Barclays PLC Lowers Position in The Kroger Co. $KR

Barclays PLC trimmed its stake in The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) by 23.3% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 2,565,269 shares of the company’s stock after selling 779,236 shares during the quarter. Barclays PLC’s holdings in Kroger were worth $160,278,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Ares Financial Consulting LLC purchased a new stake in Kroger in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Princeton Global Asset Management LLC grew its holdings in Kroger by 268.1% in 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 during the period. Lloyd Advisory Services LLC. purchased a new stake in Kroger in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Avalon Trust Co purchased a new stake in Kroger in the third quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Finally, JPL Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in Kroger in the third quarter valued at approximately $31,000. 80.93% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Kroger Price Performance

Shares of NYSE KR opened at $64.07 on Tuesday. The Kroger Co. has a twelve month low of $58.60 and a twelve 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 company has a market capitalization of $39.25 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 41.88, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.82 and a beta of 0.43. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $66.51 and a 200-day simple moving average of $66.54.

Key Headlines Impacting Kroger

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Options activity suggests some traders are positioning for a potential move higher into Kroger’s earnings report, with bulls targeting the stock ahead of Thursday’s results. Options Bulls Target Kroger Stock Before Earnings
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and market watchers expect Kroger to post higher quarterly earnings, which could support the stock if results and guidance beat expectations. Kroger Likely To Report Higher Q1 Earnings; These Most Accurate Analysts Revise Forecasts Ahead Of Earnings Call
• Neutral Sentiment: Kroger is highlighted as one of the key retail names to watch this week alongside the Fed meeting and retail sales data, keeping the stock in focus but without a direct catalyst yet. The FOMC Meeting, Retail Sales Data, Kroger Earnings, and More to Watch This Week
• Neutral Sentiment: Harris Teeter, a Kroger banner, announced a new “Aisle Adventures” shopping experience, a brand initiative that may help customer engagement but is not an immediate financial catalyst. Harris Teeter Introduces “Aisle Adventures,” A New Discovery-Driven Shopping Experience
• Negative Sentiment: Kroger’s rollout of electronic shelf labels is facing regulatory scrutiny over concerns about pricing transparency and possible surge pricing, which could weigh on investor sentiment. Kroger’s Electronic Shelf Labels Test Regulatory Patience And Investor Expectations

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Wolfe Research reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and issued a $75.00 price objective on shares of Kroger in a research note on Thursday, March 5th. BMO Capital Markets reissued a “market perform” rating and set a $70.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. Morgan Stanley set a $73.00 price target on shares of Kroger and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Thursday, March 5th. Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Kroger in a report on Friday, March 27th. Finally, Citigroup raised their price target on shares of Kroger from $68.00 to $71.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Monday, March 9th. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $74.67.

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.