VIRGINIA RETIREMENT SYSTEMS ET Al Buys Shares of 251,127 The Kroger Co. $KR

Key Points

• Virginia Retirement Systems purchased 251,127 Kroger shares worth approximately $13.945 million during the second quarter. Institutional investors collectively own 80.93% of Kroger’s outstanding stock.
• Kroger reported quarterly revenue of $46.12 billion, up 2.2% year over year and above estimates, but earnings of $1.58 per share narrowly missed expectations. The company raised its quarterly dividend to $0.39 per share, producing a 2.7% annualized yield.
• Kroger shares opened at $58.62, while analysts maintain a “Moderate Buy” consensus rating with an average price target of $71.75.

VIRGINIA RETIREMENT SYSTEMS ET Al purchased a new position in The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR - Free Report) during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund purchased 251,127 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $13,945,000.

A number of other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C. increased its position in shares of Kroger by 4.5% in the fourth quarter. Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C. now owns 3,537 shares of the company's stock valued at $221,000 after buying an additional 153 shares in the last quarter. PFG Investments LLC lifted its position in shares of Kroger by 3.3% during the 1st quarter. PFG Investments LLC now owns 4,899 shares of the company's stock valued at $354,000 after buying an additional 157 shares in the last quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC grew its stake in Kroger by 1.5% in the 4th quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 10,747 shares of the company's stock valued at $674,000 after acquiring an additional 162 shares during the period. Stephens Inc. AR grew its stake in Kroger by 1.0% in the 4th quarter. Stephens Inc. AR now owns 17,995 shares of the company's stock valued at $1,124,000 after acquiring an additional 174 shares during the period. Finally, ROI Financial Advisors LLC increased its holdings in Kroger by 2.0% in the 1st quarter. ROI Financial Advisors LLC now owns 8,943 shares of the company's stock worth $647,000 after acquiring an additional 175 shares in the last quarter. 80.93% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Kroger Stock Up 0.1%

Shares of NYSE KR opened at $58.62 on Tuesday. The Kroger Co. has a 12-month low of $54.15 and a 12-month high of $76.58. The stock has a market cap of $35.91 billion, a PE ratio of 34.48, a P/E/G ratio of 1.64 and a beta of 0.41. The company has a current ratio of 0.79, a quick ratio of 0.39 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.43. The company has a 50-day moving average of $57.76 and a 200 day moving average of $63.92.

Kroger (NYSE:KR - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, June 18th. The company reported $1.58 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $1.59 by ($0.01). Kroger had a net margin of 0.71% and a return on equity of 44.33%. The business had revenue of $46.12 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $45.59 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $1.49 EPS. The firm's revenue was up 2.2% on a year-over-year basis. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.30 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that The Kroger Co. will post 5.21 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Kroger Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Investors of record on Saturday, August 15th were given a dividend of $0.39 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, August 14th. This is a positive change from Kroger's previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. This represents a $1.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.7%. Kroger's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 91.76%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts have weighed in on KR shares. Wells Fargo & Company set a $58.00 price objective on shares of Kroger in a research report on Monday, June 22nd. Weiss Ratings cut shares of Kroger from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "hold (c)" rating in a research note on Thursday, June 18th. Guggenheim restated a "buy" rating and set a $71.00 price target on shares of Kroger in a research report on Thursday, July 2nd. HC Wainwright reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of Kroger in a report on Thursday, July 2nd. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a "buy" rating and issued a $80.00 price objective on shares of Kroger in a report on Wednesday, June 3rd. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have assigned a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $71.75.

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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