Kroger (NYSE:KR) Updates FY 2026 Earnings Guidance

Kroger (NYSE:KR) issued an update on its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Thursday morning. The company provided earnings per share guidance of 5.100-5.30 for the period, compared to the consensus earnings per share estimate of 5.270. The company issued revenue guidance of -.

Kroger Trading Down 5.8%

KR traded down $3.58 during mid-day trading on Thursday, hitting $58.24. The stock had a trading volume of 8,128,173 shares, compared to its average volume of 6,583,012. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $66.12 and its 200-day simple moving average is $66.48. 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 firm has a market capitalization of $35.68 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 38.02, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.81 and a beta of 0.42. Kroger has a 1-year low of $56.50 and a 1-year high of $76.58.

Kroger (NYSE:KR) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, June 18th. The company reported $1.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.59 by ($0.01). Kroger had a return on equity of 41.08% and a net margin of 0.69%.The company had revenue of $46.12 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $45.59 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $1.49 EPS. The firm’s revenue was up 2.2% on a year-over-year basis. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.30 EPS. As a group, research analysts forecast that Kroger will post 5.25 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Royal Bank Of Canada reissued an “outperform” rating on shares of Kroger in a research report on Monday, June 1st. UBS Group reissued a “neutral” rating on shares of Kroger in a research report on Wednesday, June 10th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price objective on shares of Kroger from $72.00 to $70.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, June 11th. Citigroup increased their price objective on shares of Kroger from $68.00 to $71.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Monday, March 9th. Finally, Roth Mkm reissued a “buy” rating and set a $78.00 price objective (up from $75.00) on shares of Kroger in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $74.67.

Key Stories Impacting Kroger

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Kroger reported first-quarter revenue of $46.12 billion, topping estimates, with identical sales excluding fuel up 1.0% and adjusted e-commerce sales rising 19%, showing steady demand for groceries and essentials. Reuters: Kroger beats quarterly sales estimates
• Positive Sentiment: The company maintained its 2026 guidance, which may signal management confidence in the business despite a tougher consumer environment. PR Newswire: Kroger Reports First Quarter 2026 Results
• Positive Sentiment: Unusually heavy call option volume suggests some traders are positioning for a rebound after the post-earnings selloff. MarketBeat KR page
• Neutral Sentiment: Investor focus is also on Kroger’s stronger traffic trends, pharmacy headwinds, and ongoing price investments, which were highlighted ahead of the report as key drivers to watch. Yahoo Finance: The Kroger Co. Gears Up for Q1 Earnings
• Negative Sentiment: Kroger’s adjusted EPS of $1.58 missed estimates by one cent, reinforcing concerns that aggressive price cuts are squeezing margins. Zacks: Kroger Q1 Earnings Miss Estimates
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple premarket reports pointed to margin pressure and a softer outlook narrative, which likely amplified selling after the earnings release. Benzinga: Kroger Stock Crashes On Triple Whammy
• Negative Sentiment: Earlier this week, analysts and commentary had already flagged shrinking margins and pre-earnings caution, setting a weak tone before the results. Yahoo Finance: Kroger faces escalating cage free egg campaign

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. State Street Corp grew its position in Kroger by 1.2% in the third quarter. State Street Corp now owns 31,948,112 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,153,622,000 after purchasing an additional 386,503 shares in the last quarter. GQG Partners LLC grew its position in Kroger by 11.3% in the fourth quarter. GQG Partners LLC now owns 13,398,072 shares of the company’s stock valued at $837,113,000 after purchasing an additional 1,360,946 shares in the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP grew its position in Kroger by 1.0% in the fourth quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 12,242,401 shares of the company’s stock valued at $764,932,000 after purchasing an additional 122,606 shares in the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. grew its position in Kroger by 7.7% in the fourth quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 6,816,240 shares of the company’s stock valued at $425,879,000 after purchasing an additional 489,058 shares in the last quarter. Finally, UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC grew its position in Kroger by 3.7% in the fourth quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 6,076,142 shares of the company’s stock valued at $379,637,000 after purchasing an additional 216,728 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 80.93% of the company’s stock.

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.