The Kroger Co. $KR Shares Newly Acquired by E. Ohman J or Asset Management AB

E. Ohman J or Asset Management AB bought a new position in The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR - Free Report) in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor bought 17,720 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,039,000.

Other large investors have also modified their holdings of the company. BlackRock Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Kroger during the second quarter valued at approximately $3,016,956,000. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP boosted its stake in shares of Kroger by 0.4% in the first 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 period. Bank of America Corp DE boosted its stake in shares of Kroger by 17.0% in the first 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 period. Legal & General Group Plc purchased a new position in shares of Kroger in the second quarter valued at $284,501,000. Finally, Amundi grew its holdings in Kroger by 17.9% during the 1st 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 in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.93% of the company's stock.

Insider Buying and Selling at Kroger

In related news, EVP Mary Adcock sold 72,901 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Friday, September 18th. The stock was 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.

Kroger Stock Down 1.5%

Shares of Kroger stock opened at $66.88 on Friday. The business's fifty day moving average price is $59.71 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $61.44. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.59, a current ratio of 0.70 and a quick ratio of 0.31. The company has a market capitalization of $39.50 billion, a P/E ratio of 36.35, a PEG ratio of 1.97 and a beta of 0.36. The Kroger Co. has a 1-year low of $54.15 and a 1-year high of $76.58.

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

Kroger Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 1st. Stockholders of record on Monday, November 16th will be issued a $0.39 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, November 16th. This represents a $1.56 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.3%. Kroger's dividend payout ratio is 84.78%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on KR shares. BNP Paribas Exane raised shares of Kroger from a "neutral" rating to an "outperform" rating and set a $72.00 price target on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, October 7th. Weiss Ratings reissued a "hold (c)" rating on shares of Kroger in a research report on Monday, September 14th. Telsey Advisory Group decreased their price objective on shares of Kroger from $78.00 to $75.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research report on Monday, September 14th. HC Wainwright restated a "buy" rating on shares of Kroger in a research note on Thursday, July 2nd. Finally, Wall Street Zen raised Kroger from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report on Saturday. Twelve equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have issued 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.

Key Stories Impacting Kroger

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Kroger plans to open approximately 110 new stores, lower prices, expand digital capabilities and modernize operations. Management also aims to grow its private-label business to roughly $5 billion, potentially supporting customer retention and higher-margin sales. Kroger Details Growth Strategy to Open 110 Stores, Expand Own Brand to $5B, Modernize Operations
• Positive Sentiment: The proposed savings program could improve efficiency and help fund lower prices without relying entirely on sales growth. Planned savings include operational modernization and greater use of technology and artificial intelligence. Kroger’s $4B savings—a closer look
• Positive Sentiment: New-store development, including a location with a pharmacy and fuel center in Hockley, Texas, indicates continued investment in Kroger’s physical footprint and customer ecosystem. Kroger to break ground on new store with pharmacy and fuel center in Hockley
• Neutral Sentiment: Sell-side analysts continue to show a generally constructive view, with KR receiving a “Moderate Buy” rating; however, the rating does not eliminate concerns about the plan’s execution. The Kroger Co. Stock Rated Moderate Buy
• Negative Sentiment: Management acknowledged that Kroger has lost market share to Walmart and Costco. Cutting prices while funding a major investment program may pressure near-term margins, particularly if the projected savings take longer to materialize. Kroger Is Spending $5 Billion to Cut Prices
• Negative Sentiment: The strategy involves substantial operational change, including corporate job reductions and reliance on AI. Investors may be concerned about execution risk, employee disruption and whether lower prices will generate enough traffic to offset investment costs. 5 big numbers from Kroger’s Investor Day

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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