Traders Buy Large Volume of Call Options on Kroger (NYSE:KR)

The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) saw unusually large options trading activity on Thursday. Stock investors acquired 26,647 call options on the stock. This is an increase of 140% compared to the typical volume of 11,101 call options.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages recently commented on KR. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price target on Kroger from $72.00 to $70.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, June 11th. Morgan Stanley set a $73.00 price target on Kroger and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. UBS Group reiterated a “neutral” rating on shares of Kroger in a research report on Wednesday, June 10th. Royal Bank Of Canada reaffirmed an “outperform” rating on shares of Kroger in a research note on Monday, June 1st. Finally, Roth Mkm reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $78.00 price objective (up from $75.00) on shares of Kroger in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Nine 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, Kroger currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $74.67.

Kroger Price Performance

KR stock traded down $3.71 on Thursday, hitting $58.11. 5,974,842 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 6,557,802. The company has a current ratio of 0.80, a quick ratio of 0.42 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.66. The stock has a market cap of $35.60 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 37.84, a P/E/G ratio of 1.81 and a beta of 0.42. Kroger has a 1-year low of $56.50 and a 1-year high of $76.58. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $66.12 and a 200-day moving average of $66.48.

Kroger (NYSE:KR) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, June 18th. The company reported $1.58 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.59 by ($0.01). The business had revenue of $46.12 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $45.59 billion. Kroger had a return on equity of 41.08% and a net margin of 0.69%.Kroger’s revenue was up 2.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $1.49 earnings per share. On average, analysts forecast that Kroger will post 5.25 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Kroger

Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Ares Financial Consulting LLC purchased a new stake in Kroger in the fourth quarter worth approximately $25,000. Princeton Global Asset Management LLC raised its position in Kroger by 268.1% in the 4th quarter. Princeton Global Asset Management LLC now owns 416 shares of the company’s stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 303 shares during the period. MV Capital Management Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Kroger in the 4th quarter worth $26,000. Whipplewood Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Kroger in the first quarter valued at about $27,000. Finally, Lloyd Advisory Services LLC. purchased a new position in Kroger during the fourth quarter worth approximately $28,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.93% of the company’s stock.

Key Kroger News

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Kroger beat Wall Street’s sales estimate with revenue of about $46.1 billion, helped by steady demand for groceries and essentials, stronger delivery services, and continued e-commerce growth. Reuters: Kroger beats quarterly sales estimates
• Positive Sentiment: The company maintained its full-year 2026 guidance, which suggests management still sees its outlook as intact despite a cautious consumer environment. PR Newswire: Kroger Reports First Quarter 2026 Results
• Positive Sentiment: Identical sales excluding fuel rose 1.0%, and adjusted eCommerce sales grew 19%, showing that Kroger’s core grocery business and digital channels are still expanding. PR Newswire: Kroger Reports First Quarter 2026 Results
• Neutral Sentiment: The quarter was broadly in line with expectations overall, with adjusted EPS of $1.58 versus the $1.59 consensus, a small miss that still signaled relatively stable profitability. Zacks: Kroger Q1 Earnings Miss Estimates
• Negative Sentiment: Shares are being hit by concerns that Kroger’s price cuts to win shoppers back may compress margins, especially after management signaled heavier investment in pricing. Yahoo Finance: Kroger meets earnings expectations, revenue tops estimates
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst commentary ahead of the report was cautious, with recent headlines emphasizing weaker food sales trends and margin risk, adding to the negative pre-earnings tone. Quiver Quantitative: Why Kroger shares are falling today

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.