The Kroger Co. $KR Shares Sold by Barnett & Company Inc.

Key Points

• Barnett & Company Inc. cut its Kroger stake by 71.9% in the first quarter, leaving it with 9,074 shares worth about $657,000. Other institutional investors were mixed, and hedge funds still own the vast majority of the stock.
• Wall Street sentiment remains constructive overall: Kroger has an average “Moderate Buy” rating, with 10 analysts rating it Buy and 9 Hold. The consensus price target is about $72, above the recent trading level near $60.58.
• Kroger reported quarterly revenue that beat expectations but EPS narrowly missed estimates, and it raised its quarterly dividend to $0.39 per share. The company also continues to draw attention for its $1.65 billion Giant Eagle deal and store investment plans.

Barnett & Company Inc. reduced its position in The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR - Free Report) by 71.9% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 9,074 shares of the company's stock after selling 23,233 shares during the quarter. Barnett & Company Inc.'s holdings in Kroger were worth $657,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors have also made changes to their positions in KR. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC grew its stake in Kroger by 19.0% during the 1st quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 49,208 shares of the company's stock worth $3,561,000 after buying an additional 7,866 shares during the last quarter. Cedar Mountain Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Kroger in the first quarter valued at about $33,000. Equitable Trust Co. raised its stake in Kroger by 4.5% in the first quarter. Equitable Trust Co. now owns 11,965 shares of the company's stock valued at $866,000 after buying an additional 518 shares during the last quarter. Whipplewood Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Kroger in the first quarter worth about $27,000. Finally, Valued Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in Kroger by 43.2% in the first quarter. Valued Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 849 shares of the company's stock worth $61,000 after acquiring an additional 256 shares in the last quarter. 80.93% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on KR shares. Royal Bank Of Canada restated an "outperform" rating on shares of Kroger in a report on Monday, June 1st. Morgan Stanley lowered their target price on shares of Kroger from $73.00 to $67.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, June 22nd. Wells Fargo & Company set a $58.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a research report on Monday, June 22nd. The Goldman Sachs Group restated a "buy" rating and set a $82.00 price target on shares of Kroger in a research note on Friday, June 19th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a "buy" rating and issued a $80.00 price target on shares of Kroger in a report on Wednesday, June 3rd. Ten equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Kroger has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $72.00.

Trending Headlines about Kroger

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Traders bought an unusually large number of Kroger call options, suggesting some investors are betting on more upside in the stock. Unusual options trading on Kroger
• Positive Sentiment: Kroger is moving forward with its $1.65 billion Giant Eagle deal, a major strategic move that could expand its market presence and boost long-term scale. Kroger progresses on USD 1.65 billion deal to acquire Giant Eagle
• Positive Sentiment: Kroger is also investing in store upgrades, including expanding wine offerings at 147 in-store shops, which may support sales trends and customer traffic. Kroger to upgrade wine selection at 147 in-store shops
• Neutral Sentiment: Reports suggest Kroger may sell some Giant Eagle stores, especially in Columbus, as part of the broader deal. That could help with antitrust or integration issues, but it also signals potential divestitures. Kroger likely to sell some Giant Eagle stores in Columbus
• Negative Sentiment: Kroger reportedly walked back its cage-free egg pledge, which could raise questions about customer trust and ESG commitments. Kroger walks back its cage-free egg pledge

Kroger Stock Up 1.2%

Kroger stock opened at $60.58 on Friday. The business's 50-day simple moving average is $62.52 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $65.73. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.43, a quick ratio of 0.39 and a current ratio of 0.79. The company has a market cap of $37.11 billion, a PE ratio of 35.64, a PEG ratio of 1.61 and a beta of 0.44. The Kroger Co. has a fifty-two week low of $54.15 and a fifty-two week high of $76.58.

Kroger (NYSE:KR - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, June 18th. The company reported $1.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.59 by ($0.01). Kroger had a return on equity of 44.33% and a net margin of 0.71%.The firm had revenue of $46.12 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $45.59 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $1.49 earnings per share. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 2.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.30 EPS. Equities analysts anticipate that The Kroger Co. will post 5.21 EPS for the current year.

Kroger Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Shareholders of record on Saturday, August 15th will be given a dividend of $0.39 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 14th. This represents a $1.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.6%. This is a boost from Kroger's previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. Kroger's payout ratio is 82.35%.

About Kroger

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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