AXQ Capital LP Cuts Stock Position in The Kroger Co. $KR

AXQ Capital LP lessened its holdings in The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) by 68.1% in the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 8,188 shares of the company’s stock after selling 17,498 shares during the quarter. AXQ Capital LP’s holdings in Kroger were worth $552,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Norges Bank purchased a new position in shares of Kroger in the 2nd quarter worth about $518,267,000. Allianz Asset Management GmbH raised its position in Kroger by 66.6% in the third quarter. Allianz Asset Management GmbH now owns 5,255,084 shares of the company’s stock worth $354,245,000 after acquiring an additional 2,100,444 shares during the period. Nordea Investment Management AB boosted its stake in Kroger by 6.0% in the third quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB now owns 4,680,219 shares of the company’s stock valued at $311,843,000 after acquiring an additional 265,127 shares during the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp grew its position in shares of Kroger by 1.0% during the 3rd quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 4,309,093 shares of the company’s stock valued at $290,476,000 after acquiring an additional 41,904 shares during the period. Finally, Franklin Resources Inc. increased its stake in shares of Kroger by 7.9% during the 2nd quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 4,126,866 shares of the company’s stock worth $296,028,000 after purchasing an additional 300,784 shares during the last quarter. 80.93% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Kroger Trading Up 2.2%

Shares of KR opened at $69.76 on Wednesday. The Kroger Co. has a 1-year low of $58.60 and a 1-year high of $74.90. The company has a market capitalization of $44.15 billion, a P/E ratio of 64.60, a P/E/G ratio of 1.73 and a beta of 0.62. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.28, a current ratio of 0.88 and a quick ratio of 0.45. The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is $64.32 and its 200 day simple moving average is $65.95.

Kroger (NYSE:KR) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, December 4th. The company reported $1.05 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.03 by $0.02. The business had revenue of $33.86 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $34.27 billion. Kroger had a net margin of 0.54% and a return on equity of 38.06%. The business’s quarterly revenue was up .7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $0.98 EPS. Kroger has set its FY 2025 guidance at 4.750-4.800 EPS. Sell-side analysts forecast that The Kroger Co. will post 4.44 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Kroger Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Sunday, March 1st. Investors of record on Friday, February 13th will be paid a $0.35 dividend. This represents a $1.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.0%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 13th. Kroger’s dividend payout ratio is currently 129.63%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

KR has been the topic of a number of research reports. BMO Capital Markets reaffirmed a “market perform” rating on shares of Kroger in a report on Monday, February 9th. Telsey Advisory Group restated an “outperform” rating and issued a $80.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a research note on Monday, February 9th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised Kroger from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $75.00 price target on the stock in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price objective on Kroger from $73.00 to $71.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Friday, December 5th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company restated an “overweight” rating and issued a $70.00 price objective (down from $78.00) on shares of Kroger in a research note on Thursday, December 4th. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seven have given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $74.07.

Trending Headlines about Kroger

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Kroger rolled out savings programs to lower out‑of‑pocket costs for certain GLP‑1 medications through manufacturer and pharmacy programs, positioning its pharmacies as a destination for weight‑management drugs and recurring prescriptions that can increase pharmacy traffic and basket size. Savings Programs that offer Affordable Access to GLP-1s Available at Kroger
• Positive Sentiment: Kroger is promoting free virtual dietitian consults and nutrition support tied to its fresh foods and meal solutions — a strategy that can lift fresh produce and prepared‑food sales and deepen customer engagement with Kroger’s pharmacy and Home Chef ecosystem. Kroger offers free virtual dietitian consults to improve diets
• Positive Sentiment: Customer satisfaction recognition (ACSI survey) placed Kroger among the better U.S. grocery chains — a reputational win that supports loyalty and can help justify pricing and drive repeat visits. Kroger among best grocery stores in the US, survey reveals. See list
• Positive Sentiment: Kroger is expanding footprint and formats with a supersized marketplace in the McKinney‑Prosper corridor, signaling investment in high-growth suburban markets and potential sales upside from a larger, one‑stop format. Kroger Digs In on McKinney-Prosper Line With Supersized Marketplace
• Positive Sentiment: Home Chef continues to roll out partnerships and limited‑time menus (e.g., a Giada De Laurentiis collection), supporting Kroger’s prepared‑meal offerings and margin diversification. Home Chef Partners with Emmy Award-Winning Chef Giada De Laurentiis on Exclusive Menu
• Neutral Sentiment: Investors are parsing leadership and valuation after the appointment of CEO Greg Foran; analyses highlight a mixed near‑term outlook — valuation looks attractive vs. peers but momentum and catalysts are limited in the short term. A Look At Kroger’s (KR) Valuation After Greg Foran’s Appointment As Chief Executive Officer
• Neutral Sentiment: Citi reiterated a Hold rating with a $68 target, emphasizing soft sales growth and limited near‑term catalysts — a reminder that operational improvement will be required to justify higher multiples. Balanced Risk-Reward Keeps Kroger at Hold Amid Soft Sales Growth and Limited Near-Term Catalysts
• Negative Sentiment: Kroger has begun closing about 60 stores following a failed merger, with local exits and property vacancies in some markets — a headwind to near‑term same‑store sales and a potential restructuring/real‑estate charge. Goodbye Kroger—the company is closing stores in Houston and Spring as part of a 60-store shutdown plan across the U.S.

About Kroger

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.