Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Kroger (NYSE:KR – Free Report) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report report published on Saturday morning.
KR has been the subject of several other reports. Morgan Stanley set a $73.00 price target on Kroger and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Thursday, March 5th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered Kroger from an “overweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and dropped their price target for the stock from $70.00 to $68.00 in a research note on Wednesday, February 25th. Barclays restated a “positive” rating on shares of Kroger in a research note on Monday, February 9th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upgraded Kroger from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $75.00 price target for the company in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. Finally, Citigroup upped their price target on Kroger from $68.00 to $71.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Monday, March 9th. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $74.56.
View Our Latest Report on Kroger
Kroger Stock Performance
Kroger (NYSE:KR – Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, March 5th. The company reported $1.28 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.20 by $0.08. The firm had revenue of $34.73 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $35.10 billion. Kroger had a return on equity of 41.08% and a net margin of 0.69%.The business’s quarterly revenue was up 1.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $1.14 earnings per share. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.300 EPS. Equities research analysts anticipate that Kroger will post 4.44 earnings per share for the current year.
Kroger Announces Dividend
The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 1st. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 15th will be paid a dividend of $0.35 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 15th. This represents a $1.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.9%. Kroger’s dividend payout ratio is currently 91.50%.
Institutional Investors Weigh In On Kroger
A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C. grew its stake 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. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC grew its stake 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 buying an additional 162 shares in the last quarter. WESPAC Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of 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 buying an additional 167 shares in the last quarter. WPG Advisers LLC grew its stake in shares of Kroger by 16.8% in the third quarter. WPG Advisers LLC now owns 1,160 shares of the company’s stock valued at $78,000 after buying an additional 167 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Community Bank & Trust Waco Texas grew its stake in shares of Kroger by 0.9% in the third quarter. Community Bank & Trust Waco Texas now owns 18,846 shares of the company’s stock valued at $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.
Trending Headlines about Kroger
Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Erste Group started research coverage on Kroger, which can increase investor attention and liquidity and may support the stock. Kroger (NYSE:KR) Research Coverage Started at Erste Group Bank
- Positive Sentiment: Kroger launched an Earth Month round-up at checkout to benefit the World Wildlife Fund — a consumer-facing CSR program that can bolster brand sentiment and customer engagement. Celebrate Earth Month with Kroger and Round Up at the Register for World Wildlife Fund
- Neutral Sentiment: Consumer guides and product pieces (e.g., analysis of the Kroger credit card) are circulating — useful for customer acquisition but unlikely to move the stock materially on their own. Is The Kroger Credit Card Worth It? Here’s What You Should Know
- Neutral Sentiment: Valuation commentary is active: columnists are debating whether KR’s current price reflects DCF upside and its high P/E — this shapes investor expectations but is not a company action. Is Kroger (KR) Pricing Reflect Its DCF Upside And High P/E Multiple?
- Neutral Sentiment: Operational/foot-traffic notes (store hours for holidays) are being published; these are routine and have minimal direct impact on the stock. Kroger Easter hours 2026: Is Kroger open on Easter Sunday
- Negative Sentiment: Eight states that opposed the proposed $25B Kroger–Albertsons merger are seeking roughly $10M in legal-fee reimbursement and have sued the grocers — this creates potential cash/legal exposure and prolongs regulatory friction that could weigh on investor sentiment. States Seek $10M in Legal Fees After Blocking $25B Kroger-Albertsons Merger
- Negative Sentiment: About 3 million bottles of eye drops sold at multiple retailers, including Kroger, were recalled over contamination concerns — this is a product-safety headline that could bring short-term reputational and operational noise. 3 million bottles of eye drops sold at H-E-B, Walgreens, Kroger and CVS recalled over potential contamination
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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