The Kroger Co. $KR Position Reduced by WINTON GROUP Ltd

WINTON GROUP Ltd reduced its position in shares of The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) by 12.7% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 267,802 shares of the company’s stock after selling 39,123 shares during the quarter. WINTON GROUP Ltd’s holdings in Kroger were worth $14,871,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of KR. Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C. lifted its holdings in shares of Kroger by 4.5% in the fourth quarter. Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C. now owns 3,537 shares of the company’s stock valued at $221,000 after buying an additional 153 shares during the period. PFG Investments LLC grew its holdings in Kroger by 3.3% during the first quarter. PFG Investments LLC now owns 4,899 shares of the company’s stock worth $354,000 after acquiring an additional 157 shares during the period. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC raised its position in Kroger by 1.5% in the fourth quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 10,747 shares of the company’s stock worth $674,000 after acquiring an additional 162 shares in the last quarter. Stephens Inc. AR raised its position in Kroger by 1.0% in the fourth quarter. Stephens Inc. AR now owns 17,995 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,124,000 after acquiring an additional 174 shares in the last quarter. Finally, ROI Financial Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in Kroger by 2.0% in the 1st quarter. ROI Financial Advisors LLC now owns 8,943 shares of the company’s stock valued at $647,000 after acquiring an additional 175 shares during the last quarter. 80.93% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Kroger Stock Down 1.2%

KR stock opened at $56.50 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.43, a current ratio of 0.79 and a quick ratio of 0.39. The firm has a market capitalization of $34.61 billion, a P/E ratio of 33.23, a P/E/G ratio of 1.60 and a beta of 0.41. The Kroger Co. has a 52-week low of $54.15 and a 52-week high of $76.58. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $57.80 and its 200-day simple moving average is $63.76.

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

Kroger Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Investors of record on Saturday, August 15th were given a dividend of $0.39 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, August 14th. This is a positive change from Kroger’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. This represents a $1.56 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.8%. Kroger’s payout ratio is presently 91.76%.

Kroger News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Kroger is expanding its healthcare convenience offering by delivering GLP-1 prescriptions alongside grocery orders. The initiative could increase digital engagement, pharmacy revenue and customer retention. Kroger can now deliver your GLP-1 prescription with your groceries
• Positive Sentiment: Options traders are positioned bullishly ahead of Kroger’s upcoming earnings release, suggesting some investors expect a favorable report or improved outlook. Kroger Earnings Preview: Options Traders Bet Bullish
• Positive Sentiment: Kroger reopened a remodeled Marketplace store after a $2 million investment, supporting its efforts to improve the shopping experience and strengthen store productivity. Kroger Reopens Granbury, TX, Marketplace After $2M Remodel
• Positive Sentiment: Kroger’s new CEO is assembling a senior executive team and pursuing a turnaround strategy, which could improve execution and investor confidence if it produces stronger sales and margins. New Kroger CEO adds top exec team, aims for turnaround
• Neutral Sentiment: Local promotions, including a gas discount following a Martinsville remodel and a “Stock the Station” community-service partnership, may support customer goodwill but are unlikely to materially affect near-term earnings. Kroger offers gas discount after Martinsville remodel
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts are framing Kroger as a relatively steady compounder, but the stock’s outlook hinges on whether upcoming results show renewed growth. Kroger and Macy’s: The Compounder vs. the Turnaround
• Negative Sentiment: Inflation pressure and slowing sales are weighing on the investment case, raising concerns about consumer demand, margins and the ability to meet earnings expectations. The Kroger Co. Shares Weighed by Inflation Pressure and Slowing Sales
• Negative Sentiment: Concerns about a slower economy and the impact of a cyclospora-related issue add operational and reputational risks ahead of earnings. New Kroger CEO adds top exec team, aims for turnaround

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on KR shares. Morgan Stanley lowered their price objective on shares of Kroger from $73.00 to $67.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, June 22nd. Evercore reissued an “outperform” rating and set a $78.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a research note on Tuesday, July 7th. Weiss Ratings lowered shares of Kroger from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research report on Thursday, June 18th. Wells Fargo & Company set a $58.00 price target on Kroger in a report on Monday, June 22nd. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada reiterated an “outperform” rating on shares of Kroger in a research report on Monday, June 1st. Ten equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $71.31.

Kroger Profile

The Kroger Co (NYSE: KR) is one of the largest grocery retailers in the United States. Founded in Cincinnati in 1883 by Bernard Kroger, the company operates supermarkets, multi-department stores, pharmacies, convenience stores and fuel centers across the country.

Kroger sells a broad range of fresh foods, packaged groceries, household products, health and beauty items, prepared foods and general merchandise. Its private-label offerings include Simple Truth, Private Selection and Kroger brands.