81,205 Shares in The Kroger Co. $KR Acquired by Knights of Columbus Asset Advisors LLC

Knights of Columbus Asset Advisors LLC purchased a new position in The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm purchased 81,205 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,760,000.

Other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Axiom Investment Management LLC purchased a new position in Kroger during the 1st quarter valued at $31,000. North Point Portfolio Managers Corp OH bought a new position in Kroger in the 3rd quarter worth $30,000. GK Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Kroger in the 3rd quarter worth about $33,000. Salomon & Ludwin LLC lifted its position in shares of Kroger by 979.6% in the 3rd quarter. Salomon & Ludwin LLC now owns 583 shares of the company’s stock worth $34,000 after purchasing an additional 529 shares during the period. Finally, Pinnacle Bancorp Inc. lifted its position in shares of Kroger by 75.0% in the 3rd quarter. Pinnacle Bancorp Inc. now owns 700 shares of the company’s stock worth $41,000 after purchasing an additional 300 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 80.93% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling at Kroger

In related news, EVP Mary Adcock sold 72,901 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, September 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $60.70, for a total transaction of $4,425,090.70. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 175,233 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $10,636,643.10. This trade represents a 29.38% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.41% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

KR has been the topic of a number of research reports. Evercore set a $70.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a research note on Monday, September 14th. Telsey Advisory Group decreased their price target on shares of Kroger from $78.00 to $75.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, September 14th. Guggenheim reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $68.00 price target (up from $66.00) on shares of Kroger in a research note on Wednesday, October 21st. Roth Capital restated a “buy” rating and issued a $73.00 price objective on shares of Kroger in a report on Monday, September 14th. Finally, UBS Group set a $66.00 price objective on Kroger and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 21st. Twelve research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $70.35.

Key Headlines Impacting Kroger

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks identified Kroger as a top-ranked value stock, which may attract investors seeking reasonably valued shares; the article does not provide a new earnings or business catalyst. Kroger is a Top-Ranked Value Stock: Should You Buy?
• Positive Sentiment: Wall Street Zen raised its rating on Kroger to Buy, adding another favorable analyst signal, though the article details were limited. Kroger Stock Rating Raised to Buy at Wall Street Zen
• Neutral Sentiment: Kroger is promoting Thanksgiving meal shortcuts and distinctive food options. Seasonal merchandising could support holiday shopping, but no sales or profit impact was reported. Kroger offers shortcuts and curveballs for Thanksgiving tables
• Neutral Sentiment: A 10% Veterans Day discount for veterans and military families is a customer promotion; its financial effect is unclear. Kroger offers 10% Veterans Day discount
• Negative Sentiment: A report highlighted Kroger’s persistent price premium versus Walmart, citing a Consumer Reports estimate of 14.8%. That gap could make it harder to compete for price-sensitive shoppers and may pressure market share. Kroger and Albertsons’ CEOs Just Signaled the Walmart Price Gap Is Here to Stay

Kroger Price Performance

Shares of KR opened at $68.58 on Wednesday. The stock has a market cap of $40.50 billion, a PE ratio of 37.27, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.91 and a beta of 0.36. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.59, a quick ratio of 0.31 and a current ratio of 0.70. The Kroger Co. has a fifty-two week low of $54.15 and a fifty-two week high of $76.58. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $62.08 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $63.78.

Kroger (NYSE:KR) last announced its earnings results on Friday, September 11th. The company reported $1.09 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.05 by $0.04. Kroger had a net margin of 0.73% and a return on equity of 49.90%. The business had revenue of $34.62 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $34.64 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $1.04 earnings per share. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.0% on a year-over-year basis. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.300 EPS. Analysts anticipate that The Kroger Co. will post 5.20 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Kroger Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 1st. Investors of record on Monday, November 16th will be paid a $0.39 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, November 16th. This represents a $1.56 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.3%. Kroger’s dividend payout ratio is presently 84.78%.

Kroger Company Profile

The Kroger Co. is a U.S. grocery retailer founded in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1883 by Bernard Kroger. It operates supermarkets and other grocery formats across the United States under banners including Kroger, Ralphs, Fred Meyer, Harris Teeter, King Soopers, and Smith’s. Alongside groceries and household essentials, Kroger stores offer services such as pharmacies and fuel centers. The company also sells products under its own private-label brands and produces many of those items through its food manufacturing operations.