Shelton Wealth Management LLC Invests $795,000 in The Kroger Co. $KR

Shelton Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) during the first quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor bought 10,993 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $795,000.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Ares Financial Consulting LLC purchased a new position in shares of Kroger in the fourth quarter valued at $25,000. MV Capital Management Inc. purchased a new stake in Kroger during the 4th quarter worth about $26,000. Princeton Global Asset Management LLC boosted its stake in Kroger by 268.1% in the 4th quarter. Princeton Global Asset Management LLC now owns 416 shares of the company’s stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 303 shares during the period. Lloyd Advisory Services LLC. purchased a new position in Kroger during the 4th quarter valued at about $28,000. Finally, JPL Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in Kroger during the 3rd quarter valued at about $31,000. 80.93% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts have recently weighed in on KR shares. HC Wainwright reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Kroger in a report on Thursday. Wells Fargo & Company set a $58.00 target price on Kroger in a research note on Monday, June 22nd. Evercore reiterated an “outperform” rating and set a $78.00 price target on shares of Kroger in a research report on Tuesday. Telsey Advisory Group set a $78.00 price objective on shares of Kroger and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, June 22nd. Finally, Morgan Stanley dropped their target price on shares of Kroger from $73.00 to $67.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, June 22nd. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $72.00.

Kroger Trading Up 1.6%

NYSE:KR traded up $0.92 during trading hours on Tuesday, reaching $59.17. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 2,833,461 shares, compared to its average volume of 6,891,068. The firm has a market capitalization of $36.25 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 34.87, a PEG ratio of 1.56 and a beta of 0.44. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $63.32 and a 200-day simple moving average of $65.87. The Kroger Co. has a 1 year low of $54.15 and a 1 year high of $76.58. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.43, a quick ratio of 0.39 and a current ratio of 0.79.

Kroger (NYSE:KR) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, June 18th. The company reported $1.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.59 by ($0.01). The business had revenue of $46.12 billion for 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%. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 2.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $1.49 earnings per share. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.30 EPS. Research analysts expect that The Kroger Co. will post 5.21 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Kroger Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Investors of record on Saturday, August 15th will be given a dividend of $0.39 per share. This represents a $1.56 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.6%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 14th. This is a positive change from Kroger’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. Kroger’s dividend payout ratio is 82.35%.

Kroger News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Kroger announced a higher dividend, with commentary noting the payout increase appears sustainable, which can appeal to income-focused investors. 3 Stocks With Solid Yields and Sustainabale Payouts Boost Dividends Once Again (KR)
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts view Kroger’s planned $1.7 billion Giant Eagle acquisition as a strategic move that could strengthen its position in grocery and improve long-term competitive footing. Kroger’s planned $1.7B Giant Eagle acquisition is ‘a master stroke,’ analyst says
• Positive Sentiment: Market commentary suggests KR may be undervalued after its recent pullback, especially given the Giant Eagle deal, buybacks, and dividend increase. Is Kroger (KR) Undervalued On Its Giant Eagle Deal And Recent Pullback?
• Positive Sentiment: Kroger named Emilee De Martino, a McDonald’s veteran, as chief people officer, a move that could support talent management and operational execution. Kroger (KR) Names McDonald’s Veteran Emilee De Martino Chief People Officer
• Neutral Sentiment: Reports say Kroger is planning divestitures tied to the Giant Eagle acquisition, which could help with regulatory approval but also reduce some assets. Kroger eyes Columbus for Giant Eagle divestitures: reports
• Neutral Sentiment: Additional coverage of the Giant Eagle deal highlights broader grocery competition effects, but the direct impact on KR remains uncertain for now. Kroger hires McDonald’s exec as chief people officer, succeeding retiring Massa
• Negative Sentiment: News about grocery recalls affecting Kroger shoppers could create a small headwind to customer sentiment, though it is not specific to Kroger’s core business outlook. Grocery recalls affect Walmart, Target and Kroger shoppers in Texas

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.