Conning Inc. Trims Stock Position in The Kroger Co. $KR

Conning Inc. trimmed its holdings in shares of The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) by 4.3% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 485,483 shares of the company’s stock after selling 21,976 shares during the period. Conning Inc.’s holdings in Kroger were worth $35,130,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Whipplewood Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Kroger during the 1st quarter valued at $27,000. Ares Financial Consulting LLC acquired a new position in shares of Kroger in the fourth quarter worth $25,000. MV Capital Management Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Kroger in the fourth quarter valued at $26,000. Princeton Global Asset Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Kroger by 268.1% during the fourth quarter. Princeton Global Asset Management LLC now owns 416 shares of the company’s stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 303 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Cedar Mountain Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Kroger during the first quarter valued at $33,000. 80.93% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Kroger Stock Up 1.2%

Shares of NYSE:KR opened at $60.58 on Friday. The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $62.52 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $65.73. 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 Kroger Co. has a 12-month low of $54.15 and a 12-month high of $76.58. The firm has a market cap of $37.11 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 35.64, a PEG ratio of 1.61 and a beta of 0.44.

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

Kroger Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Shareholders of record on Saturday, August 15th will be issued a $0.39 dividend. This is a boost from Kroger’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 14th. This represents a $1.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.6%. Kroger’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 82.35%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Erste Group Bank downgraded shares of Kroger from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, April 27th. Evercore reiterated an “outperform” rating and set a $78.00 price target on shares of Kroger in a report on Tuesday. Telsey Advisory Group set a $78.00 price objective on shares of Kroger and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, June 22nd. Royal Bank Of Canada reissued an “outperform” rating on shares of Kroger in a research note on Monday, June 1st. Finally, Weiss Ratings cut shares of Kroger from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research note on Thursday, June 18th. Ten research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Kroger presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $72.00.

Key Stories Impacting Kroger

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Traders bought an unusually large number of Kroger call options, suggesting some investors are betting on more upside in the stock. Unusual options trading on Kroger
• Positive Sentiment: Kroger is moving forward with its $1.65 billion Giant Eagle deal, a major strategic move that could expand its market presence and boost long-term scale. Kroger progresses on USD 1.65 billion deal to acquire Giant Eagle
• Positive Sentiment: Kroger is also investing in store upgrades, including expanding wine offerings at 147 in-store shops, which may support sales trends and customer traffic. Kroger to upgrade wine selection at 147 in-store shops
• Neutral Sentiment: Reports suggest Kroger may sell some Giant Eagle stores, especially in Columbus, as part of the broader deal. That could help with antitrust or integration issues, but it also signals potential divestitures. Kroger likely to sell some Giant Eagle stores in Columbus
• Negative Sentiment: Kroger reportedly walked back its cage-free egg pledge, which could raise questions about customer trust and ESG commitments. Kroger walks back its cage-free egg pledge

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.