The Kroger Co. $KR Stock Bought by Confluence Wealth Services Inc.

Confluence Wealth Services Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) by 85.4% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 27,071 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 12,466 shares during the period. Confluence Wealth Services Inc.’s holdings in Kroger were worth $1,587,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Axiom Investment Management LLC bought a new stake in Kroger in the first quarter valued at $31,000. North Point Portfolio Managers Corp OH bought a new position in Kroger in the 3rd quarter worth $30,000. GK Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Kroger in the 3rd quarter worth about $33,000. Salomon & Ludwin LLC lifted its position in shares of Kroger by 979.6% in the 3rd quarter. Salomon & Ludwin LLC now owns 583 shares of the company’s stock worth $34,000 after purchasing an additional 529 shares during the period. Finally, Pinnacle Bancorp Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Kroger by 75.0% during the 3rd quarter. Pinnacle Bancorp Inc. now owns 700 shares of the company’s stock valued at $41,000 after purchasing an additional 300 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 80.93% of the company’s stock.

Kroger Stock Up 1.3%

Kroger stock opened at $69.49 on Thursday. The Kroger Co. has a 12 month low of $54.15 and a 12 month high of $76.58. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $62.31 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $63.81. The company has a current ratio of 0.70, a quick ratio of 0.31 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.59. The firm has a market cap of $41.04 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 37.77, a PEG ratio of 1.93 and a beta of 0.36.

Kroger (NYSE:KR) last released its quarterly earnings data on Friday, September 11th. The company reported $1.09 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.05 by $0.04. The company had revenue of $34.62 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $34.64 billion. Kroger had a return on equity of 49.90% and a net margin of 0.73%. Kroger’s revenue was up 2.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm posted $1.04 earnings per share. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.300 EPS. Equities analysts predict that The Kroger Co. will post 5.20 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Kroger Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 1st. Investors of record on Monday, November 16th will be issued a $0.39 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, November 16th. This represents a $1.56 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.2%. Kroger’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 84.78%.

Insider Transactions at Kroger

In other Kroger news, EVP Mary Adcock sold 72,901 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Friday, September 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $60.70, for a total transaction of $4,425,090.70. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 175,233 shares in the company, valued at approximately $10,636,643.10. The trade was a 29.38% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 0.41% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several analysts have commented on KR shares. Roth Capital restated a “buy” rating and issued a $73.00 price objective on shares of Kroger in a report on Monday, September 14th. Telsey Advisory Group reduced their target price on Kroger from $78.00 to $75.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, September 14th. Guggenheim reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $68.00 target price (up from $66.00) on shares of Kroger in a report on Wednesday, October 21st. BNP Paribas Exane raised Kroger from a “neutral” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $72.00 target price for the company in a research report on Wednesday, October 7th. Finally, Evercore set a $70.00 target price on Kroger in a research note on Monday, September 14th. Twelve investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Kroger has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $70.35.

Key Headlines Impacting Kroger

Investors following KR have been watching these headlines:

• Positive Sentiment: A long-term investing article highlights Kroger’s relatively quick dividend growth and illustrates how recurring annual investments could build dividend income over time. The example is a projection, not a guaranteed return. If You Invest $1,200 a year in Kroger Stock, Here’s the Dividend Income It Could Generate Over 20 Years
• Positive Sentiment: Coverage argues Kroger’s grocery “moat” remains a strength amid uncertainty around the Albertsons deal, supporting the case for its competitive resilience. Albertsons deal or no deal: Why Kroger’s grocery moat is winning
• Negative Sentiment: Five Below, Dollar General and Ollie’s are identified as competitors creating challenges for traditional grocers, potentially adding pressure to Kroger’s customer traffic and pricing. Five Below and Dollar General challenge Kroger, Publix

Kroger Profile

The Kroger Co. is a U.S. grocery retailer founded in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1883 by Bernard Kroger. It operates supermarkets and other grocery formats across the United States under banners including Kroger, Ralphs, Fred Meyer, Harris Teeter, King Soopers, and Smith’s. Alongside groceries and household essentials, Kroger stores offer services such as pharmacies and fuel centers. The company also sells products under its own private-label brands and produces many of those items through its food manufacturing operations.