CSM Advisors LLC Reduces Stock Holdings in The Kroger Co. $KR

CSM Advisors LLC reduced its position in shares of The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) by 48.7% in the third quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 173,905 shares of the company’s stock after selling 165,408 shares during the quarter. CSM Advisors LLC’s holdings in Kroger were worth $11,726,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in KR. Avalon Trust Co bought a new stake in Kroger during the third quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC raised its position in Kroger by 87.8% in the second quarter. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC now owns 445 shares of the company’s stock worth $32,000 after acquiring an additional 208 shares during the period. Twin Peaks Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new position in Kroger in the second quarter worth approximately $33,000. Westside Investment Management Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Kroger by 100.0% during the 3rd quarter. Westside Investment Management Inc. now owns 490 shares of the company’s stock worth $33,000 after acquiring an additional 245 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Evolution Wealth Management Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Kroger during the 2nd quarter worth $36,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.93% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities research analysts have recently commented on the company. BMO Capital Markets restated a “market perform” rating and issued a $70.00 price objective on shares of Kroger in a research note on Thursday, March 5th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Kroger in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Jefferies Financial Group reissued a “buy” rating and set a $82.00 price target on shares of Kroger in a report on Thursday, March 5th. Morgan Stanley set a $73.00 price target on Kroger and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price objective on Kroger from $73.00 to $71.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, December 5th. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Kroger has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $74.56.

Kroger Stock Up 0.9%

NYSE KR opened at $75.65 on Friday. The Kroger Co. has a 12 month low of $58.60 and a 12 month high of $76.58. The company has a current ratio of 0.80, a quick ratio of 0.42 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.66. The stock has a market cap of $47.87 billion, a PE ratio of 49.44, a P/E/G ratio of 2.01 and a beta of 0.62. The stock’s 50 day moving average is $66.46 and its 200 day moving average is $66.01.

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

Kroger Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 1st. Investors of record on Friday, May 15th will be given a dividend of $0.35 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 15th. This represents a $1.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.9%. Kroger’s dividend payout ratio is currently 91.50%.

Key Headlines Impacting Kroger

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Kroger expanded access to Eli Lilly’s Zepbound® KwikPen at participating Kroger pharmacies, which can drive pharmacy revenue, strengthen Kroger’s healthcare positioning and attract higher-margin prescription sales (and the company will honor manufacturer savings programs for eligible patients). Kroger Brings Zepbound® KwikPen to Retail Pharmacy
• Positive Sentiment: Media coverage noting the pharmacy rollout and investor reaction contributed to shares edging up; the Benzinga note flags near-term investor interest tied to the Zepbound availability. Kroger Shares Rise As Pharmacies Add Eli Lilly’s Zepbound KwikPen
• Positive Sentiment: KR’s technical/momentum profile improved after a Relative Strength rating lift to 82, which can attract momentum and technical-focused buyers. Kroger Stock Gets Relative Strength Rating Lift To 82
• Positive Sentiment: Kroger’s board declared a quarterly dividend of $0.35 per share, supporting income investors and signaling confidence in cash flow (ex-dividend in May; paid June 1). Dividend growth history may underpin valuation support. Kroger’s Board of Directors Declares Quarterly Dividend
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst optimism and post-earnings positioning continued to lift sentiment—notes point to EPS beats, FY2026 guidance and several price-target increases that have helped push shares higher after the March 5 results. Kroger shares rise 3.9% as post-earnings optimism and price-target hikes build
• Neutral Sentiment: Kroger hit an all-time intraday high recently, reflecting momentum; while bullish, this can also invite short-term profit-taking. Kroger stock reaches all-time high at 74.92 USD
• Negative Sentiment: Kroger plans to close about 50 Little Clinics — a cost-cutting/reshaping move that may reduce near-term healthcare footprint and could signal lower near-term revenue from those locations. Investors may view this as a strategic tradeoff. Kroger plans to shutter 50 Little Clinics
• Negative Sentiment: Geopolitical risks from the Iran war (Strait of Hormuz disruptions) could push up supply-chain costs and retail prices, pressuring margins for grocers including Kroger if input costs rise or supply chains tighten. This is an industry-level headwind with uncertain timing. How the Iran war could start to impact U.S. retail prices
• Negative Sentiment: A recent Seeking Alpha piece argued Kroger may be fairly valued after a rally and flagged a downgrade — a reminder some analysts see less upside after the run-up, which can cap near-term gains. Kroger: Strong E-commerce Growth, But Fairly Valued After Rally (Downgrade)

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.