The Kroger Co. $KR Shares Sold by Focus Partners Advisor Solutions LLC

Focus Partners Advisor Solutions LLC cut its position in The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) by 51.2% during the third quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 6,735 shares of the company’s stock after selling 7,060 shares during the quarter. Focus Partners Advisor Solutions LLC’s holdings in Kroger were worth $442,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of KR. Norges Bank acquired a new position in shares of Kroger during the second quarter worth $518,267,000. Allianz Asset Management GmbH increased its holdings in Kroger by 66.6% in the third quarter. Allianz Asset Management GmbH now owns 5,255,084 shares of the company’s stock valued at $354,245,000 after buying an additional 2,100,444 shares during the last quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB raised 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 buying an additional 265,127 shares in the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp raised its stake in Kroger by 1.0% in the third quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 4,309,093 shares of the company’s stock valued at $290,476,000 after buying an additional 41,904 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Franklin Resources Inc. lifted its holdings in 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 buying an additional 300,784 shares during the last quarter. 80.93% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Kroger Stock Performance

Shares of KR stock opened at $74.31 on Monday. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $65.35 and its two-hundred day moving average is $65.85. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.66, a quick ratio of 0.42 and a current ratio of 0.80. The Kroger Co. has a 1 year low of $58.60 and a 1 year high of $74.90. The firm has a market cap of $47.03 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 48.57, a PEG ratio of 1.89 and a beta of 0.62.

Kroger (NYSE:KR) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, March 5th. The company reported $1.28 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.20 by $0.08. The business had revenue of $34.73 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $35.10 billion. Kroger had a return on equity of 41.08% and a net margin of 0.69%.The business’s quarterly revenue was up 1.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $1.14 EPS. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.300 EPS. Analysts predict that The Kroger Co. will post 4.44 earnings per share for the current year.

Kroger Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Sunday, March 1st. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 13th were paid a $0.35 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 13th. This represents a $1.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.9%. Kroger’s payout ratio is currently 91.50%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

KR has been the subject of several analyst reports. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Kroger in a research report on Monday, December 29th. UBS Group reissued a “neutral” rating and set a $70.00 target price (down from $74.00) on shares of Kroger in a research report on Friday, December 5th. Evercore set a $77.00 price target on Kroger and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, December 5th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered shares of Kroger from an “overweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and dropped their price target for the company from $70.00 to $68.00 in a research note on Wednesday, February 25th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised shares of Kroger from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $75.00 price objective on the stock in a report on Thursday, January 8th. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $74.38.

Kroger News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 results beat on profit and margins: Kroger reported adjusted EPS above estimates, delivered gross‑margin expansion and 20% e‑commerce growth; management also rolled out FY‑26 adjusted EPS guidance above consensus and approved further buybacks — a clear catalyst for earnings per‑share growth. PR Newswire
• Positive Sentiment: Large, sustained capital returns: Management completed accelerated repurchases in 2025 and the board approved an additional $2B repurchase authorization on top of a $7.5B program; analysts and commentators say buybacks plus a growing dividend underpin long‑term per‑share upside. MarketBeat
• Positive Sentiment: Street support and upgrades: Several shops have reiterated/raised ratings and price targets (e.g., Roth MKM reaffirmed buy with a $78 PT; Telsey lifted its target), reinforcing positive sentiment into the print. Benzinga
• Positive Sentiment: Unusual bullish options flow: Call buying spiked (large single‑day activity), suggesting some traders are positioning for additional upside or event‑driven moves.
• Neutral Sentiment: New CEO’s playbook: Greg Foran is pushing lower prices, sharper promotions, AI and e‑commerce improvements to accelerate sales — a credible strategic pivot but execution and timing remain uncertain. FoodBusinessNews
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst consensus is broadly constructive (moderate buy), but median price targets leave limited near‑term upside absent stronger top‑line revisions. AmericanBankingNews
• Negative Sentiment: Revenue and sales outlook are muted: Q4 revenue slightly missed estimates and management offered modest identical‑sales guidance for 2026 (1–2% ex‑fuel), tempering a rally based solely on EPS strength. Retail Insight Network
• Negative Sentiment: Product recalls: Kroger‑branded and partner rice/frozen products were included in a glass‑fragment recall, creating short‑term inventory, sales and reputational headwinds in affected markets. MSN
• Negative Sentiment: Labor and legal exposure: Class‑action suits over e‑commerce worker classification and heightened union friction (Teamsters commentary) add regulatory/legal risk and potential costs. GroceryDive
• Negative Sentiment: Dividend sustainability question: Commentary flagged a high payout ratio on a GAAP basis (dividend > GAAP net income), which could worry income investors despite strong cash flow and buybacks. 24/7 Wall St.

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.