Corient Private Wealth LLC increased its position in The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR – Free Report) by 14.1% in the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund owned 363,197 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 44,807 shares during the period. Corient Private Wealth LLC’s holdings in Kroger were worth $22,694,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in KR. Ares Financial Consulting LLC bought a new stake in shares of Kroger in the 4th quarter worth $25,000. Princeton Global Asset Management LLC lifted its holdings 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 purchasing an additional 303 shares in the last quarter. MV Capital Management Inc. bought a new position in shares of Kroger during the fourth quarter valued at $26,000. Lloyd Advisory Services LLC. purchased a new stake in shares of Kroger during the fourth quarter valued at $28,000. Finally, Avalon Trust Co bought a new stake in Kroger in the 3rd quarter worth about $29,000. 80.93% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
A number of brokerages have weighed in on KR. The Goldman Sachs Group reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $82.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a research report on Friday. Wolfe Research reissued an “outperform” rating and set a $75.00 price objective on shares of Kroger in a report on Thursday, March 5th. Barclays set a $61.00 price objective on shares of Kroger and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Monday. Citigroup lifted their target price on shares of Kroger from $68.00 to $71.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Monday, March 9th. Finally, Roth Mkm reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $78.00 target price (up from $75.00) on shares of Kroger in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Kroger has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $72.56.
Key Stories Impacting Kroger
Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Kroger is expanding its Vanderpump Blooms x Bloom Haus partnership into home décor and other new products, giving the company another branded merchandising push that could support sales and customer traffic. Vanderpump Blooms x Bloom Haus Floral Collection by Lisa Vanderpump Expands Line
- Positive Sentiment: Some commentary points to Kroger as a possible long-term buying opportunity after the recent earnings-driven pullback, reflecting continued investor interest in the company’s defensive grocery business. The Dip in Kroger Stock Could Be a Gift. Here’s How It Could Set You Up for Life.
- Neutral Sentiment: Kroger’s CEO said shoppers are making smaller, more promotion-driven trips, signaling changing consumer behavior rather than a clear demand collapse. Kroger CEO spots trend of smaller baskets, more promotion-driven shopping trips
- Negative Sentiment: Analysts cut their outlooks on Kroger after quarterly results, with Morgan Stanley saying the company’s self-funded price-investment strategy is prudent but difficult to execute and Wells Fargo warning that near-term growth could remain choppy. Kroger’s Price Investment Strategy is Prudent but Carries Significant Difficulties, Morgan Stanley Says
- Negative Sentiment: Additional broker notes from Wells Fargo and BMO Capital lowered price targets and emphasized weaker margins, reinforcing concern that profitability may stay under pressure even if sales remain solid. These Analysts Slash Their Forecasts On Kroger Following Q1 Earnings
Kroger Price Performance
NYSE KR opened at $55.78 on Tuesday. The company has a market capitalization of $34.17 billion, a PE ratio of 32.81, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.58 and a beta of 0.43. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.43, a quick ratio of 0.39 and a current ratio of 0.79. The business’s fifty day moving average is $65.22 and its 200 day moving average is $66.24. The Kroger Co. has a fifty-two week low of $55.60 and a fifty-two week high of $76.58.
Kroger (NYSE:KR – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, June 18th. The company reported $1.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate 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 the consensus estimate of $45.59 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $1.49 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.2% on a year-over-year basis. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.30 EPS. Sell-side analysts predict that The Kroger Co. will post 5.25 earnings per share for the current year.
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.
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