Franklin Resources Inc. Reduces Holdings in The Kroger Co. $KR

Franklin Resources Inc. trimmed its stake in The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) by 6.9% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 1,854,659 shares of the company’s stock after selling 138,139 shares during the period. Franklin Resources Inc.’s holdings in Kroger were worth $115,879,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other large investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. lifted its stake in shares of Kroger by 45.5% in the 3rd quarter. Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. now owns 855,810 shares of the company’s stock valued at $57,690,000 after purchasing an additional 267,434 shares during the period. Westpac Banking Corp raised its holdings in Kroger by 126.2% in the third quarter. Westpac Banking Corp now owns 35,667 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,404,000 after buying an additional 19,898 shares during the last quarter. Longbow Finance SA purchased a new position in Kroger in the third quarter worth about $7,115,000. Todd Asset Management LLC raised its holdings in Kroger by 7.7% in the third quarter. Todd Asset Management LLC now owns 1,010,556 shares of the company’s stock worth $68,122,000 after buying an additional 72,143 shares during the last quarter. Finally, American Century Companies Inc. grew its stake in shares of Kroger by 16.2% in the third quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 2,063,474 shares of the company’s stock worth $139,099,000 after acquiring an additional 287,755 shares during the period. 80.93% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

KR has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Kroger in a research note on Friday, March 27th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered shares of Kroger from an “overweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and cut their target price for the company from $70.00 to $68.00 in a research report on Wednesday, February 25th. UBS Group restated a “neutral” rating on shares of Kroger in a research report on Wednesday. BMO Capital Markets restated a “market perform” rating and set a $70.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. Finally, Erste Group Bank lowered shares of Kroger from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, April 27th. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $74.73.

Kroger Trading Up 2.4%

KR stock opened at $64.53 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.66, a current ratio of 0.80 and a quick ratio of 0.42. The company has a market capitalization of $39.53 billion, a PE ratio of 42.17, a P/E/G ratio of 1.78 and a beta of 0.42. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $66.96 and its 200 day moving average is $66.56. The Kroger Co. has a 12 month low of $58.60 and a 12 month high of $76.58.

Key Headlines Impacting Kroger

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Kroger’s stock gained after the company continued to draw attention for resilient trading and a history of beating earnings estimates, which has helped support investor optimism around its next quarterly report. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: The company is rolling out promotions and shopper-focused deals, including free ice cream, BOGO meats, lower-priced items, and summer fuel savings, which may help traffic and customer loyalty. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Kroger is also getting product-placement and store-traffic benefits from branded launches and local store expansion news, including a new M&M’s flavor at Kroger stores and an Elkview location expected to open in 2027. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts note Kroger has lagged the broader S&P 500 over the past year, but views on its longer-term growth prospects remain somewhat constructive. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Kroger agreed to pay $1.25 million to settle a false advertising case over inaccurate calorie counts, adding another legal cost and keeping attention on compliance risk. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Separate reporting on digital shelf labels and “surge pricing” fears could increase investor concern that pricing changes may create customer backlash or regulatory scrutiny. Article Title

About Kroger

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.