The Kroger Co. $KR Stock Position Reduced by WINTON GROUP Ltd

WINTON GROUP Ltd decreased its position in The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR - Free Report) by 12.7% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 267,802 shares of the company's stock after selling 39,123 shares during the quarter. WINTON GROUP Ltd's holdings in Kroger were worth $14,871,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in KR. BlackRock Inc. acquired a new position in Kroger in the second quarter worth $3,016,956,000. California State Teachers Retirement System raised its holdings in shares of Kroger by 6,190.2% during the second quarter. California State Teachers Retirement System now owns 43,768,080 shares of the company's stock worth $2,430,441,000 after purchasing an additional 43,072,270 shares during the period. State Street Corp lifted its position in shares of Kroger by 1.2% in the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 31,948,112 shares of the company's stock worth $2,153,622,000 after buying an additional 386,503 shares during the last quarter. GQG Partners LLC lifted its position in shares of Kroger by 11.3% in the 4th quarter. GQG Partners LLC now owns 13,398,072 shares of the company's stock worth $837,113,000 after buying an additional 1,360,946 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP boosted its holdings in shares of Kroger by 0.4% in the 1st quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 12,296,026 shares of the company's stock valued at $889,878,000 after buying an additional 53,625 shares during the period. 80.93% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms recently weighed in on KR. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $68.00 price objective on shares of Kroger in a research note on Wednesday. The Goldman Sachs Group reaffirmed a "buy" rating and set a $82.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a report on Friday, June 19th. Telsey Advisory Group set a $78.00 price target on Kroger and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Monday, June 22nd. Citigroup reissued a "neutral" rating and issued a $57.00 price target (down from $61.00) on shares of Kroger in a report on Tuesday, September 1st. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada restated an "outperform" rating on shares of Kroger in a research report on Monday, June 1st. Ten research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $71.31.

Kroger News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Kroger is expanding its healthcare convenience offering by delivering GLP-1 prescriptions alongside grocery orders. The initiative could increase digital engagement, pharmacy revenue and customer retention. Kroger can now deliver your GLP-1 prescription with your groceries
• Positive Sentiment: Options traders are positioned bullishly ahead of Kroger’s upcoming earnings release, suggesting some investors expect a favorable report or improved outlook. Kroger Earnings Preview: Options Traders Bet Bullish
• Positive Sentiment: Kroger reopened a remodeled Marketplace store after a $2 million investment, supporting its efforts to improve the shopping experience and strengthen store productivity. Kroger Reopens Granbury, TX, Marketplace After $2M Remodel
• Positive Sentiment: Kroger’s new CEO is assembling a senior executive team and pursuing a turnaround strategy, which could improve execution and investor confidence if it produces stronger sales and margins. New Kroger CEO adds top exec team, aims for turnaround
• Neutral Sentiment: Local promotions, including a gas discount following a Martinsville remodel and a “Stock the Station” community-service partnership, may support customer goodwill but are unlikely to materially affect near-term earnings. Kroger offers gas discount after Martinsville remodel
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts are framing Kroger as a relatively steady compounder, but the stock’s outlook hinges on whether upcoming results show renewed growth. Kroger and Macy’s: The Compounder vs. the Turnaround
• Negative Sentiment: Inflation pressure and slowing sales are weighing on the investment case, raising concerns about consumer demand, margins and the ability to meet earnings expectations. The Kroger Co. Shares Weighed by Inflation Pressure and Slowing Sales
• Negative Sentiment: Concerns about a slower economy and the impact of a cyclospora-related issue add operational and reputational risks ahead of earnings. New Kroger CEO adds top exec team, aims for turnaround

Kroger Trading Down 1.2%

Kroger stock opened at $56.50 on Thursday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.39, a current ratio of 0.79 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.43. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $57.80 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $63.76. The firm has a market capitalization of $34.61 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 33.23, a PEG ratio of 1.60 and a beta of 0.41. The Kroger Co. has a 52-week low of $54.15 and a 52-week high of $76.58.

Kroger (NYSE:KR - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, June 18th. The company reported $1.58 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.59 by ($0.01). The firm 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%. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $1.49 EPS. Kroger's revenue for the quarter was up 2.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.30 EPS. Sell-side analysts expect that The Kroger Co. will post 5.21 earnings per share for the current year.

Kroger Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Shareholders of record on Saturday, August 15th were given a dividend of $0.39 per share. This is a boost from Kroger's previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. The ex-dividend date was Friday, August 14th. This represents a $1.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.8%. Kroger's payout ratio is presently 91.76%.

Kroger Profile

The Kroger Co NYSE: KR is one of the largest grocery retailers in the United States. Founded in Cincinnati in 1883 by Bernard Kroger, the company operates supermarkets, multi-department stores, pharmacies, convenience stores and fuel centers across the country.

Kroger sells a broad range of fresh foods, packaged groceries, household products, health and beauty items, prepared foods and general merchandise. Its private-label offerings include Simple Truth, Private Selection and Kroger brands.

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