The Kroger Co. $KR Shares Sold by Railway Pension Investments Ltd

Key Points

• Railway Pension Investments Ltd sharply reduced its Kroger stake by 95.4% in the fourth quarter, selling 763,200 shares and leaving it with 37,110 shares valued at about $2.3 million.
• Kroger’s most recent quarter showed earnings beat expectations, with EPS of $1.28 versus the $1.20 estimate, though revenue of $34.73 billion came in slightly below forecasts. The company also reiterated FY2026 EPS guidance of 5.10 to 5.30.
• The company declared a quarterly dividend of $0.35 per share, equal to a 2.2% annualized yield, while analysts currently rate the stock a Moderate Buy with an average price target of $74.87.

Railway Pension Investments Ltd lessened its holdings in The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR - Free Report) by 95.4% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 37,110 shares of the company's stock after selling 763,200 shares during the quarter. Railway Pension Investments Ltd's holdings in Kroger were worth $2,319,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its holdings in Kroger by 1.1% in the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 77,169,425 shares of the company's stock worth $4,821,546,000 after purchasing an additional 868,529 shares during the period. Wellington Management Group LLP boosted its holdings in Kroger by 61.1% in the third quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 33,367,551 shares of the company's stock worth $2,249,307,000 after purchasing an additional 12,652,261 shares during the period. State Street Corp boosted its holdings in Kroger by 1.2% in the third quarter. State Street Corp now owns 31,948,112 shares of the company's stock worth $2,153,622,000 after purchasing an additional 386,503 shares during the period. Norges Bank acquired a new position in Kroger in the fourth quarter worth $470,561,000. Finally, Invesco Ltd. boosted its holdings in shares of Kroger by 15.8% during the third quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 6,327,182 shares of the company's stock valued at $426,515,000 after acquiring an additional 865,559 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.93% of the company's stock.

Kroger News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks pieces frame Kroger as potentially undervalued and a possible dividend/value pick versus Walmart, which may support investor interest in the stock. Are Investors Undervaluing The Kroger Co. (KR) Right Now?
• Positive Sentiment: Kroger received a 2026 Gold Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health for the fifth straight year, reinforcing its employer brand and suggesting continued focus on workforce stability and culture. Kroger Earns Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health for Fifth Consecutive Year
• Neutral Sentiment: Additional commentary highlights KR as a candidate for dividend-focused investors, but this is largely a reiteration of Kroger’s existing income profile rather than a fresh catalyst. Kroger (KR) Could Be a Great Choice
• Neutral Sentiment: Industry comparison articles such as KR vs. WMT are more about relative valuation than a company-specific development, so they are likely having only a limited direct impact. KR vs. WMT: Which Stock Is the Better Value Option?
• Negative Sentiment: A report that Kroger is facing a costly store fix after a federal lawsuit could pressure margins and raise concerns about legal and compliance-related expenses. Kroger forced to make costly store fix after federal lawsuit
• Negative Sentiment: News that Kroger’s North American Ocado fulfillment centers were shut in part due to weaker-than-expected demand is a reminder of previous technology/investment missteps, which may weigh on investor confidence. UK grocer Asda taps Ocado to revamp online business
• Negative Sentiment: Reports of multiple executive departures under new CEO Greg Foran add leadership uncertainty at a time when the company is still being reshaped. Kroger loses four top executives under new CEO Greg Foran

Kroger Price Performance

Shares of NYSE KR opened at $62.25 on Friday. The Kroger Co. has a fifty-two week low of $58.60 and a fifty-two week high of $76.58. The firm's 50-day simple moving average is $68.56 and its 200 day simple moving average is $66.75. The company has a quick ratio of 0.42, a current ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.66. The stock has a market cap of $38.14 billion, a P/E ratio of 40.69, a P/E/G ratio of 1.65 and a beta of 0.46.

Kroger (NYSE:KR - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, March 5th. The company reported $1.28 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $1.20 by $0.08. Kroger had a net margin of 0.69% and a return on equity of 41.08%. The business had revenue of $34.73 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $35.10 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $1.14 earnings per share. The company's revenue was up 1.2% on a year-over-year basis. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.300 EPS. Equities analysts expect that The Kroger Co. will post 5.24 EPS for the current year.

Kroger Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 1st. Investors of record on Friday, May 15th will be paid a dividend of $0.35 per share. This represents a $1.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.2%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 15th. Kroger's payout ratio is currently 91.50%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

KR has been the subject of several analyst reports. Weiss Ratings reissued a "hold (c)" rating on shares of Kroger in a report on Friday, March 27th. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Kroger from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Saturday, April 4th. Erste Group Bank downgraded shares of Kroger from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Monday, April 27th. Wells Fargo & Company downgraded shares of Kroger from an "overweight" rating to an "equal weight" rating and reduced their price target for the company from $70.00 to $68.00 in a report on Wednesday, February 25th. Finally, Morgan Stanley set a $73.00 price target on shares of Kroger and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a report on Thursday, March 5th. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Kroger currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $74.87.

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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