Te Ahumairangi Investment Management Ltd Boosts Stock Position in The Kroger Co. $KR

Te Ahumairangi Investment Management Ltd lifted its holdings in shares of The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) by 18.1% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 150,356 shares of the company’s stock after acquiring an additional 23,027 shares during the period. Kroger accounts for approximately 1.7% of Te Ahumairangi Investment Management Ltd’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 14th biggest holding. Te Ahumairangi Investment Management Ltd’s holdings in Kroger were worth $10,135,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Certuity LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Kroger by 20.9% in the 3rd quarter. Certuity LLC now owns 4,068 shares of the company’s stock valued at $274,000 after buying an additional 702 shares in the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. lifted its position in Kroger by 15.8% in the third quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 6,327,182 shares of the company’s stock valued at $426,515,000 after acquiring an additional 865,559 shares during the last quarter. Seven Mile Advisory purchased a new stake in Kroger in the third quarter valued at $303,000. Sei Investments Co. boosted its stake in Kroger by 14.1% in the third quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 1,188,187 shares of the company’s stock valued at $80,095,000 after acquiring an additional 147,115 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. boosted its stake in Kroger by 45.5% in the third quarter. Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. now owns 855,810 shares of the company’s stock valued at $57,690,000 after acquiring an additional 267,434 shares in the last quarter. 80.93% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Key Stories Impacting Kroger

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Kroger is now dispensing Eli Lilly’s Zepbound® KwikPen at participating Kroger pharmacies — expanding access to a high‑demand GLP‑1 therapy and honoring the manufacturer’s self‑pay savings card. This strengthens the higher‑margin pharmacy/health growth narrative that management has highlighted as a key earnings driver. Kroger Brings Zepbound KwikPen to Retail Pharmacy
• Positive Sentiment: The Board declared a quarterly dividend of $0.35 per share (record May 15, payable June 1), reinforcing Kroger’s capital‑return track record and supporting income‑oriented investor interest amid the company’s transformation. Kroger’s Board of Directors Declares Quarterly Dividend
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst optimism and price‑target increases following Kroger’s March 5 earnings beat and FY2026 guidance appear to be sustaining momentum — investors are rewarding execution on digital and pharmacy initiatives that could lift margins over time. Kroger shares rise as post-earnings optimism and price-target hikes build
• Neutral Sentiment: Kroger recently hit an all‑time share high — a market outcome reflecting the combined effect of earnings, guidance and analyst revisions rather than a new fundamental change. Kroger stock reaches all-time high
• Neutral Sentiment: Ocado is shifting toward store‑based e‑commerce fulfillment as it moves beyond its prior exclusive deal with Kroger. That reduces one potential source of differentiated automation upside for Kroger, though the company still emphasizes in‑house and other digital initiatives. Ocado turns to store-based e-commerce fulfillment
• Negative Sentiment: Kroger plans to close about 50 Little Clinics, a move that could slow near‑term healthcare footprint expansion and reduce cross‑sell opportunities between clinics and pharmacy services; investors will watch whether cost savings or lost growth potential dominates. Kroger plans to shutter 50 Little Clinics
• Negative Sentiment: Some analysts argue the stock is fairly valued after the rally (a downgrade/commentary), suggesting limited near‑term upside unless fundamentals accelerate beyond current guidance. That view could cap multiple expansion. Kroger: Strong E-Commerce Growth, But Fairly Valued After Rally (Downgrade)

Kroger Stock Performance

Shares of KR traded up $0.03 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $74.99. 982,785 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 7,001,699. The company has a current ratio of 0.80, a quick ratio of 0.42 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.66. The Kroger Co. has a fifty-two week low of $58.60 and a fifty-two week high of $76.58. The business’s 50 day moving average is $66.20 and its two-hundred day moving average is $65.99. The firm has a market capitalization of $47.46 billion, a P/E ratio of 49.01, a P/E/G ratio of 1.92 and a beta of 0.62.

Kroger (NYSE:KR) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, March 5th. The company reported $1.28 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.20 by $0.08. The firm had revenue of $34.73 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $35.10 billion. Kroger had a return on equity of 41.08% and a net margin of 0.69%.The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 1.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $1.14 EPS. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.300 EPS. On average, equities analysts expect that The Kroger Co. will post 4.44 earnings per share for the current year.

Kroger Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 1st. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 15th will be issued a $0.35 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 15th. This represents a $1.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.9%. Kroger’s payout ratio is presently 91.50%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of analysts have recently commented on KR shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their target price on Kroger from $73.00 to $71.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, December 5th. Citigroup raised their price target on Kroger from $68.00 to $71.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Monday. Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $82.00 price target on shares of Kroger in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. Wells Fargo & Company cut Kroger from an “overweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and reduced their price objective for the company from $70.00 to $68.00 in a research note on Wednesday, February 25th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets reissued a “market perform” rating and issued a $70.00 price objective on shares of Kroger in a report on Thursday, March 5th. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Kroger has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $74.56.

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.