Shelton Wealth Management LLC Purchases Shares of 10,993 The Kroger Co. $KR

Shelton Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm purchased 10,993 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $795,000.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in KR. Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C. grew its holdings in shares of Kroger by 4.5% during the 4th quarter. Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C. now owns 3,537 shares of the company’s stock worth $221,000 after purchasing an additional 153 shares in the last quarter. PFG Investments LLC lifted its position in Kroger by 3.3% during the first quarter. PFG Investments LLC now owns 4,899 shares of the company’s stock worth $354,000 after purchasing an additional 157 shares during the period. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC lifted its position in Kroger by 1.5% during the fourth quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 10,747 shares of the company’s stock worth $674,000 after purchasing an additional 162 shares during the period. Stephens Inc. AR grew its stake in Kroger by 1.0% during the fourth quarter. Stephens Inc. AR now owns 17,995 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,124,000 after buying an additional 174 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Phillips Wealth Planners LLC grew its stake in Kroger by 3.6% during the fourth quarter. Phillips Wealth Planners LLC now owns 5,348 shares of the company’s stock worth $342,000 after buying an additional 188 shares in the last quarter. 80.93% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts recently issued reports on KR shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price target on shares of Kroger from $72.00 to $70.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, June 11th. Erste Group Bank cut Kroger from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, April 27th. Wells Fargo & Company set a $58.00 target price on Kroger in a report on Monday, June 22nd. Weiss Ratings lowered Kroger from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research note on Thursday, June 18th. Finally, Barclays set a $61.00 price target on Kroger and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Monday, June 22nd. Ten research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Kroger currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $72.00.

Key Stories Impacting Kroger

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Kroger announced a higher dividend, with commentary noting the payout increase appears sustainable, which can appeal to income-focused investors. 3 Stocks With Solid Yields and Sustainabale Payouts Boost Dividends Once Again (KR)
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts view Kroger’s planned $1.7 billion Giant Eagle acquisition as a strategic move that could strengthen its position in grocery and improve long-term competitive footing. Kroger’s planned $1.7B Giant Eagle acquisition is ‘a master stroke,’ analyst says
• Positive Sentiment: Market commentary suggests KR may be undervalued after its recent pullback, especially given the Giant Eagle deal, buybacks, and dividend increase. Is Kroger (KR) Undervalued On Its Giant Eagle Deal And Recent Pullback?
• Positive Sentiment: Kroger named Emilee De Martino, a McDonald’s veteran, as chief people officer, a move that could support talent management and operational execution. Kroger (KR) Names McDonald’s Veteran Emilee De Martino Chief People Officer
• Neutral Sentiment: Reports say Kroger is planning divestitures tied to the Giant Eagle acquisition, which could help with regulatory approval but also reduce some assets. Kroger eyes Columbus for Giant Eagle divestitures: reports
• Neutral Sentiment: Additional coverage of the Giant Eagle deal highlights broader grocery competition effects, but the direct impact on KR remains uncertain for now. Kroger hires McDonald’s exec as chief people officer, succeeding retiring Massa
• Negative Sentiment: News about grocery recalls affecting Kroger shoppers could create a small headwind to customer sentiment, though it is not specific to Kroger’s core business outlook. Grocery recalls affect Walmart, Target and Kroger shoppers in Texas

Kroger Trading Up 1.6%

KR stock traded up $0.92 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $59.17. The company had a trading volume of 2,833,461 shares, compared to its average volume of 6,891,068. The stock has a market cap of $36.25 billion, a PE ratio of 34.87, a PEG ratio of 1.56 and a beta of 0.44. The business has a 50-day moving average of $63.32 and a 200-day moving average of $65.87. The company has a current ratio of 0.79, a quick ratio of 0.39 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.43. The Kroger Co. has a one year low of $54.15 and a one year high of $76.58.

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

Kroger Increases Dividend

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

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.