The Kroger Co. $KR Stake Reduced by Prosperity Consulting Group LLC

Prosperity Consulting Group LLC cut its stake in The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) by 54.7% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 12,461 shares of the company’s stock after selling 15,059 shares during the period. Prosperity Consulting Group LLC’s holdings in Kroger were worth $902,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of KR. Ares Financial Consulting LLC bought a new position in shares of Kroger during the fourth quarter worth about $25,000. Princeton Global Asset Management LLC lifted its position in Kroger by 268.1% in the 4th 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 last quarter. MV Capital Management Inc. acquired a new position in Kroger during the 4th quarter valued at about $26,000. Whipplewood Advisors LLC bought a new position in Kroger in the 1st quarter worth about $27,000. Finally, Lloyd Advisory Services LLC. bought a new position in Kroger in the 4th quarter worth about $28,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.93% of the company’s stock.

Kroger News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Kroger announced a partnership with Mid-Ohio Food Collective aimed at a $100,000 flash match goal, highlighting continued community engagement and brand goodwill. Kroger partners with Mid-Ohio Food Collective for $100,000 flash match goal
• Positive Sentiment: Kroger is expanding its wine business with 147 new wine shops nationwide, a move that could support higher-margin sales and strengthen its premium offerings. Kroger bets on luxury wines with 147 new wine shops nationwide
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts and media coverage continue to debate Kroger’s valuation, with one recent piece suggesting the stock may be trading near fair value rather than at a discount. Is Kroger (KR) Stock Trading Around Fair Value Today?
• Neutral Sentiment: Kroger’s proposed acquisition activity is still facing regulatory review, with possible divestitures discussed, which keeps the deal story active but uncertain for investors. Kroger (KR) Awaits Giant Eagle Review As Tempo Starts Cook Never Club
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple reports of a shooting at a Cypress Kroger location, including critical injuries and an arrest, may weigh on sentiment due to safety concerns and potential reputational damage. Suspect charged after shooting inside Cypress Kroger; security expert shares tips on how to survive a violent situation
• Negative Sentiment: Recent coverage says Kroger foot traffic has slumped for a third straight month, suggesting softer in-store demand and pressure on near-term sales trends. Kroger foot traffic slumps, analyst says, continuing a three-month trend
• Negative Sentiment: Reports that Kroger scrapped most of its Florida Harris Teeter expansion plans also point to slower growth expectations in a key market. Kroger scraps plans for 80 Harris Teeter stores in Florida, except 1

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research firms have recently weighed in on KR. Telsey Advisory Group set a $78.00 price target on Kroger and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, June 22nd. The Goldman Sachs Group reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $82.00 price objective on shares of Kroger in a report on Friday, June 19th. Jefferies Financial Group restated a “buy” rating and issued a $80.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a research report on Wednesday, June 3rd. Evercore reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $78.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a research note on Tuesday, July 7th. Finally, Morgan Stanley reduced their price target on 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 equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $72.00.

Kroger Trading Up 0.5%

Kroger stock opened at $58.89 on Friday. The Kroger Co. has a 12-month low of $54.15 and a 12-month high of $76.58. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.43, a current ratio of 0.79 and a quick ratio of 0.39. The stock has a market capitalization of $36.08 billion, a PE ratio of 34.64, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.57 and a beta of 0.44. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $61.70 and a 200-day simple moving average of $65.58.

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

Kroger Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Stockholders of record on Saturday, August 15th will be paid a $0.39 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 14th. This represents a $1.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.6%. This is a boost from Kroger’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. Kroger’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 82.35%.

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.