The Kroger Co. $KR Shares Sold by New York State Teachers Retirement System

Key Points

• New York State Teachers Retirement System cut its Kroger stake by 10.7% in the first quarter, selling 63,430 shares and leaving it with 530,099 shares worth about $38.4 million.
• Kroger’s planned Giant Eagle acquisition is a major growth story, with analysts saying the deal could be margin-stable and EPS-accretive while expanding Kroger’s footprint and adding scale. However, the transaction still needs regulatory approval and is expected to close in 2027.
• The company recently raised its quarterly dividend to $0.39 per share from $0.35, while Wall Street maintains a Moderate Buy view with an average price target of about $71.94.

New York State Teachers Retirement System reduced its holdings in The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR - Free Report) by 10.7% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 530,099 shares of the company's stock after selling 63,430 shares during the period. New York State Teachers Retirement System owned approximately 0.09% of Kroger worth $38,358,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Ares Financial Consulting LLC acquired a new stake in Kroger in the 4th quarter valued at about $25,000. Princeton Global Asset Management LLC lifted its stake in Kroger by 268.1% in the 4th quarter. Princeton Global Asset Management LLC now owns 416 shares of the company's stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 303 shares in the last quarter. MV Capital Management Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Kroger during the 4th quarter worth approximately $26,000. Lloyd Advisory Services LLC. acquired a new position in shares of Kroger during the 4th quarter worth approximately $28,000. Finally, JPL Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Kroger in the third quarter valued at approximately $31,000. 80.93% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Key Headlines Impacting Kroger

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Kroger’s Giant Eagle purchase could expand its presence in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic, adding about 197 stores and roughly $9 billion in annual revenue while strengthening scale and market share. The Kroger Co. set to purchase Giant Eagle Inc.
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts have described the deal as margin-stable and potentially EPS-accretive, and Guggenheim reaffirmed a buy rating with a $71 price target, signaling confidence in Kroger’s expansion strategy. Kroger’s $1.65bn Giant Eagle Deal Seen as Margin‑Stable, EPS‑Accretive Growth Catalyst Supporting Buy Rating
• Neutral Sentiment: The acquisition is expected to close in 2027 and still needs regulatory approval, so execution risk remains a factor even though the deal appears smaller and less complex than the blocked Albertsons transaction. Kroger Thinks Smaller With $1.65B Giant Eagle Buy After Albertsons Merger Fizzled
• Neutral Sentiment: New coverage also highlighted Kroger’s ongoing focus on retail media, e-commerce, and broader omnichannel growth, which supports the long-term investment case but does not by itself change near-term fundamentals. 2 Supermarket Stocks Set to Thrive Despite Industry Headwinds
• Negative Sentiment: Some investor reaction is cautious because the grocery sector remains competitive and consolidation deals can bring regulatory, financial, and integration risks, especially after Kroger’s prior merger attempt failed. Kroger just shook up the supermarket landscape

Kroger Stock Down 0.2%

Shares of NYSE KR opened at $58.12 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $35.61 billion, a P/E ratio of 34.19, a P/E/G ratio of 1.56 and a beta of 0.44. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.43, a current ratio of 0.79 and a quick ratio of 0.39. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $63.32 and a 200-day simple moving average of $65.85. 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 data on Thursday, June 18th. The company reported $1.58 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $1.59 by ($0.01). The business had revenue of $46.12 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $45.59 billion. Kroger had a net margin of 0.71% and a return on equity of 44.33%. The company's revenue was up 2.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $1.49 earnings per share. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.30 EPS. On average, equities research analysts predict that The Kroger Co. will post 5.21 earnings per share for the current year.

Kroger Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Shareholders of record on Saturday, August 15th will be given a $0.39 dividend. This is an increase from Kroger's previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. This represents a $1.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.7%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 14th. Kroger's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 82.35%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

KR has been the subject of several recent research reports. Royal Bank Of Canada reaffirmed an "outperform" rating on shares of Kroger in a report on Monday, June 1st. Telsey Advisory Group set a $78.00 price objective on Kroger and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Monday, June 22nd. Erste Group Bank cut Kroger from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Monday, April 27th. Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a "buy" rating and issued a $80.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a research note on Wednesday, June 3rd. Finally, Weiss Ratings lowered Kroger from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "hold (c)" rating in a report on Thursday, June 18th. Ten equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Kroger currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $71.94.

Kroger Company 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.

Want to see what other hedge funds are holding KR? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR - Free Report).

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.