Kroger (NYSE:KR) Shares Gap Down – Time to Sell?

The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR)’s stock price gapped down prior to trading on Thursday . The stock had previously closed at $68.68, but opened at $65.28. Kroger shares last traded at $66.6330, with a volume of 1,191,924 shares.

Kroger News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Kroger is reportedly preparing its biggest price cuts in years to compete more directly with Walmart and Costco, a move that could help defend traffic and market share if shoppers keep trading down. Kroger to take on Walmart, Costco with plans for biggest price cuts in years
• Positive Sentiment: The company also received a reputational boost after being named one of America’s most visible and trusted companies in the 2026 Axios Harris Poll 100, which may support its brand with consumers and investors. Axios Harris Poll Names Kroger One of America’s Most Visible and Trusted Companies
• Neutral Sentiment: Kroger has been highlighted in coverage of its annual report and valuation as investors position around earnings, dividend details, and longer-term reputation gains; this suggests the stock may be trading on mixed fundamentals rather than one clear catalyst. A Look At Kroger (KR) Valuation As Investors Position Around Earnings And Reputation Gains
• Negative Sentiment: A nationwide recall of Kroger garlic cheese croutons sold in 17 states over salmonella concerns could pressure sentiment by raising food-safety and brand-risk concerns, even if the financial impact is likely limited. Kroger garlic cheese croutons sold in 17 states recalled for salmonella risk
• Negative Sentiment: Earlier recall and compliance headlines, including salmonella-related crouton recalls and a $2.5 million Clean Air Act settlement, add to the list of operational and regulatory overhangs investors are watching. Kroger pays $2.5 million to settle Clean Air Act violations

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. Barclays reiterated a “positive” rating on shares of Kroger in a research note on Monday, February 9th. Citigroup increased their price objective on shares of Kroger from $68.00 to $71.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Monday, March 9th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Kroger in a research note on Friday, March 27th. BMO Capital Markets reiterated a “market perform” rating and issued a $70.00 price objective on shares of Kroger in a research note on Thursday, March 5th. Finally, Morgan Stanley set a $73.00 price objective on shares of Kroger and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Thursday, March 5th. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $74.87.

Kroger Trading Down 2.1%

The company has a market cap of $41.20 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 43.95, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.88 and a beta of 0.46. The company has a quick ratio of 0.42, a current ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.66. The company’s 50-day moving average is $69.76 and its 200 day moving average is $66.70.

Kroger (NYSE:KR) last released its quarterly 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 company had revenue of $34.73 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $35.10 billion. Kroger had a net margin of 0.69% and a return on equity of 41.08%. The firm’s revenue was up 1.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $1.14 earnings per share. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.300 EPS. Research analysts predict that The Kroger Co. will post 5.24 EPS for the current year.

Kroger Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 1st. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 15th will be given a $0.35 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 15th. This represents a $1.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.1%. Kroger’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 91.50%.

Institutional Trading of Kroger

Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its position in shares of Kroger by 1.1% in the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 77,169,425 shares of the company’s stock valued at $4,821,546,000 after purchasing an additional 868,529 shares during the period. Wellington Management Group LLP grew its position in shares of Kroger by 61.1% in the third quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 33,367,551 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,249,307,000 after purchasing an additional 12,652,261 shares during the period. State Street Corp grew its position 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 purchasing an additional 386,503 shares during the period. GQG Partners LLC grew its position in shares of Kroger by 11.3% in the fourth quarter. GQG Partners LLC now owns 13,398,072 shares of the company’s stock valued at $837,113,000 after purchasing an additional 1,360,946 shares during the period. Finally, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP grew its position in shares of Kroger by 0.4% in the first quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 12,296,026 shares of the company’s stock valued at $889,878,000 after purchasing an additional 53,625 shares during the period. 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.