Telsey Advisory Group Forecasts Strong Price Appreciation for Kroger (NYSE:KR) Stock

Kroger (NYSE:KR) had its price objective upped by Telsey Advisory Group from $80.00 to $82.00 in a research report issued on Thursday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has an “outperform” rating on the stock. Telsey Advisory Group’s target price indicates a potential upside of 10.35% from the stock’s current price.

A number of other research analysts also recently weighed in on KR. UBS Group restated a “neutral” rating and issued a $70.00 price target (down from $74.00) on shares of Kroger in a research note on Friday, December 5th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered shares of Kroger from an “overweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and decreased their target price for the company from $70.00 to $68.00 in a report on Wednesday, February 25th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price target on shares of Kroger from $73.00 to $71.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, December 5th. Citigroup reiterated a “neutral” rating and set a $68.00 price target (down from $74.00) on shares of Kroger in a report on Wednesday, December 10th. Finally, Barclays restated a “positive” rating on shares of Kroger in a research report on Monday, February 9th. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $74.38.

Kroger Trading Up 3.8%

Shares of NYSE:KR opened at $74.31 on Thursday. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $65.35 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $65.92. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.66, a current ratio of 0.80 and a quick ratio of 0.45. Kroger has a one year low of $58.60 and a one year high of $74.90. The stock has a market capitalization of $47.03 billion, a PE ratio of 48.57, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.83 and a beta of 0.62.

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

Institutional Trading of Kroger

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Brighton Jones LLC lifted its position in shares of Kroger by 27.3% during the fourth quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 15,733 shares of the company’s stock valued at $962,000 after purchasing an additional 3,373 shares in the last quarter. Woodline Partners LP grew its position in Kroger by 40.7% in the 1st quarter. Woodline Partners LP now owns 56,243 shares of the company’s stock worth $3,807,000 after purchasing an additional 16,270 shares in the last quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC purchased a new stake in Kroger in the 2nd quarter valued at about $201,000. ROI Financial Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Kroger by 2.6% during the 2nd quarter. ROI Financial Advisors LLC now owns 7,996 shares of the company’s stock worth $574,000 after buying an additional 199 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Atlantic Union Bankshares Corp purchased a new position in shares of Kroger in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $28,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.93% of the company’s stock.

Key Kroger News

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 results beat on profit and margins: Kroger reported adjusted EPS above estimates, delivered gross‑margin expansion and 20% e‑commerce growth; management also rolled out FY‑26 adjusted EPS guidance above consensus and approved further buybacks — a clear catalyst for earnings per‑share growth. PR Newswire
• Positive Sentiment: Large, sustained capital returns: Management completed accelerated repurchases in 2025 and the board approved an additional $2B repurchase authorization on top of a $7.5B program; analysts and commentators say buybacks plus a growing dividend underpin long‑term per‑share upside. MarketBeat
• Positive Sentiment: Street support and upgrades: Several shops have reiterated/raised ratings and price targets (e.g., Roth MKM reaffirmed buy with a $78 PT; Telsey lifted its target), reinforcing positive sentiment into the print. Benzinga
• Positive Sentiment: Unusual bullish options flow: Call buying spiked (large single‑day activity), suggesting some traders are positioning for additional upside or event‑driven moves.
• Neutral Sentiment: New CEO’s playbook: Greg Foran is pushing lower prices, sharper promotions, AI and e‑commerce improvements to accelerate sales — a credible strategic pivot but execution and timing remain uncertain. FoodBusinessNews
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst consensus is broadly constructive (moderate buy), but median price targets leave limited near‑term upside absent stronger top‑line revisions. AmericanBankingNews
• Negative Sentiment: Revenue and sales outlook are muted: Q4 revenue slightly missed estimates and management offered modest identical‑sales guidance for 2026 (1–2% ex‑fuel), tempering a rally based solely on EPS strength. Retail Insight Network
• Negative Sentiment: Product recalls: Kroger‑branded and partner rice/frozen products were included in a glass‑fragment recall, creating short‑term inventory, sales and reputational headwinds in affected markets. MSN
• Negative Sentiment: Labor and legal exposure: Class‑action suits over e‑commerce worker classification and heightened union friction (Teamsters commentary) add regulatory/legal risk and potential costs. GroceryDive
• Negative Sentiment: Dividend sustainability question: Commentary flagged a high payout ratio on a GAAP basis (dividend > GAAP net income), which could worry income investors despite strong cash flow and buybacks. 24/7 Wall St.

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.