Kroger (NYSE:KR) Stock Price Expected to Rise, Citigroup Analyst Says

Key Points

• Citigroup raised its price target on Kroger to $71 from $68 but kept a "neutral" rating, with the new target implying about a 4.8% downside from the current stock price.
• Analyst sentiment is mixed—eight Buy and eight Hold ratings—resulting in a consensus "Moderate Buy" and an average target of $74.56, which is effectively the stock's current trading level and near its 12-month high of $74.90.
• Kroger beat EPS estimates for the quarter ($1.28 vs. $1.20) while revenue slightly missed expectations, and the company set FY2026 guidance of $5.10–$5.30 in EPS.

Kroger (NYSE:KR - Get Free Report) had its price objective raised by Citigroup from $68.00 to $71.00 in a research note issued to investors on Monday,Benzinga reports. The firm presently has a "neutral" rating on the stock. Citigroup's target price indicates a potential downside of 4.77% from the company's current price.

Other equities analysts also recently issued research reports about the company. Evercore set a $77.00 target price on Kroger and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Friday, December 5th. Wolfe Research reissued an "outperform" rating and set a $75.00 price target on shares of Kroger in a report on Thursday. Morgan Stanley set a $73.00 price target on Kroger and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Thursday. BMO Capital Markets reaffirmed a "market perform" rating and issued a $70.00 price objective on shares of Kroger in a report on Thursday. Finally, Weiss Ratings reiterated a "hold (c)" rating on shares of Kroger in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $74.56.

Kroger Stock Performance

Shares of KR traded up $0.45 during trading hours on Monday, hitting $74.56. The company had a trading volume of 2,757,133 shares, compared to its average volume of 6,954,473. The firm has a market cap of $47.19 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 48.73, a PEG ratio of 1.89 and a beta of 0.62. The business has a fifty day moving average of $65.35 and a 200-day moving average of $65.85. Kroger has a 12 month low of $58.60 and a 12 month high of $74.90. The company has a quick ratio of 0.42, a current ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.66.

Kroger (NYSE:KR - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, March 5th. The company reported $1.28 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.20 by $0.08. Kroger had a net margin of 0.69% and a return on equity of 41.08%. The business had revenue of $34.73 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $35.10 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $1.14 EPS. Kroger's 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 analysts anticipate that Kroger will post 4.44 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C. boosted its holdings in shares of 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 acquiring an additional 153 shares in the last quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC increased its holdings in Kroger by 1.5% in the 4th quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 10,747 shares of the company's stock worth $674,000 after purchasing an additional 162 shares in the last quarter. WESPAC Advisors LLC raised its position in Kroger by 1.2% in the third quarter. WESPAC Advisors LLC now owns 13,585 shares of the company's stock valued at $916,000 after purchasing an additional 167 shares during the last quarter. WPG Advisers LLC boosted its stake in shares of Kroger by 16.8% during the third quarter. WPG Advisers LLC now owns 1,160 shares of the company's stock valued at $78,000 after purchasing an additional 167 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Parkside Financial Bank & Trust boosted its stake in shares of Kroger by 4.9% during the second quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 3,648 shares of the company's stock valued at $262,000 after purchasing an additional 170 shares in the last quarter. 80.93% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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.

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