Empowered Funds LLC Has $13.26 Million Stock Holdings in The Kroger Co. $KR

Empowered Funds LLC raised its position in The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) by 7.3% during the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 238,761 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 16,262 shares during the period. Empowered Funds LLC’s holdings in Kroger were worth $13,258,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in KR. Whipplewood Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Kroger during the first quarter valued at $27,000. MV Capital Management Inc. acquired a new stake in Kroger in the fourth quarter worth about $26,000. Axiom Investment Management LLC bought a new stake in Kroger during the 1st quarter worth about $31,000. Cedar Mountain Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Kroger during the 1st quarter worth about $33,000. Finally, Lloyd Advisory Services LLC. acquired a new position in Kroger during the 4th quarter valued at about $28,000. 80.93% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities research analysts have recently commented on KR shares. Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $80.00 price target on shares of Kroger in a research report on Wednesday, June 3rd. Telsey Advisory Group set a $78.00 price objective on shares of Kroger and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, June 22nd. Wells Fargo & Company set a $58.00 price objective on shares of Kroger in a research note on Monday, June 22nd. Evercore reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $78.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a report on Tuesday, July 7th. Finally, Barclays set a $61.00 target price on shares of Kroger and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Monday, June 22nd. Ten investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $72.00.

Kroger Price Performance

Kroger stock opened at $57.73 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 0.79, a quick ratio of 0.39 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.43. The firm has a market capitalization of $35.37 billion, a P/E ratio of 33.96, a PEG ratio of 1.53 and a beta of 0.43. The business has a 50-day moving average of $57.63 and a 200-day moving average of $64.45. The Kroger Co. has a 1 year low of $54.15 and a 1 year high of $76.58.

Kroger (NYSE:KR) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, June 18th. The company reported $1.58 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.59 by ($0.01). The firm had revenue of $46.12 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $45.59 billion. Kroger had a net margin of 0.71% and a return on equity of 44.33%. The business’s revenue was up 2.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $1.49 earnings per share. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.30 EPS. On average, equities analysts anticipate that The Kroger Co. will post 5.21 EPS for the current year.

Kroger Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Stockholders of record on Saturday, August 15th will be given a dividend of $0.39 per share. This is a positive change from Kroger’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. This represents a $1.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 14th. Kroger’s payout ratio is 91.76%.

Key Headlines Impacting Kroger

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Kroger announced its 2026 Wellness Tour, with September in-store and community events intended to increase customer engagement and reinforce the company’s health-and-wellness offerings. The initiative is strategically positive, though its near-term financial impact is likely limited. Kroger Wellness Tour announcement
• Positive Sentiment: Unusually heavy call-option activity, with purchases more than double the typical daily volume, suggests increased bullish speculative interest. However, options activity does not guarantee sustained buying in the stock.
• Neutral Sentiment: Murray’s Cheese, a Kroger brand, expanded its premium cave-aged collection to select Harris Teeter stores in Charlotte. The launch supports product differentiation and potentially higher-margin sales but is unlikely to materially affect companywide results. Murray’s Cheese Harris Teeter launch
• Neutral Sentiment: Kroger’s recent earnings showed revenue growth and earnings ahead of the prior-year period, but earnings per share narrowly missed estimates. Management’s fiscal-year EPS guidance remains a key factor for investors assessing whether the current valuation is justified.
• Negative Sentiment: Industry data indicated Kroger’s foot traffic declined in July as the broader supermarket sector also struggled. Persistent traffic weakness could pressure comparable sales and raise concerns about consumer demand. Kroger July foot traffic report
• Negative Sentiment: Kroger agreed to pay $17 million to settle a class-action lawsuit alleging prescription-drug pricing practices. The cash cost is manageable relative to Kroger’s size, but the settlement adds legal expense and reputational risk. Kroger prescription pricing settlement
• Negative Sentiment: Sony Music sued Kroger over alleged unauthorized use of songs in social-media advertising, creating another potential legal liability. The financial impact is uncertain, but the lawsuit adds to investor concerns following the pharmacy settlement. Sony Music lawsuit against Kroger

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.