Retirement Systems of Alabama Sells 148,751 Shares of The Kroger Co. $KR

Retirement Systems of Alabama reduced its position in The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) by 53.4% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 129,696 shares of the company’s stock after selling 148,751 shares during the quarter. Retirement Systems of Alabama’s holdings in Kroger were worth $8,103,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Avalon Trust Co acquired a new position in shares of Kroger in the 3rd quarter valued at $29,000. JPL Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Kroger during the 3rd quarter valued at about $31,000. Twin Peaks Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Kroger during the 2nd quarter valued at about $33,000. Westside Investment Management Inc. increased its stake in Kroger by 100.0% in the third quarter. Westside Investment Management Inc. now owns 490 shares of the company’s stock valued at $33,000 after acquiring an additional 245 shares during the period. Finally, Evolution Wealth Management Inc. bought a new stake in Kroger in the second quarter valued at about $36,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.93% of the company’s stock.

Kroger Price Performance

NYSE:KR opened at $72.35 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.42, a current ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.66. The firm has a market cap of $44.32 billion, a PE ratio of 47.29, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.92 and a beta of 0.55. The Kroger Co. has a 12 month low of $58.60 and a 12 month high of $76.58. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $69.66 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $66.52.

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

Kroger Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 1st. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 15th will be given a $0.35 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 15th. This represents a $1.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.9%. Kroger’s payout ratio is presently 91.50%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of brokerages have commented on KR. Wolfe Research restated an “outperform” rating and set a $75.00 price target on shares of Kroger in a research note on Thursday, March 5th. Erste Group Bank initiated coverage on Kroger in a report on Thursday. They issued a “buy” rating for the company. Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Kroger in a research report on Friday, March 27th. Barclays reaffirmed a “positive” rating on shares of Kroger in a research note on Monday, February 9th. Finally, Roth Mkm reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $78.00 price objective (up from $75.00) on shares of Kroger in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $74.56.

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.