Kroger (NYSE:KR) Lowered to "Hold" Rating by Erste Group Bank

Key Points

• Erste Group Bank downgraded Kroger from a "buy" to a "hold," joining mixed analyst views—MarketBeat shows eight Buys, nine Holds and a consensus rating of "Hold" with an average price target of $74.56.
• Kroger shares traded at $66.96 on Monday as the company reported quarterly EPS of $1.28 (beating estimates) but slightly missed revenue; management set FY2026 guidance of $5.10–$5.30 EPS, analysts expect $5.24, and the stock trades at a P/E of 43.8 with a $41.0B market cap.

Kroger (NYSE:KR - Get Free Report) was downgraded by investment analysts at Erste Group Bank from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note issued on Monday,Finviz reports.

Several other brokerages also recently commented on KR. Guggenheim reiterated a "buy" rating and set a $78.00 price target on shares of Kroger in a report on Tuesday, February 10th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised Kroger from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $75.00 price target on the stock in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. Wolfe Research restated an "outperform" rating and set a $75.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a research note on Thursday, March 5th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a "hold (c)" rating on shares of Kroger in a research report on Friday, March 27th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lowered Kroger from an "overweight" rating to an "equal weight" rating and lowered their price target for the company from $70.00 to $68.00 in a research note on Wednesday, February 25th. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $74.56.

Kroger Price Performance

KR stock traded down $0.27 during trading on Monday, hitting $66.96. The company had a trading volume of 198,773 shares, compared to its average volume of 6,496,666. The business has a 50 day moving average of $70.56 and a 200 day moving average of $66.82. Kroger has a fifty-two week low of $58.60 and a fifty-two week high of $76.58. The firm has a market capitalization of $41.02 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 43.83, a P/E/G ratio of 1.79 and a beta of 0.55. The company has a current ratio of 0.80, a quick ratio of 0.42 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.66.

Kroger (NYSE:KR - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, March 5th. The company reported $1.28 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $1.20 by $0.08. The business had revenue of $34.73 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $35.10 billion. Kroger had a net margin of 0.69% and a return on equity of 41.08%. Kroger's revenue for the quarter was up 1.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $1.14 earnings per share. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.300 EPS. As a group, research analysts predict that Kroger will post 5.24 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Trading of Kroger

A number of large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in KR. Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C. lifted its holdings in Kroger by 4.5% during the 4th quarter. Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C. now owns 3,537 shares of the company's stock valued at $221,000 after purchasing an additional 153 shares during the last quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC grew its position in shares of Kroger by 1.5% in the fourth quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 10,747 shares of the company's stock valued at $674,000 after purchasing an additional 162 shares during the last quarter. WESPAC Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in Kroger by 1.2% during the 3rd quarter. WESPAC Advisors LLC now owns 13,585 shares of the company's stock worth $916,000 after purchasing an additional 167 shares during the last quarter. WPG Advisers LLC increased its position in Kroger by 16.8% during the 3rd quarter. WPG Advisers LLC now owns 1,160 shares of the company's stock worth $78,000 after buying an additional 167 shares during the period. Finally, Community Bank & Trust Waco Texas lifted its holdings in shares of Kroger by 0.9% during the third quarter. Community Bank & Trust Waco Texas now owns 18,846 shares of the company's stock worth $1,270,000 after buying an additional 173 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.93% of the company's stock.

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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