 by $0.08. Kroger had a net margin of 0.69% and a return on equity of 41.08%. The firm had revenue of $34.73 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $35.10 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $1.14 EPS. The business's revenue for the quarter was up 1.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.300 EPS. On average, equities analysts anticipate that The Kroger Co. will post 4.44 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Kroger Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 1st. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 15th will be paid a $0.35 dividend. This represents a $1.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.9%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 15th. Kroger's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 91.50%.

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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