The Kroger Co. $KR Shares Sold by BI Asset Management Fondsmaeglerselskab A S

Key Points

• BI Asset Management Fondsmaeglerselskab A S cut its Kroger stake by 51.2% in the fourth quarter, selling 31,281 shares and leaving it with 29,804 shares worth about $1.86 million.
• Kroger is getting attention for traffic-driving promotions, including BOGO meat deals, discounted ice cream, a fuel-savings campaign, and free ice cream giveaways that could boost store visits and customer engagement.
• There are also some headwinds: Kroger settled a California false advertising/calorie-count lawsuit for $1.25 million, while broader concerns remain about digital price tags and potential surge pricing.

BI Asset Management Fondsmaeglerselskab A S lessened its holdings in shares of The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR - Free Report) by 51.2% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 29,804 shares of the company's stock after selling 31,281 shares during the period. BI Asset Management Fondsmaeglerselskab A S's holdings in Kroger were worth $1,862,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Ares Financial Consulting LLC acquired a new position in Kroger during the fourth quarter worth $25,000. Princeton Global Asset Management LLC grew its holdings in Kroger by 268.1% during the fourth quarter. Princeton Global Asset Management LLC now owns 416 shares of the company's stock worth $26,000 after acquiring an additional 303 shares during the period. Avalon Trust Co acquired a new stake in Kroger in the third quarter valued at $29,000. Lloyd Advisory Services LLC. acquired a new stake in Kroger in the fourth quarter valued at $28,000. Finally, JPL Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in Kroger in the third quarter valued at $31,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.93% of the company's stock.

Key Stories Impacting Kroger

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Kroger is leaning into traffic-driving promotions, including BOGO meat deals, discounted ice cream, a Toy Story-themed value item, and a summer fuel-savings campaign that could support store visits and customer loyalty. Kroger Just Dropped BOGO Meats, $2.99 Ice Cream, and a $10 Toy Story Find! Kroger Helps Customers Save On Their Next Fill-Up This Summer
• Positive Sentiment: The company is also promoting a new limited-edition ice cream collection and giving away free pints, which may help generate buzz and modestly lift customer engagement. Kroger has a new limited-edition ice cream collection. And you can try it for free. Want free ice cream? Kroger giving away 100K pints this month
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts continue to point to Kroger’s history of earnings beats, suggesting the stock could still have support if upcoming results are solid. Will Kroger (KR) Beat Estimates Again in Its Next Earnings Report?
• Neutral Sentiment: Separate coverage noted that Kroger has lagged the broader market over the past year, but analysts remain somewhat constructive on its growth outlook. Is Kroger Stock Underperforming the S&P 500?
• Negative Sentiment: Kroger agreed to pay $1.25 million to settle a false advertising / inaccurate calorie-count lawsuit in California, adding legal and reputational overhang. Kroger to pay $1.25M to settle false calorie advertising lawsuit Kroger to Pay $1.25 Million to Resolve False Advertising Lawsuit
• Negative Sentiment: Expanded digital shelf labels are drawing attention as shoppers worry they could be used for surge pricing or more aggressive price changes while grocery inflation remains elevated. Kroger installs digital price tags in 1 of 4 stores as surge pricing fears grow Kroger expands digital price tags as pricing concerns grow

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

KR has been the topic of several research reports. Wolfe Research reissued an "outperform" rating and issued a $75.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a report on Thursday, March 5th. Jefferies Financial Group reissued a "buy" rating and issued a $80.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a report on Wednesday, June 3rd. Erste Group Bank lowered Kroger from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Monday, April 27th. BMO Capital Markets reissued a "market perform" rating and issued a $70.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a report on Thursday, March 5th. Finally, Guggenheim reissued a "buy" rating and issued a $78.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a report on Tuesday, February 10th. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Kroger presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $74.73.

Kroger Stock Performance

NYSE KR opened at $62.93 on Wednesday. The business's 50-day moving average price is $67.14 and its 200 day moving average price is $66.57. The Kroger Co. has a twelve month low of $58.60 and a twelve month high of $76.58. The company has a market capitalization of $38.55 billion, a PE ratio of 41.13, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.67 and a beta of 0.42. The company has a current ratio of 0.80, a quick ratio of 0.42 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.66.

Kroger Dividend Announcement

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

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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