Patron Partners LLC Invests $511,000 in The Kroger Co. $KR

Patron Partners LLC acquired a new stake in The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund acquired 9,208 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $511,000.

A number of other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Ares Financial Consulting LLC bought a new stake in Kroger in the fourth quarter valued at $25,000. MV Capital Management Inc. bought a new position in shares of Kroger during the 4th quarter worth about $26,000. Whipplewood Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Kroger during the 1st quarter worth about $27,000. Lloyd Advisory Services LLC. acquired a new stake in shares of Kroger in the 4th quarter valued at about $28,000. Finally, Axiom Investment Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Kroger in the 1st quarter valued at about $31,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.93% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about Kroger

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Kroger’s dividend profile continues to attract attention from income-focused investors. Analysts reviewing the stock highlight its potential appeal as a dividend investment, which could support demand for the shares. Kroger Could Be a Great Choice
• Positive Sentiment: The company is expanding its Fold Bitcoin Gift Card offering after a successful pilot, adding another digital and cryptocurrency-related feature for customers. The initiative is strategically positive but is unlikely to materially affect near-term financial results. Kroger Expands Fold Bitcoin Gift Card Offering
• Positive Sentiment: Kroger is unveiling a remodeled store in Worthington, Ohio, reflecting continued investment in store quality and the customer experience. Kroger to Unveil Remodeled Store
• Neutral Sentiment: An ice cream brand sold at Kroger and other retailers filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The filing concerns the supplier’s ownership and future rather than Kroger’s finances, so the direct impact on KR appears limited. Ice Cream Brand Files for Chapter 11
• Neutral Sentiment: Kroger’s annual food-bank and peanut-butter donation efforts may support community goodwill but should have little direct effect on valuation. Kroger Holds Peanut Butter Drive
• Neutral Sentiment: Cincinnati officials limited protests near Kroger’s headquarters following complaints from a nearby small-business owner. The development reduces immediate disruption but highlights ongoing local tensions. Cincinnati Limits Kroger HQ Protests
• Negative Sentiment: Kroger plans to close 60 stores during 2026. Although closures could improve the portfolio by removing underperforming locations, the scale of the reductions raises concerns about sales, market presence and restructuring costs. Kroger to Shutter 60 Stores
• Negative Sentiment: Kroger faces a proposed $17 million class-action settlement involving pharmacy customers who used insurance for prescriptions. The settlement would create a financial cost and adds legal and reputational risk, though the amount is modest relative to Kroger’s scale. Kroger Pharmacy Settlement
• Negative Sentiment: Kroger agreed to pay $75,000 to resolve an EEOC disability-discrimination and retaliation lawsuit. The payment is financially immaterial but adds to legal and compliance headlines. Kroger EEOC Lawsuit Settlement

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research firms recently weighed in on KR. The Goldman Sachs Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $82.00 price target on shares of Kroger in a research note on Friday, June 19th. Jefferies Financial Group restated a “buy” rating and set a $80.00 price objective on shares of Kroger in a report on Wednesday, June 3rd. Guggenheim reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $71.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a research report on Thursday, July 2nd. Erste Group Bank cut Kroger from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, April 27th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada reissued an “outperform” rating on shares of Kroger in a research report on Monday, June 1st. Ten research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $72.00.

Kroger Stock Performance

Shares of KR opened at $57.86 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.43, a quick ratio of 0.39 and a current ratio of 0.79. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $57.88 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $64.71. The firm has a market capitalization of $35.45 billion, a P/E ratio of 34.04, a P/E/G ratio of 1.51 and a beta of 0.43. The Kroger Co. has a 52 week low of $54.15 and a 52 week high of $76.58.

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

Kroger Increases Dividend

The business 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 dividend of $0.39 per share. This is a boost from Kroger’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 14th. This represents a $1.56 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.7%. Kroger’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 91.76%.

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.