The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company Invests $15.61 Million in The Kroger Co. $KR

The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company bought a new stake in The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor bought 281,019 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $15,605,000.

Other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. BlackRock Inc. purchased a new stake in Kroger in the second quarter valued at approximately $3,016,956,000. State Street Corp increased its position in Kroger by 1.2% during the third quarter. State Street Corp now owns 31,948,112 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,153,622,000 after purchasing an additional 386,503 shares during the last quarter. GQG Partners LLC raised its stake in Kroger by 11.3% during the fourth quarter. GQG Partners LLC now owns 13,398,072 shares of the company’s stock worth $837,113,000 after purchasing an additional 1,360,946 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP raised its stake in Kroger by 0.4% during the first quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 12,296,026 shares of the company’s stock worth $889,878,000 after purchasing an additional 53,625 shares during the period. Finally, Norges Bank acquired a new position in shares of Kroger in the 4th quarter valued at $470,561,000. 80.93% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Kroger News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Kroger announced its 2026 Wellness Tour, with September in-store and community events intended to increase customer engagement and reinforce the company’s health-and-wellness offerings. The initiative is strategically positive, though its near-term financial impact is likely limited. Kroger Wellness Tour announcement
• Positive Sentiment: Unusually heavy call-option activity, with purchases more than double the typical daily volume, suggests increased bullish speculative interest. However, options activity does not guarantee sustained buying in the stock.
• Neutral Sentiment: Murray’s Cheese, a Kroger brand, expanded its premium cave-aged collection to select Harris Teeter stores in Charlotte. The launch supports product differentiation and potentially higher-margin sales but is unlikely to materially affect companywide results. Murray’s Cheese Harris Teeter launch
• Neutral Sentiment: Kroger’s recent earnings showed revenue growth and earnings ahead of the prior-year period, but earnings per share narrowly missed estimates. Management’s fiscal-year EPS guidance remains a key factor for investors assessing whether the current valuation is justified.
• Negative Sentiment: Industry data indicated Kroger’s foot traffic declined in July as the broader supermarket sector also struggled. Persistent traffic weakness could pressure comparable sales and raise concerns about consumer demand. Kroger July foot traffic report
• Negative Sentiment: Kroger agreed to pay $17 million to settle a class-action lawsuit alleging prescription-drug pricing practices. The cash cost is manageable relative to Kroger’s size, but the settlement adds legal expense and reputational risk. Kroger prescription pricing settlement
• Negative Sentiment: Sony Music sued Kroger over alleged unauthorized use of songs in social-media advertising, creating another potential legal liability. The financial impact is uncertain, but the lawsuit adds to investor concerns following the pharmacy settlement. Sony Music lawsuit against Kroger

Kroger Price Performance

Shares of KR stock opened at $57.73 on Friday. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $57.63 and a 200-day simple moving average of $64.45. The company has a market capitalization of $35.37 billion, a PE ratio of 33.96, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.53 and a beta of 0.43. The Kroger Co. has a twelve month low of $54.15 and a twelve month high of $76.58. The company has a current ratio of 0.79, a quick ratio of 0.39 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.43.

Kroger (NYSE:KR) last released 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). Kroger had a return on equity of 44.33% and a net margin of 0.71%.The firm had revenue of $46.12 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $45.59 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $1.49 EPS. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 2.2% on a year-over-year basis. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.30 EPS. Equities research analysts anticipate that The Kroger Co. will post 5.21 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Kroger Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Stockholders of record on Saturday, August 15th will be given a dividend of $0.39 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 14th. This is a positive change from Kroger’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. This represents a $1.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.7%. Kroger’s dividend payout ratio is presently 91.76%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. UBS Group set a $63.00 price objective on shares of Kroger and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Monday, June 22nd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their target price on Kroger from $72.00 to $70.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, June 11th. Morgan Stanley reduced their price objective on Kroger from $73.00 to $67.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, June 22nd. Royal Bank Of Canada reiterated an “outperform” rating on shares of Kroger in a report on Monday, June 1st. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reissued a “buy” rating and set a $80.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a research report on Wednesday, June 3rd. Ten investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $72.00.

Kroger 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.