The Kroger Co. $KR Holdings Raised by Lifeworks Advisors LLC

Lifeworks Advisors LLC increased its stake in The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) by 526.1% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 82,371 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 69,215 shares during the quarter. Lifeworks Advisors LLC’s holdings in Kroger were worth $5,960,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Ares Financial Consulting LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Kroger in the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. Princeton Global Asset Management LLC raised its holdings in Kroger by 268.1% during the fourth quarter. Princeton Global Asset Management LLC now owns 416 shares of the company’s stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 303 shares in the last quarter. MV Capital Management Inc. bought a new stake in Kroger during the fourth quarter worth approximately $26,000. Whipplewood Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Kroger in the first quarter worth approximately $27,000. Finally, Lloyd Advisory Services LLC. acquired a new stake in Kroger in the fourth quarter worth approximately $28,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.93% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about Kroger

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Traders bought an unusually large number of Kroger call options, suggesting some investors are betting on more upside in the stock. Unusual options trading on Kroger
• Positive Sentiment: Kroger is moving forward with its $1.65 billion Giant Eagle deal, a major strategic move that could expand its market presence and boost long-term scale. Kroger progresses on USD 1.65 billion deal to acquire Giant Eagle
• Positive Sentiment: Kroger is also investing in store upgrades, including expanding wine offerings at 147 in-store shops, which may support sales trends and customer traffic. Kroger to upgrade wine selection at 147 in-store shops
• Neutral Sentiment: Reports suggest Kroger may sell some Giant Eagle stores, especially in Columbus, as part of the broader deal. That could help with antitrust or integration issues, but it also signals potential divestitures. Kroger likely to sell some Giant Eagle stores in Columbus
• Negative Sentiment: Kroger reportedly walked back its cage-free egg pledge, which could raise questions about customer trust and ESG commitments. Kroger walks back its cage-free egg pledge

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on KR shares. Telsey Advisory Group set a $78.00 price target on Kroger and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, June 22nd. Evercore restated an “outperform” rating and issued a $78.00 price objective on shares of Kroger in a report on Tuesday, July 7th. Royal Bank Of Canada reaffirmed an “outperform” rating on shares of Kroger in a research note on Monday, June 1st. UBS Group set a $63.00 target price on Kroger and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Monday, June 22nd. Finally, Barclays set a $61.00 price target on shares of Kroger and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Monday, June 22nd. Ten equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $72.00.

Kroger Stock Performance

KR opened at $60.58 on Monday. 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 cap of $37.11 billion, a PE ratio of 35.64, a P/E/G ratio of 1.62 and a beta of 0.44. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $62.52 and a 200-day simple moving average of $65.76. The Kroger Co. has a fifty-two week low of $54.15 and a fifty-two week high of $76.58.

Kroger (NYSE:KR) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, June 18th. The company reported $1.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.59 by ($0.01). Kroger had a return on equity of 44.33% and a net margin of 0.71%.The company had revenue of $46.12 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $45.59 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $1.49 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.2% on a year-over-year basis. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.30 EPS. As a group, equities analysts predict that The Kroger Co. will post 5.21 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Kroger Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Shareholders of record on Saturday, August 15th will be issued 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 boost from Kroger’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. Kroger’s dividend payout ratio is presently 91.76%.

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.