Todd Asset Management LLC Buys 33,338 Shares of The Kroger Co. $KR

Key Points

• Todd Asset Management increased its Kroger stake by 3.3% in the fourth quarter, buying 33,338 more shares and bringing its total holding to 1,043,894 shares worth about $65.2 million.
• Institutional interest in Kroger remains high, with 80.93% of the stock owned by institutional investors and several other funds also adding to their positions recently.
• Analysts remain cautiously positive: Kroger has a Moderate Buy consensus rating with a $74.87 price target, even as investors watch upcoming earnings and concerns linger that price cuts could pressure margins.

Todd Asset Management LLC increased its stake in The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR - Free Report) by 3.3% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 1,043,894 shares of the company's stock after purchasing an additional 33,338 shares during the period. Kroger makes up approximately 1.3% of Todd Asset Management LLC's portfolio, making the stock its 20th biggest holding. Todd Asset Management LLC owned approximately 0.16% of Kroger worth $65,223,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of KR. Brighton Jones LLC increased its position in shares of Kroger by 27.3% in the fourth quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 15,733 shares of the company's stock worth $962,000 after purchasing an additional 3,373 shares during the last quarter. Woodline Partners LP increased its position in shares of Kroger by 40.7% in the first quarter. Woodline Partners LP now owns 56,243 shares of the company's stock worth $3,807,000 after purchasing an additional 16,270 shares during the last quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC bought a new position in shares of Kroger in the second quarter worth approximately $201,000. NewEdge Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of Kroger by 11.5% in the second quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 97,288 shares of the company's stock worth $6,978,000 after purchasing an additional 10,051 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Nebula Research & Development LLC bought a new position in Kroger during the second quarter valued at approximately $1,840,000. 80.93% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Key Kroger News

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Kroger announced it will host its first-quarter 2026 earnings conference call on June 18, which keeps investors focused on upcoming results and any updates on pricing strategy and margins. Kroger Announces First Quarter Conference Call with Investors
• Positive Sentiment: Kroger is also being viewed as a beneficiary of consumer trade-down trends as shoppers face higher gas prices, which could support traffic if its lower-price strategy resonates with value-focused households. Rising Gas Prices Are Hitting Household Budgets. Some Grocery Stores Are Eyeing Price Cuts In Response.
• Neutral Sentiment: Valerie Jabbar, senior vice president of Retail Divisions, retired after 38 years with Kroger; the move is a leadership update but does not appear to be a major stock driver on its own. Kroger Senior Vice President Valerie Jabbar Announces Retirement After 38 Years of Service
• Neutral Sentiment: Media coverage that Kroger is preparing price cuts and facing stiff competition from Walmart, Costco and Aldi reinforces the same story: stronger traffic potential, but likely margin pressure if discounts deepen. Kroger plans price cuts as new CEO looks to regain shoppers
• Negative Sentiment: Investors are likely concerned that a nationwide price-cut strategy could reduce profitability in the near term, especially if Kroger has to absorb higher costs while lowering shelf prices. Why Kroger Stock Dropped Today
• Negative Sentiment: Recent recall headlines involving Kroger-branded garlic cheese croutons and a separate Clean Air Act settlement may add modest reputational and legal overhang, though these look secondary to the pricing narrative. Kroger garlic cheese croutons sold in 17 states recalled for salmonella risk

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research analysts have commented on KR shares. Telsey Advisory Group increased their price target on shares of Kroger from $80.00 to $82.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. Roth Mkm reiterated a "buy" rating and set a $78.00 price target (up from $75.00) on shares of Kroger in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Wolfe Research reiterated an "outperform" rating and set a $75.00 price target on shares of Kroger in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a "hold (c)" rating on shares of Kroger in a research report on Friday, March 27th. Finally, Barclays reiterated a "positive" rating on shares of Kroger in a research report on Monday, February 9th. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have issued a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $74.87.

Kroger Stock Performance

NYSE:KR opened at $67.32 on Monday. The firm has a market cap of $41.24 billion, a PE ratio of 44.00, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.79 and a beta of 0.46. The Kroger Co. has a fifty-two week low of $58.60 and a fifty-two week high of $76.58. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.66, a quick ratio of 0.42 and a current ratio of 0.80. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $69.56 and a 200-day moving average price of $66.75.

Kroger (NYSE:KR - Get Free Report) last released 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 return on equity of 41.08% and a net margin of 0.69%.The firm had revenue of $34.73 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $35.10 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $1.14 earnings per share. The business's quarterly revenue was up 1.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.300 EPS. Equities research analysts predict that The Kroger Co. will post 5.24 earnings per share for the current year.

Kroger Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 1st. Investors of record on Friday, May 15th will be paid a $0.35 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 15th. This represents a $1.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.1%. Kroger's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 91.50%.

About Kroger

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.