The Kroger Co. $KR Stock: Birch Hill Investment Advisors LLC Cuts Position

Key Points

• Birch Hill Investment Advisors cut its Kroger position by 6.8% in the third quarter, selling 54,009 shares and retaining 742,371 shares valued at approximately $43.5 million. Institutional investors collectively own about 80.93% of Kroger.
• Kroger reported quarterly adjusted earnings of $1.09 per share, beating estimates, on roughly $34.6 billion in revenue, while reaffirming fiscal 2026 EPS guidance of $5.10–$5.30.
• Analysts maintain a generally positive view, with Kroger carrying a “Moderate Buy” consensus rating and an average price target of $69.82. The company also declared a quarterly dividend of $0.39 per share, representing a 2.5% annualized yield.

Birch Hill Investment Advisors LLC decreased its holdings in shares of The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR - Free Report) by 6.8% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 742,371 shares of the company's stock after selling 54,009 shares during the period. Kroger makes up about 1.9% of Birch Hill Investment Advisors LLC's holdings, making the stock its 19th biggest position. Birch Hill Investment Advisors LLC owned approximately 0.13% of Kroger worth $43,518,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. MV Capital Management Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Kroger during the 4th quarter worth approximately $26,000. Whipplewood Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Kroger in the 1st quarter valued at $27,000. North Point Portfolio Managers Corp OH purchased a new stake in Kroger during the third quarter valued at about $30,000. Axiom Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in Kroger during the first quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Finally, Cedar Mountain Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Kroger during the 1st quarter worth $33,000. 80.93% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of brokerages recently commented on KR. Telsey Advisory Group reduced their price target on Kroger from $78.00 to $75.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a report on Monday, September 14th. Morgan Stanley decreased 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 report on Monday, June 22nd. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $68.00 price objective on shares of Kroger in a report on Wednesday, September 9th. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Kroger from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Saturday, June 20th. Finally, UBS Group reissued a "neutral" rating on shares of Kroger in a research note on Tuesday. Twelve analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $69.82.

Trending Headlines about Kroger

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Quarterly results and outlook supported the stock. Kroger reported adjusted earnings of $1.09 per share on approximately $34.6 billion in sales, ahead of earnings expectations, while reaffirming fiscal 2026 adjusted EPS guidance of $5.10–$5.30. Management also cited improving pharmacy margins, e-commerce profitability, retail-media growth and additional cost savings. Kroger Gains as Investors Focus on Earnings Beat and Stable Profit Outlook
• Positive Sentiment: Corporate restructuring could improve profitability. Kroger plans to eliminate roughly 3,000 corporate positions over three years while expanding its use of artificial intelligence. The company says the savings can help fund lower prices, potentially strengthening its competitive position and margins. An investor day scheduled for October 20 could provide more detail on the strategy. Kroger cites AI efficiency push as it cuts corporate jobs
• Positive Sentiment: Seasonal demand and market share remain favorable. Kroger expects to sell 25 million pounds of Halloween candy, highlighting the potential for seasonal sales momentum. Separately, the grocer continues to lead the Central Ohio grocery market. Kroger is America's candy destination

Kroger Stock Up 1.3%

Shares of KR opened at $63.53 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $37.52 billion, a P/E ratio of 34.53, a P/E/G ratio of 1.74 and a beta of 0.36. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.59, a quick ratio of 0.31 and a current ratio of 0.70. The Kroger Co. has a 52 week low of $54.15 and a 52 week high of $76.58. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $58.86 and a 200-day simple moving average of $61.69.

Kroger (NYSE:KR - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Friday, September 11th. The company reported $1.09 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.05 by $0.04. Kroger had a net margin of 0.73% and a return on equity of 49.90%. The business had revenue of $34.62 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $34.64 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $1.04 EPS. The firm'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. On average, equities research analysts expect that The Kroger Co. will post 5.19 earnings per share for the current year.

Kroger Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 1st. Investors of record on Monday, November 16th will be issued a dividend of $0.39 per share. This represents a $1.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.5%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, November 16th. Kroger's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 84.78%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Mary Adcock sold 72,901 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, September 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $60.70, for a total value of $4,425,090.70. Following the completion of the sale, 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 document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 0.41% of the company's stock.

Kroger Profile

The Kroger Co is a U.S.-based food and consumer goods retailer headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. Founded in 1883 by Bernard Kroger, the company has grown into one of the largest supermarket operators in the United States.

Kroger operates supermarkets, multi-department stores, marketplace-format stores, pharmacies and fuel centers. Its stores sell groceries, fresh produce, meat, seafood, bakery and deli products, household essentials, health and beauty items, and general merchandise. The company also offers digital shopping, pickup and delivery services, loyalty programs, and a range of private-label products.

The company serves customers across numerous U.S.

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