Hsbc Holdings PLC Lowers Stake in The Kroger Co. $KR

Hsbc Holdings PLC cut its position in shares of The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) by 14.0% in the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 1,280,291 shares of the company’s stock after selling 209,006 shares during the period. Hsbc Holdings PLC’s holdings in Kroger were worth $80,030,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of KR. Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C. grew its holdings in shares of Kroger by 4.5% during the 4th quarter. Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C. now owns 3,537 shares of the company’s stock worth $221,000 after purchasing an additional 153 shares during the period. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC raised its holdings in Kroger by 1.5% in the fourth quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 10,747 shares of the company’s stock valued at $674,000 after buying an additional 162 shares during the period. Stephens Inc. AR lifted its position in Kroger by 1.0% during the fourth quarter. Stephens Inc. AR now owns 17,995 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,124,000 after buying an additional 174 shares in the last quarter. Phillips Wealth Planners LLC lifted its position in Kroger by 3.6% during the fourth quarter. Phillips Wealth Planners LLC now owns 5,348 shares of the company’s stock valued at $342,000 after buying an additional 188 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Zions Bancorporation National Association UT grew its stake in Kroger by 59.6% during the fourth quarter. Zions Bancorporation National Association UT now owns 509 shares of the company’s stock worth $32,000 after buying an additional 190 shares during the period. 80.93% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts have recently commented on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company set a $58.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a research note on Monday. Wolfe Research reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $75.00 price target on shares of Kroger in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price target on Kroger from $72.00 to $70.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, June 11th. BMO Capital Markets reissued a “market perform” rating and issued a $70.00 price objective on shares of Kroger in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. Finally, Weiss Ratings cut Kroger from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research note on Thursday. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $72.56.

Kroger Trading Down 1.5%

KR opened at $55.78 on Tuesday. The firm’s 50 day moving average is $65.22 and its 200-day moving average is $66.24. The Kroger Co. has a 52-week low of $55.60 and a 52-week high of $76.58. The company has a quick ratio of 0.39, a current ratio of 0.79 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.43. The firm has a market capitalization of $34.17 billion, a P/E ratio of 32.81, a P/E/G ratio of 1.58 and a beta of 0.43.

Kroger (NYSE:KR) last announced its earnings results 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 firm had revenue of $46.12 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $45.59 billion. Kroger had a net margin of 0.71% and a return on equity of 44.33%. Kroger’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $1.49 earnings per share. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.30 EPS. Analysts expect that The Kroger Co. will post 5.25 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Trending Headlines about Kroger

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Kroger is expanding its Vanderpump Blooms x Bloom Haus partnership into home décor and other new products, giving the company another branded merchandising push that could support sales and customer traffic. Vanderpump Blooms x Bloom Haus Floral Collection by Lisa Vanderpump Expands Line
• Positive Sentiment: Some commentary points to Kroger as a possible long-term buying opportunity after the recent earnings-driven pullback, reflecting continued investor interest in the company’s defensive grocery business. The Dip in Kroger Stock Could Be a Gift. Here’s How It Could Set You Up for Life.
• Neutral Sentiment: Kroger’s CEO said shoppers are making smaller, more promotion-driven trips, signaling changing consumer behavior rather than a clear demand collapse. Kroger CEO spots trend of smaller baskets, more promotion-driven shopping trips
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts cut their outlooks on Kroger after quarterly results, with Morgan Stanley saying the company’s self-funded price-investment strategy is prudent but difficult to execute and Wells Fargo warning that near-term growth could remain choppy. Kroger’s Price Investment Strategy is Prudent but Carries Significant Difficulties, Morgan Stanley Says
• Negative Sentiment: Additional broker notes from Wells Fargo and BMO Capital lowered price targets and emphasized weaker margins, reinforcing concern that profitability may stay under pressure even if sales remain solid. These Analysts Slash Their Forecasts On Kroger Following Q1 Earnings

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.