The Kroger Co. $KR Stock Holdings Boosted by Element Capital Management LLC

Key Points

• Element Capital Management boosted its Kroger stake by 234.2% in the fourth quarter, ending with 201,172 shares valued at about $12.6 million. Kroger is now the fund’s fifth-largest holding and makes up 6.0% of its portfolio.
• Other large institutional investors also increased their Kroger positions, and overall institutional ownership stands at 80.93%. Notable buyers included Wellington Management, Norges Bank, Worldquant Millennium Advisors, Alyeska, and GQG Partners.
• Kroger shares were down 3.7% to $61.78, while Wall Street remains cautiously optimistic with a “Moderate Buy” consensus and an average price target of $74.67. Analysts have mixed views ahead of Kroger’s upcoming first-quarter 2026 results, with margin pressure, pricing actions, and merger-related litigation still weighing on sentiment.

Element Capital Management LLC raised its stake in shares of The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR - Free Report) by 234.2% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 201,172 shares of the company's stock after acquiring an additional 140,976 shares during the period. Kroger makes up 6.0% of Element Capital Management LLC's investment portfolio, making the stock its 5th biggest holding. Element Capital Management LLC's holdings in Kroger were worth $12,569,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Wellington Management Group LLP grew its stake in shares of Kroger by 61.1% in the 3rd quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 33,367,551 shares of the company's stock valued at $2,249,307,000 after purchasing an additional 12,652,261 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Kroger during the fourth quarter worth $470,561,000. Worldquant Millennium Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Kroger by 299.6% during the second quarter. Worldquant Millennium Advisors LLC now owns 2,420,495 shares of the company's stock worth $173,622,000 after purchasing an additional 1,814,721 shares during the period. Alyeska Investment Group L.P. grew its position in Kroger by 48.6% in the 4th quarter. Alyeska Investment Group L.P. now owns 4,445,479 shares of the company's stock valued at $277,754,000 after buying an additional 1,453,966 shares during the last quarter. Finally, GQG Partners LLC increased its stake in Kroger by 11.3% in the 4th quarter. GQG Partners LLC now owns 13,398,072 shares of the company's stock valued at $837,113,000 after buying an additional 1,360,946 shares during the period. 80.93% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Kroger Stock Down 3.7%

Shares of NYSE:KR opened at $61.78 on Thursday. The company has a current ratio of 0.80, a quick ratio of 0.42 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.66. The firm has a market cap of $37.85 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 40.38, a PEG ratio of 1.81 and a beta of 0.42. The stock's 50-day moving average price is $66.12 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $66.48. The Kroger Co. has a 12-month low of $58.60 and a 12-month high of $76.58.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several brokerages have recently weighed in on KR. Telsey Advisory Group lifted their target price on shares of Kroger from $80.00 to $82.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Thursday, March 5th. Roth Mkm reaffirmed a "buy" rating and issued a $78.00 price objective (up from $75.00) on shares of Kroger in a report on Friday, March 6th. Wall Street Zen raised Kroger from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Saturday, April 4th. Erste Group Bank cut Kroger from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Monday, April 27th. Finally, Morgan Stanley set a $73.00 price objective on Kroger and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a report on Thursday, March 5th. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $74.67.

Key Kroger News

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Neutral Sentiment: Kroger is set to report first-quarter 2026 results on June 18, and recent articles suggest investors are positioning cautiously ahead of the print. Analysts expect the quarter to be largely in line, but the stock may be reacting to uncertainty around guidance and execution. Kroger Earnings: What To Look For From KR
• Neutral Sentiment: Management is pushing broad price reductions to win back shoppers, including new digital pricing initiatives and promotional offers. That may help traffic, but investors are worried the strategy could squeeze margins in a competitive grocery market. Kroger Slides as Margin Concerns and Merger Litigation Weigh on Sentiment
• Neutral Sentiment: The company has guided for 2026 identical sales growth excluding fuel of 1% to 2% and adjusted EPS of $5.10 to $5.30, which leaves limited room for disappointment if pricing pressure or weak food sales trends continue. Why Kroger shares are falling today
• Negative Sentiment: Ongoing litigation related to the blocked Albertsons merger remains an overhang, adding legal uncertainty and keeping some investors on the sidelines. Kroger Slides as Margin Concerns and Merger Litigation Weigh on Sentiment
• Negative Sentiment: Recent analyst commentary has turned more cautious, with some firms trimming price targets on weaker food sales expectations and the possibility that Kroger will only reiterate, not raise, its outlook. Why Kroger shares are falling today

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.

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