Wealthquest Corp Invests $487,000 in The Kroger Co. $KR

Wealthquest Corp acquired a new position in shares of The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund acquired 7,792 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $487,000.

A number of other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Wellington Management Group LLP raised its position in Kroger by 61.1% in the 3rd quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 33,367,551 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,249,307,000 after purchasing an additional 12,652,261 shares during the period. Allianz Asset Management GmbH raised its position in Kroger by 66.6% in the 3rd quarter. Allianz Asset Management GmbH now owns 5,255,084 shares of the company’s stock worth $354,245,000 after purchasing an additional 2,100,444 shares during the period. Worldquant Millennium Advisors LLC raised its position in Kroger by 299.6% in the 2nd quarter. Worldquant Millennium Advisors LLC now owns 2,420,495 shares of the company’s stock worth $173,622,000 after purchasing an additional 1,814,721 shares during the period. Raymond James Financial Inc. raised its position in Kroger by 95.6% in the 2nd quarter. Raymond James Financial Inc. now owns 2,434,663 shares of the company’s stock worth $174,638,000 after purchasing an additional 1,190,127 shares during the period. Finally, Alyeska Investment Group L.P. raised its position in Kroger by 51.0% in the 3rd quarter. Alyeska Investment Group L.P. now owns 2,991,513 shares of the company’s stock worth $201,658,000 after purchasing an additional 1,010,457 shares during the period. 80.93% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Kroger Price Performance

KR stock opened at $67.32 on Monday. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $69.56 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $66.75. The Kroger Co. has a 12-month low of $58.60 and a 12-month high of $76.58. The stock has a market capitalization of $41.24 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 44.00, a PEG ratio of 1.79 and a beta of 0.46. The company has a current ratio of 0.80, a quick ratio of 0.42 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.66.

Kroger (NYSE:KR) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, March 5th. The company reported $1.28 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.20 by $0.08. Kroger had a net margin of 0.69% and a return on equity of 41.08%. The firm had revenue of $34.73 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $35.10 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $1.14 earnings per share. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 1.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.300 EPS. As a group, equities analysts predict that The Kroger Co. will post 5.24 earnings per share for the current year.

Kroger Dividend Announcement

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

Kroger News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Kroger announced it will host its first-quarter 2026 earnings conference call on June 18, which keeps investors focused on upcoming results and any updates on pricing strategy and margins. Kroger Announces First Quarter Conference Call with Investors
• Positive Sentiment: Kroger is also being viewed as a beneficiary of consumer trade-down trends as shoppers face higher gas prices, which could support traffic if its lower-price strategy resonates with value-focused households. Rising Gas Prices Are Hitting Household Budgets. Some Grocery Stores Are Eyeing Price Cuts In Response.
• Neutral Sentiment: Valerie Jabbar, senior vice president of Retail Divisions, retired after 38 years with Kroger; the move is a leadership update but does not appear to be a major stock driver on its own. Kroger Senior Vice President Valerie Jabbar Announces Retirement After 38 Years of Service
• Neutral Sentiment: Media coverage that Kroger is preparing price cuts and facing stiff competition from Walmart, Costco and Aldi reinforces the same story: stronger traffic potential, but likely margin pressure if discounts deepen. Kroger plans price cuts as new CEO looks to regain shoppers
• Negative Sentiment: Investors are likely concerned that a nationwide price-cut strategy could reduce profitability in the near term, especially if Kroger has to absorb higher costs while lowering shelf prices. Why Kroger Stock Dropped Today
• Negative Sentiment: Recent recall headlines involving Kroger-branded garlic cheese croutons and a separate Clean Air Act settlement may add modest reputational and legal overhang, though these look secondary to the pricing narrative. Kroger garlic cheese croutons sold in 17 states recalled for salmonella risk

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of brokerages recently commented on KR. Roth Mkm reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $78.00 target price (up from $75.00) on shares of Kroger in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Telsey Advisory Group lifted their target price on shares of Kroger from $80.00 to $82.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. Barclays reiterated a “positive” rating on shares of Kroger in a research report on Monday, February 9th. Wells Fargo & Company cut shares of Kroger from an “overweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and decreased their target price for the stock from $70.00 to $68.00 in a research report on Wednesday, February 25th. Finally, Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Kroger from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Saturday, April 4th. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $74.87.

Kroger 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.