AIA Group Ltd Grows Position in The Kroger Co. $KR

AIA Group Ltd raised its stake in shares of The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) by 12.5% in the 1st quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 135,500 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 15,100 shares during the quarter. AIA Group Ltd’s holdings in Kroger were worth $9,805,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C. boosted its holdings in shares of Kroger by 4.5% in the 4th quarter. Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C. now owns 3,537 shares of the company’s stock valued at $221,000 after purchasing an additional 153 shares during the last quarter. PFG Investments LLC raised its position in shares of Kroger by 3.3% in the 1st quarter. PFG Investments LLC now owns 4,899 shares of the company’s stock worth $354,000 after buying an additional 157 shares during the period. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC boosted its holdings in Kroger by 1.5% in the fourth quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 10,747 shares of the company’s stock valued at $674,000 after acquiring an additional 162 shares during the last quarter. Stephens Inc. AR boosted its holdings in Kroger by 1.0% in the fourth quarter. Stephens Inc. AR now owns 17,995 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,124,000 after acquiring an additional 174 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Phillips Wealth Planners LLC grew its position in Kroger by 3.6% during the fourth quarter. Phillips Wealth Planners LLC now owns 5,348 shares of the company’s stock valued at $342,000 after acquiring an additional 188 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.93% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities research analysts have commented on KR shares. HC Wainwright restated a “buy” rating on shares of Kroger in a research note on Thursday, July 2nd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price objective on Kroger from $72.00 to $70.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, June 11th. Barclays set a $61.00 target price on Kroger and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Monday, June 22nd. The Goldman Sachs Group reissued a “buy” rating and set a $82.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a research report on Friday, June 19th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada restated an “outperform” rating on shares of Kroger in a report on Monday, June 1st. Ten research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $72.00.

Kroger News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Kroger announced a partnership with Mid-Ohio Food Collective aimed at a $100,000 flash match goal, highlighting continued community engagement and brand goodwill. Kroger partners with Mid-Ohio Food Collective for $100,000 flash match goal
• Positive Sentiment: Kroger is expanding its wine business with 147 new wine shops nationwide, a move that could support higher-margin sales and strengthen its premium offerings. Kroger bets on luxury wines with 147 new wine shops nationwide
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts and media coverage continue to debate Kroger’s valuation, with one recent piece suggesting the stock may be trading near fair value rather than at a discount. Is Kroger (KR) Stock Trading Around Fair Value Today?
• Neutral Sentiment: Kroger’s proposed acquisition activity is still facing regulatory review, with possible divestitures discussed, which keeps the deal story active but uncertain for investors. Kroger (KR) Awaits Giant Eagle Review As Tempo Starts Cook Never Club
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple reports of a shooting at a Cypress Kroger location, including critical injuries and an arrest, may weigh on sentiment due to safety concerns and potential reputational damage. Suspect charged after shooting inside Cypress Kroger; security expert shares tips on how to survive a violent situation
• Negative Sentiment: Recent coverage says Kroger foot traffic has slumped for a third straight month, suggesting softer in-store demand and pressure on near-term sales trends. Kroger foot traffic slumps, analyst says, continuing a three-month trend
• Negative Sentiment: Reports that Kroger scrapped most of its Florida Harris Teeter expansion plans also point to slower growth expectations in a key market. Kroger scraps plans for 80 Harris Teeter stores in Florida, except 1

Kroger Price Performance

Shares of NYSE KR opened at $58.89 on Friday. The Kroger Co. has a 1-year low of $54.15 and a 1-year high of $76.58. The business has a 50-day moving average of $61.70 and a 200-day moving average of $65.58. 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 company has a market capitalization of $36.08 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 34.64, a PEG ratio of 1.58 and a beta of 0.44.

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

Kroger Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Stockholders of record on Saturday, August 15th will be paid a dividend of $0.39 per share. This is an increase from Kroger’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. This represents a $1.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.6%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 14th. Kroger’s payout ratio is 91.76%.

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.