Kroger’s (KR) Outperform Rating Reaffirmed at Telsey Advisory Group

Kroger (NYSE:KR)‘s stock had its “outperform” rating reaffirmed by Telsey Advisory Group in a research report issued to clients and investors on Monday,Benzinga reports. They presently have a $80.00 price objective on the stock. Telsey Advisory Group’s target price indicates a potential upside of 14.02% from the company’s previous close.

Several other brokerages also recently issued reports on KR. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Kroger in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Citigroup reiterated a “neutral” rating and set a $68.00 price target (down previously from $74.00) on shares of Kroger in a research report on Wednesday, December 10th. Evercore set a $77.00 price objective on shares of Kroger and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, December 5th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their target price on shares of Kroger from $73.00 to $71.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, December 5th. Finally, Guggenheim restated a “buy” rating and issued a $78.00 price objective on shares of Kroger in a research report on Wednesday, November 19th. Eight investment 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, Kroger currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $74.07.

Kroger Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:KR traded up $2.67 on Monday, hitting $70.17. The stock had a trading volume of 11,304,898 shares, compared to its average volume of 6,994,799. The company has a market capitalization of $44.40 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 65.09, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.72 and a beta of 0.62. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.28, a quick ratio of 0.45 and a current ratio of 0.88. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $63.01 and its 200-day moving average price is $66.16. Kroger has a twelve month low of $58.60 and a twelve month high of $74.90.

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

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Kroger

Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of KR. Ares Financial Consulting LLC acquired a new position in Kroger during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Princeton Global Asset Management LLC raised its stake in Kroger by 268.1% during the 4th quarter. Princeton Global Asset Management LLC now owns 416 shares of the company’s stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 303 shares during the period. Atlantic Union Bankshares Corp acquired a new position in Kroger in the second quarter valued at about $28,000. Lloyd Advisory Services LLC. bought a new stake in shares of Kroger in the fourth quarter worth about $28,000. Finally, Rossby Financial LCC acquired a new stake in shares of Kroger during the second quarter worth about $29,000. 80.93% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Key Kroger News

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: New CEO named — Kroger appointed Greg Foran (ex‑Walmart, also led Air New Zealand operations) and added him to the board; the leadership change is being priced as a potential operational turnaround and growth catalyst. PR Newswire: Kroger Appoints Greg Foran as CEO
• Positive Sentiment: Positive market reaction — premarket and intraday coverage shows a sizable jump in KR shares as traders reacted to the hire, signaling confidence in Foran’s ability to execute on scale and e‑commerce initiatives. Schaeffers Research: Kroger Stock Surges
• Positive Sentiment: Supportive analyst/commentary notes — recent pieces highlight Kroger’s resilient model, $14B e‑commerce run‑rate and guidance for mid‑single‑digit EPS growth, reinforcing a buy/defensive-growth narrative that the new CEO could amplify. Seeking Alpha: Buy This Steady Compounder
• Neutral Sentiment: Company fundamentals & guidance — Kroger recently beat on EPS but narrowly missed revenue and has set FY guidance (FY2025 EPS 4.75–4.80); the board’s move keeps guidance intact but execution remains the next test. MSN: Kroger affirms full-year guidance
• Negative Sentiment: Governance and transition risk — Foran takes over after a contentious leadership period (Rodney McMullen’s exit and an extended interim CEO), which raises near‑term governance scrutiny and integration/culture risks. AP: Kroger names former Walmart executive as CEO
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation & operating headwinds — KR trades at a rich P/E and carries elevated leverage; grocers still face pressure from cash‑strapped consumers and price competition, so the market is betting on Foran delivering measurable margin/volume gains to justify the premium.

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.