Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. Sells 194,393 Shares of The Kroger Co. $KR

Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. lowered its position in shares of The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) by 12.3% in the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 1,385,373 shares of the company’s stock after selling 194,393 shares during the period. Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V.’s holdings in Kroger were worth $81,211,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Whipplewood Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Kroger in the first quarter worth about $27,000. Axiom Investment Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Kroger during the 1st quarter valued at about $31,000. Cedar Mountain Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Kroger during the 1st quarter valued at about $33,000. North Point Portfolio Managers Corp OH bought a new position in shares of Kroger during the 3rd quarter valued at about $30,000. Finally, GK Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Kroger in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $33,000. Institutional investors own 80.93% of the company’s stock.

Kroger Trading Up 1.9%

Shares of NYSE KR opened at $64.16 on Thursday. The Kroger Co. has a 12 month low of $54.15 and a 12 month high of $76.58. The company has a market cap of $37.89 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 34.87, a P/E/G ratio of 1.73 and a beta of 0.36. The company has a quick ratio of 0.31, a current ratio of 0.70 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.59. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $59.29 and a 200-day simple moving average of $61.43.

Kroger (NYSE:KR) last released its quarterly earnings results on Friday, September 11th. The company reported $1.09 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.05 by $0.04. The business had revenue of $34.62 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $34.64 billion. Kroger had a return on equity of 49.90% and a net margin of 0.73%. Kroger’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $1.04 EPS. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.300 EPS. Sell-side analysts predict that The Kroger Co. will post 5.19 EPS for the current year.

Kroger Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 1st. Shareholders of record on Monday, November 16th will be paid a dividend of $0.39 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, November 16th. This represents a $1.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.4%. Kroger’s dividend payout ratio is currently 84.78%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research firms recently commented on KR. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $70.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a report on Wednesday. Telsey Advisory Group reduced their target price on shares of Kroger from $78.00 to $75.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Monday, September 14th. Melius Research set a $80.00 price target on shares of Kroger and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, September 29th. Roth Capital restated a “buy” rating and issued a $73.00 price target on shares of Kroger in a research report on Monday, September 14th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company set a $60.00 price target on Kroger and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Wednesday. Twelve research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $70.35.

Insider Activity at Kroger

In other Kroger news, EVP Mary Adcock sold 72,901 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, September 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $60.70, for a total value of $4,425,090.70. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 175,233 shares in the company, valued at $10,636,643.10. This trade represents a 29.38% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. 0.41% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Key Headlines Impacting Kroger

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Kroger plans to invest approximately $5 billion by 2029 to lower prices, strengthen its value proposition and win market share. Management is targeting roughly 3% annual comparable sales growth, 3%-6% adjusted EBITDA growth and 7%-11% adjusted EPS growth through 2029. Kroger long-term financial targets
• Positive Sentiment: The company intends to open about 110 new stores and refresh existing locations, with updated formats allocating more space to fresh food and e-commerce. The expansion could support revenue growth and improve Kroger’s competitiveness against Walmart, Amazon and other grocers. Kroger store formats and expansion
• Positive Sentiment: Management is simplifying operations and focusing more closely on its core grocery business under CEO Greg Foran. Investors viewed the strategy as a possible way to improve customer traffic and produce earnings growth despite intense industry competition. Kroger grocery strategy
• Neutral Sentiment: Kroger is reportedly planning to cut thousands of corporate positions as it expands artificial-intelligence tools and streamlines its business. The reductions could lower costs over time, but restructuring expenses and potential execution or employee-relations issues may weigh on near-term results. Kroger job cuts and AI plans
• Negative Sentiment: Albertsons is seeking approximately $8 billion from Kroger in litigation over their failed merger. Testimony has focused on whether Kroger offered an inadequate store-divestiture plan, creating a potentially significant financial and legal overhang. Albertsons lawsuit against Kroger
• Neutral Sentiment: Kroger’s former CEO defended the company’s efforts to complete the Albertsons transaction, while the current management team reiterated its standalone growth strategy. The court dispute may remain a source of volatility as the market assesses possible damages and settlement costs. Former Kroger CEO defends Albertsons deal

Kroger Profile

The Kroger Co is a U.S. food and grocery retailer headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. Founded by Bernard Kroger in 1883, the company operates supermarkets under banners that include Kroger, Ralphs, Fred Meyer, King Soopers, Fry’s, Harris Teeter and Smith’s, among others.

Kroger’s business includes the sale of fresh food, groceries, general merchandise, household products and health and beauty items. Many of its stores also provide pharmacy services and fuel centers. The company offers digital shopping, pickup and delivery services, loyalty programs and a range of private-label products, including Simple Truth, Private Selection and Kroger-branded products.

Kroger primarily serves customers across the United States, with stores concentrated in the Midwest, South, West and parts of the Mid-Atlantic region.