Telsey Advisory Group Issues Positive Forecast for Kroger (NYSE:KR) Stock Price

Kroger (NYSE:KR) had its target price lifted by Telsey Advisory Group from $80.00 to $82.00 in a research report sent to investors on Thursday,Benzinga reports. Telsey Advisory Group currently has an outperform rating on the stock.

Several other equities analysts also recently issued reports on KR. Barclays reiterated a “positive” rating on shares of Kroger in a research report on Monday, February 9th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered Kroger from an “overweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and reduced their price target for the stock from $70.00 to $68.00 in a research report on Wednesday, February 25th. Guggenheim reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $78.00 price target on shares of Kroger in a research note on Tuesday, February 10th. Morgan Stanley set a $67.00 price objective on shares of Kroger and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 15th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets reiterated a “market perform” rating and issued a $70.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a research report on Thursday. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Kroger presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $74.19.

Kroger Stock Performance

KR stock opened at $71.61 on Thursday. Kroger has a 1 year low of $58.60 and a 1 year high of $74.90. The stock has a market capitalization of $45.32 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 66.31, a PEG ratio of 1.73 and a beta of 0.62. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.28, a quick ratio of 0.45 and a current ratio of 0.88. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $65.13 and its two-hundred day moving average is $65.89.

Kroger (NYSE:KR) last released its quarterly earnings data 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 analysts’ expectations of $35.10 billion. Kroger had a net margin of 0.54% and a return on equity of 38.06%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 1.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $1.14 EPS. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.300 EPS. On average, research analysts predict that Kroger will post 4.44 EPS for the current year.

Kroger Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Sunday, March 1st. Investors of record on Friday, February 13th were issued a dividend of $0.35 per share. This represents a $1.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.0%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 13th. Kroger’s payout ratio is presently 129.63%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Kroger

Large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its holdings 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 in the last quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP grew its position in Kroger by 61.1% in the third quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 33,367,551 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,249,307,000 after buying an additional 12,652,261 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp increased its holdings in shares of Kroger by 1.2% in the third quarter. State Street Corp now owns 31,948,112 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,153,622,000 after buying an additional 386,503 shares in the last quarter. GQG Partners LLC lifted its position in shares of Kroger by 11.3% during the 4th quarter. GQG Partners LLC now owns 13,398,072 shares of the company’s stock valued at $837,113,000 after acquiring an additional 1,360,946 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP boosted its stake in shares of Kroger by 1.0% during the 4th quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 12,242,401 shares of the company’s stock worth $764,932,000 after acquiring an additional 122,606 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 80.93% of the company’s stock.

Key Stories Impacting Kroger

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 earnings beat on profitability metrics: Kroger reported adjusted EPS that topped consensus, with gross-margin improvement and eCommerce sales up ~20%, which supported the stock’s strength. Kroger Reports Fourth Quarter and Full-Year 2025 Results and Announces Guidance for 2026
• Positive Sentiment: Upbeat capital return & FY26 profitability guide: management set FY2026 adjusted EPS guidance ($5.10–$5.30) above consensus and the board approved an additional $2B buyback (on top of prior ASR activity), boosting shareholder-return expectations. Kroger Reports Fourth Quarter and Full-Year 2025 Results and Announces Guidance for 2026
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst bullishness: Telsey Advisory raised its price target to $82 and kept an “Outperform” rating, giving another near-term catalyst for buyers. Benzinga
• Positive Sentiment: Strategic pivot under new CEO: Greg Foran emphasized sharper pricing, AI and eCommerce acceleration and an eCommerce strategic review expected to materially improve operating profit — a growth narrative investors liked. Kroger’s New CEO Bets on Deals, AI and eCommerce to Boost Sales
• Neutral Sentiment: Mixed market take: coverage notes strong margin/earnings execution but also a cautious tone in guidance and institutional selling — a balanced view that can limit upside until execution proves out. Why Kroger Stock Could Keep Climbing Even After Record Highs
• Neutral Sentiment: Revenue slight miss: top-line came in a touch below consensus (fuel-adjusted comps modestly positive), so growth remains tepid even as margins expand — explains mixed headlines. Kroger extended its streak of sales misses — but that’s not hurting its profits
• Negative Sentiment: Labor & legal risk: Kroger faces class-action suits over e-commerce role classification and union friction (Teamsters statements), which are ongoing operational/legal risks that investors monitor. Kroger hit with 2 lawsuits over e-commerce role classification
• Negative Sentiment: Operational/headline items: reports of store closures/layoffs and product recalls add episodic risk and reputational noise that can pressure sentiment. 143-year-old grocery chain closes more locations, lays off dozens

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.