The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) Given Average Rating of "Moderate Buy" by Analysts

The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR - Get Free Report) has earned an average rating of "Moderate Buy" from the nineteen ratings firms that are currently covering the company, Marketbeat reports. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average twelve-month price objective among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $72.00.

A number of analysts have weighed in on KR shares. Evercore reissued an "outperform" rating and set a $78.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a report on Tuesday, July 7th. Citigroup decreased their price target on shares of Kroger from $71.00 to $61.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, June 23rd. Wells Fargo & Company set a $58.00 price objective on shares of Kroger in a research report on Monday, June 22nd. Erste Group Bank lowered shares of Kroger from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Monday, April 27th. Finally, Weiss Ratings cut shares of Kroger from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "hold (c)" rating in a report on Thursday, June 18th.

Kroger Stock Up 0.1%

NYSE KR opened at $57.82 on Monday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.39, a current ratio of 0.79 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.43. Kroger has a fifty-two week low of $54.15 and a fifty-two week high of $76.58. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $59.87 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $65.36. The stock has a market cap of $35.43 billion, a PE ratio of 34.01, a P/E/G ratio of 1.55 and a beta of 0.43.

Kroger (NYSE:KR - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, June 18th. The company reported $1.58 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.59 by ($0.01). The business had revenue of $46.12 billion for 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%. The firm's revenue was up 2.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $1.49 earnings per share. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.30 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Kroger will post 5.21 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Kroger Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Investors of record on Saturday, August 15th will be given a $0.39 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 14th. This represents a $1.56 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.7%. This is a boost from Kroger's previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. Kroger's payout ratio is 82.35%.

Institutional Trading of Kroger

Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Allstate Corp lifted its holdings in Kroger by 108.5% in the 4th quarter. Allstate Corp now owns 47,991 shares of the company's stock valued at $2,998,000 after acquiring an additional 24,976 shares during the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its stake in shares of Kroger by 1.1% in the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 77,169,425 shares of the company's stock worth $4,821,546,000 after purchasing an additional 868,529 shares during the last quarter. Conning Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Kroger by 10,178.7% in the 4th quarter. Conning Inc. now owns 507,459 shares of the company's stock worth $31,706,000 after purchasing an additional 502,522 shares in the last quarter. Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbH raised its holdings in shares of Kroger by 30.6% in the 4th quarter. Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbH now owns 894,217 shares of the company's stock worth $55,946,000 after purchasing an additional 209,264 shares in the last quarter. Finally, North Dakota State Investment Board acquired a new stake in Kroger during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $1,299,000. Institutional investors own 80.93% of the company's stock.

Kroger News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Kroger could improve its national grocery-market ranking following its planned Giant Eagle acquisition, potentially expanding scale and market share. Kroger poised to rise in national grocery market share rankings
• Positive Sentiment: Expansion remains a longer-term growth catalyst, with a $40 million Little Elm, Texas, store and approval for a new location in Dunwoody, Georgia. Kroger spends $40 million on new Little Elm store
• Positive Sentiment: A grocery-price study ranking Kroger ahead of Walmart, Aldi and Albertsons may support its value-focused positioning and customer retention. Kroger tops Walmart, Aldi and Albertsons in grocery price study
• Neutral Sentiment: Unusual options activity has drawn attention and may signal a larger upcoming move in KR, but the available report does not establish whether traders are positioned for a rise or decline. Is the Options Market Predicting a Spike in Kroger Stock?
• Neutral Sentiment: Kroger launched an AI meal-planning assistant, which could improve digital engagement, personalization and loyalty, though financial benefits are still unproven. Kroger Debuts AI Shopping Assistant for Meal Planning
• Negative Sentiment: A settled lawsuit involving a worker’s suicide adds reputational and potential legal-cost concerns, although settlement terms were not disclosed. Kroger settles lawsuit over worker suicide
• Negative Sentiment: Store closures in Michigan will eliminate 68 jobs and could highlight weaker locations or ongoing efforts to optimize the store base. Kroger store closure to affect 68 jobs
• Negative Sentiment: Consumer complaints alleging pricing discrepancies create regulatory and trust risks, particularly for a company competing on value. Consumer group claims Kroger has pricing discrepancies

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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