Guggenheim Reiterates “Buy” Rating for Kroger (NYSE:KR)

Kroger (NYSE:KR)‘s stock had its “buy” rating reiterated by research analysts at Guggenheim in a note issued to investors on Tuesday,Benzinga reports. They presently have a $78.00 price target on the stock. Guggenheim’s price target would suggest a potential upside of 13.08% from the company’s previous close.

Several other research analysts also recently commented on the stock. Barclays restated a “positive” rating on shares of Kroger in a research report on Monday. Citigroup reissued a “neutral” rating and set a $68.00 price target (down previously from $74.00) on shares of Kroger in a report on Wednesday, December 10th. Morgan Stanley set a $67.00 price objective on Kroger and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 15th. Wells Fargo & Company reiterated an “overweight” rating and issued a $70.00 target price (down previously from $78.00) on shares of Kroger in a research report on Thursday, December 4th. Finally, Wall Street Zen downgraded Kroger from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, December 27th. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seven have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $74.07.

Kroger Price Performance

Shares of NYSE KR traded down $1.12 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, reaching $68.98. The company had a trading volume of 763,701 shares, compared to its average volume of 6,937,728. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.28, a quick ratio of 0.45 and a current ratio of 0.88. Kroger has a one year low of $58.60 and a one year high of $74.90. The firm has a market cap of $43.65 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 63.84, a PEG ratio of 1.72 and a beta of 0.62. The business’s 50-day simple moving average is $63.07 and its 200 day simple moving average is $66.14.

Kroger (NYSE:KR) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, December 4th. The company reported $1.05 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.03 by $0.02. The business had revenue of $33.86 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $34.27 billion. Kroger had a net margin of 0.54% and a return on equity of 38.06%. Kroger’s revenue was up .7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $0.98 earnings per share. Kroger has set its FY 2025 guidance at 4.750-4.800 EPS. On average, research analysts predict that Kroger will post 4.44 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Kroger

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Forsta AP Fonden raised its stake in shares of Kroger by 150.5% during the fourth quarter. Forsta AP Fonden now owns 332,900 shares of the company’s stock valued at $20,800,000 after acquiring an additional 200,000 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of Kroger in the fourth quarter worth $470,561,000. Eurizon Capital SGR S.p.A. acquired a new stake in Kroger in the fourth quarter valued at $8,318,000. Fideuram Asset Management Ireland dac acquired a new position in Kroger during the 4th quarter worth about $3,970,000. Finally, National Pension Service grew its position in shares of Kroger by 2.0% in the 4th quarter. National Pension Service now owns 1,469,005 shares of the company’s stock valued at $91,783,000 after buying an additional 29,347 shares during the last quarter. 80.93% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Key Kroger News

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Appointment of Greg Foran — Kroger named the ex‑Walmart U.S. and Air New Zealand executive as CEO and a board member; investors view his operational experience (turning around Walmart’s grocery unit) as a catalyst to improve Kroger’s execution, e‑commerce and cost efficiency. Kroger shares jump on appointment of new CEO
• Positive Sentiment: Official company release and board move — Kroger’s PR release confirms Foran is effective immediately and succeeds interim CEO Ron Sargent, removing uncertainty from the CEO search and giving the market a clear leadership plan. Kroger Appoints Greg Foran as Chief Executive Officer
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support — Telsey Advisory Group reaffirmed an “outperform” and set an $80 price target, providing third‑party validation for upside from operational improvements and growth initiatives. Telsey Advisory Group $80 price target (summary)
• Neutral Sentiment: Market reaction — Premarket and intraday coverage showed shares surging after the announcement (jumping 6–8% in early trading), reflecting relief and optimism but subject to short‑term profit taking. Kroger shares jump on appointment of new CEO Greg Foran
• Negative Sentiment: Compensation and cost considerations — Coverage notes Foran will be among the region’s highest‑paid executives; higher CEO pay could temper near‑term margin improvements if incentive packages are substantial. New Kroger CEO Greg Foran will be among region’s highest paid
• Neutral Sentiment: Context: governance and strategy — The hire follows a year‑long search after prior leadership changes; while it reduces leadership risk, investors will watch execution on pricing, private label, AI/e‑commerce and store expansion for sustained upside. Kroger picks former Walmart executive as first external CEO

Kroger Company 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.