The Kroger Co. $KR Stock Position Boosted by Ritholtz Wealth Management

Ritholtz Wealth Management grew its holdings in shares of The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) by 46.6% in the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund owned 81,413 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 25,869 shares during the period. Ritholtz Wealth Management’s holdings in Kroger were worth $4,772,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the company. BlackRock Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Kroger in the second quarter worth $3,016,956,000. Legal & General Group Plc acquired a new stake in Kroger in the second quarter valued at $284,501,000. Bank of New York Mellon Corp bought a new position in Kroger during the 2nd quarter worth $195,234,000. Nykredit A S acquired a new position in Kroger during the 2nd quarter worth about $157,533,000. Finally, Deutsche Bank AG acquired a new position in Kroger during the 2nd quarter worth about $119,723,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.93% of the company’s stock.

Kroger Stock Performance

KR stock opened at $69.81 on Friday. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $62.54 and a 200-day moving average price of $63.84. The Kroger Co. has a 1-year low of $54.15 and a 1-year high of $76.58. The company has a current ratio of 0.70, a quick ratio of 0.31 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.59. The firm has a market cap of $41.23 billion, a PE ratio of 37.94, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.96 and a beta of 0.36.

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

Kroger Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 1st. Shareholders of record on Monday, November 16th will be paid a $0.39 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, November 16th. This represents a $1.56 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.2%. Kroger’s payout ratio is 84.78%.

Insider Transactions at Kroger

In other Kroger news, EVP Mary Adcock sold 72,901 shares of the 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 transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 175,233 shares in the company, valued at approximately $10,636,643.10. This represents a 29.38% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Company insiders own 0.41% of the company’s stock.

Kroger News Summary

These are some of the KR news items that stood out recently:

• Positive Sentiment: Kroger plans a roughly $40 million store in a fast-growing North Texas city, adding capacity in a market with potential for population-driven demand. Kroger to open $40M store in nation’s fifth-fastest-growing city
• Positive Sentiment: Kroger Atlanta opened a $39 million Marketplace in Locust Grove, while another report notes a fourth new store in central Ohio since 2024. These investments support expansion, though their individual effect on companywide results is likely limited. Kroger Atlanta Opens $39M Marketplace In Locust Grove Kroger opens fourth new store in central Ohio since 2024
• Neutral Sentiment: A report says Kroger will close all stores for 24 hours next month. The planned one-day closure may affect shopping schedules, but the headline does not indicate a lasting financial impact. Grocery giant Kroger gives go-ahead to shut down all 1,233 stores for 24 hours next month

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

KR has been the subject of several recent research reports. Wells Fargo & Company set a $60.00 price target on Kroger and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 21st. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Kroger in a research note on Monday, September 14th. Evercore set a $70.00 price objective on Kroger in a research note on Monday, September 14th. Deutsche Bank reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $70.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a report on Wednesday, October 21st. Finally, Roth Capital reissued a “buy” rating and set a $73.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a research report on Monday, September 14th. Twelve equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $70.35.

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.