QRG Capital Management Inc. Reduces Stock Holdings in The Kroger Co. $KR

QRG Capital Management Inc. lessened its stake in shares of The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) by 64.9% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 174,879 shares of the company’s stock after selling 323,389 shares during the quarter. QRG Capital Management Inc.’s holdings in Kroger were worth $11,789,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Bank of Nova Scotia lifted its holdings in shares of Kroger by 102.5% in the second quarter. Bank of Nova Scotia now owns 168,395 shares of the company’s stock valued at $12,079,000 after purchasing an additional 85,223 shares in the last quarter. Monument Capital Management purchased a new position in shares of Kroger during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $2,901,000. Y Intercept Hong Kong Ltd raised its position in shares of Kroger by 2,313.4% during the 2nd quarter. Y Intercept Hong Kong Ltd now owns 138,915 shares of the company’s stock worth $9,964,000 after purchasing an additional 133,159 shares during the last quarter. Advocate Group LLC lifted its stake in Kroger by 16.6% in the 2nd quarter. Advocate Group LLC now owns 121,392 shares of the company’s stock valued at $8,707,000 after buying an additional 17,284 shares in the last quarter. Finally, AdvisorShares Investments LLC purchased a new stake in Kroger in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $480,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.93% of the company’s stock.

Key Headlines Impacting Kroger

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Kroger launched same‑day delivery on Uber Eats, Uber and Postmates across nearly 2,700 Kroger‑family stores, expanding its omnichannel reach and lowering friction for online sales. This should help digital sales growth and margins over time by leveraging Uber’s logistics network. Kroger Launches Fast, Convenient Delivery on Uber Apps Nationwide
• Positive Sentiment: Market coverage and commentary position Kroger as well placed to navigate industry pressure (scale, omnichannel, diversified revenues). Positive analyst/industry tone supports multiple catalysts for valuation re‑rating. 2 Supermarket Stocks Positioned to Navigate Industry Challenges
• Positive Sentiment: Brokerage consensus remains constructive (average rating “Moderate Buy”), which can support investor demand and limit downside. The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) Receives Average Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from Brokerages
• Neutral Sentiment: Industry coverage and news pieces note Kroger’s broader response to food price pressure and product trend initiatives — helpful for long‑term positioning but unlikely to move near‑term earnings materially. Kroger, McDonald’s answer soaring restaurant, grocery prices
• Neutral Sentiment: Kroger Health hit a milestone in its prescription drug safety program (250,000+ students reached). Positive for brand and healthcare strategy, but limited direct near‑term EPS impact. Kroger Health Reaches New Milestone in Prescription Drug Safety Program
• Neutral Sentiment: Kroger is promoting 2026 food trends and opening new local stores (e.g., Fenton), signaling continued investment in product mix and footprint optimization. These are incremental positives but not game‑changing alone. Kroger reveals 2026 food trend predictions Kroger preparing to open new store in Fenton next week
• Negative Sentiment: Local store closures in McKinney and the sale of at least one former Kroger site to Goodwill indicate continued portfolio rationalization; while expected in a large footprint, closures can pressure local volumes and reflect tough trade dynamics in some markets. Central McKinney Kroger store slated for closure, officials confirm Goodwill buys former Kroger building on Colerain Avenue

Kroger Trading Up 1.1%

KR stock opened at $63.18 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.45, a current ratio of 0.88 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.28. The company has a market cap of $39.98 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 58.50, a PEG ratio of 1.77 and a beta of 0.61. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $63.72 and a 200-day simple moving average of $66.96. The Kroger Co. has a 52 week low of $58.12 and a 52 week high of $74.90.

Kroger (NYSE:KR) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, December 4th. The company reported $1.05 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.03 by $0.02. The firm had revenue of $33.86 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $34.27 billion. Kroger had a return on equity of 38.06% and a net margin of 0.54%.The firm’s quarterly revenue was up .7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $0.98 earnings per share. Kroger has set its FY 2025 guidance at 4.750-4.800 EPS. On average, equities research analysts expect that The Kroger Co. will post 4.44 EPS for the current year.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

KR has been the subject of several recent research reports. Telsey Advisory Group reissued an “outperform” rating and set a $80.00 price target (down previously from $82.00) on shares of Kroger in a research report on Monday, December 1st. Barclays set a $68.00 price objective on Kroger and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. Citigroup restated a “neutral” rating and issued a $68.00 target price (down from $74.00) on shares of Kroger in a report on Wednesday, December 10th. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Kroger from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, December 27th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price objective on shares of Kroger from $73.00 to $71.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, December 5th. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $73.88.

Kroger 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.