197,417 Shares in The Kroger Co. $KR Purchased by Wealthfront Advisers LLC

Wealthfront Advisers LLC acquired a new position in shares of The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) during the 2nd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor acquired 197,417 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $10,963,000.

A number of other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of KR. Ares Financial Consulting LLC acquired a new position in shares of Kroger in the fourth quarter worth about $25,000. MV Capital Management Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Kroger during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Whipplewood Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Kroger during the first quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Lloyd Advisory Services LLC. purchased a new stake in shares of Kroger in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Finally, Axiom Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in Kroger in the 1st quarter worth approximately $31,000. 80.93% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Key Headlines Impacting Kroger

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Kroger is expanding and refreshing its retail footprint, including new Marketplace locations in metro Atlanta and a remodeled Worthington, Ohio, store. The investments could improve customer experience, sales productivity and local market competitiveness. Kroger opens new Marketplace locations in metro Atlanta
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst commentary remains broadly constructive: Kroger’s average brokerage recommendation is equivalent to a Buy, while recent analysis describes the shares as reasonably valued after their decline. The appointment of Nate Faust to lead e-commerce could support better digital execution and efficiency over time. Kroger stock looks reasonable as e-commerce leadership changes start
• Positive Sentiment: The nationwide rollout of Fold Bitcoin Gift Cards gives Kroger a new payments and rewards-related offering, although the near-term financial impact is likely limited. Kroger rolls out Fold Bitcoin Gift Card program nationwide
• Neutral Sentiment: Kroger plans to close 60 U.S. stores in 2026. Management may be using the closures to eliminate underperforming locations and improve profitability, but the scale of the reductions raises concerns about sales, market share and restructuring costs. Kroger closing 60 stores in 2026
• Negative Sentiment: Reports that Kroger’s customer traffic is declining suggest shoppers may be cutting back or shifting business to competitors. Persistent traffic weakness could pressure identical-store sales and margins. Kroger’s traffic woes reflect the market
• Negative Sentiment: A recall involving jalapeño products sold at Kroger and other retailers creates food-safety and reputational risk, though the incident also affects competitors. Products recalled over jalapeño salmonella outbreak
• Negative Sentiment: Kroger agreed to pay $75,000 to settle an EEOC disability-discrimination and retaliation lawsuit. The financial cost is small, but the case adds legal, compliance and reputational pressure. Kroger to pay $75,000 in EEOC lawsuit

Kroger Stock Performance

KR stock opened at $56.34 on Thursday. 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 stock has a market cap of $34.51 billion, a P/E ratio of 33.14, a P/E/G ratio of 1.51 and a beta of 0.43. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $58.17 and a 200 day simple moving average of $64.81. The Kroger Co. has a 52 week low of $54.15 and a 52 week high of $76.58.

Kroger (NYSE:KR) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, June 18th. The company reported $1.58 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.59 by ($0.01). The company had revenue of $46.12 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $45.59 billion. Kroger had a net margin of 0.71% and a return on equity of 44.33%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 2.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $1.49 EPS. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.30 EPS. Research analysts anticipate that The Kroger Co. will post 5.21 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Kroger Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Stockholders of record on Saturday, August 15th will be issued a dividend of $0.39 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 14th. This represents a $1.56 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.8%. This is an increase from Kroger’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. Kroger’s dividend payout ratio is presently 91.76%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities analysts have weighed in on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company set a $58.00 price objective on shares of Kroger in a research report on Monday, June 22nd. Barclays set a $61.00 target price on Kroger and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Monday, June 22nd. Guggenheim reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $71.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a research report on Thursday, July 2nd. Evercore reiterated an “outperform” rating and set a $78.00 price target on shares of Kroger in a report on Tuesday, July 7th. Finally, UBS Group set a $63.00 price target on Kroger and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Monday, June 22nd. Ten investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $72.00.

Kroger Company 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.