iA Global Asset Management Inc. Decreases Stock Position in The Kroger Co. $KR

iA Global Asset Management Inc. lessened its stake in shares of The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) by 91.0% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 2,802 shares of the company’s stock after selling 28,497 shares during the period. iA Global Asset Management Inc.’s holdings in Kroger were worth $203,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C. lifted its holdings in Kroger by 4.5% in the 4th quarter. Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C. now owns 3,537 shares of the company’s stock valued at $221,000 after acquiring an additional 153 shares during the last quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Kroger by 1.5% in the 4th quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 10,747 shares of the company’s stock worth $674,000 after purchasing an additional 162 shares during the last quarter. Stephens Inc. AR grew its stake in shares of Kroger by 1.0% in the 4th quarter. Stephens Inc. AR now owns 17,995 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,124,000 after purchasing an additional 174 shares during the last quarter. Phillips Wealth Planners LLC raised its holdings in shares of Kroger by 3.6% in the 4th quarter. Phillips Wealth Planners LLC now owns 5,348 shares of the company’s stock worth $342,000 after purchasing an additional 188 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Zions Bancorporation National Association UT raised its holdings in shares of Kroger by 59.6% in the 4th quarter. Zions Bancorporation National Association UT now owns 509 shares of the company’s stock worth $32,000 after purchasing an additional 190 shares in the last quarter. 80.93% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Key Headlines Impacting Kroger

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Kroger’s Giant Eagle purchase could expand its presence in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic, adding about 197 stores and roughly $9 billion in annual revenue while strengthening scale and market share. The Kroger Co. set to purchase Giant Eagle Inc.
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts have described the deal as margin-stable and potentially EPS-accretive, and Guggenheim reaffirmed a buy rating with a $71 price target, signaling confidence in Kroger’s expansion strategy. Kroger’s $1.65bn Giant Eagle Deal Seen as Margin‑Stable, EPS‑Accretive Growth Catalyst Supporting Buy Rating
• Neutral Sentiment: The acquisition is expected to close in 2027 and still needs regulatory approval, so execution risk remains a factor even though the deal appears smaller and less complex than the blocked Albertsons transaction. Kroger Thinks Smaller With $1.65B Giant Eagle Buy After Albertsons Merger Fizzled
• Neutral Sentiment: New coverage also highlighted Kroger’s ongoing focus on retail media, e-commerce, and broader omnichannel growth, which supports the long-term investment case but does not by itself change near-term fundamentals. 2 Supermarket Stocks Set to Thrive Despite Industry Headwinds
• Negative Sentiment: Some investor reaction is cautious because the grocery sector remains competitive and consolidation deals can bring regulatory, financial, and integration risks, especially after Kroger’s prior merger attempt failed. Kroger just shook up the supermarket landscape

Kroger Stock Performance

KR stock opened at $58.12 on Friday. The Kroger Co. has a 12 month low of $54.15 and a 12 month high of $76.58. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $63.32 and a two-hundred day moving average of $65.85. The company has a quick ratio of 0.39, a current ratio of 0.79 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.43. The company has a market capitalization of $35.61 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 34.19, a P/E/G ratio of 1.56 and a beta of 0.44.

Kroger (NYSE:KR) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, June 18th. The company reported $1.58 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.59 by ($0.01). Kroger had a net margin of 0.71% and a return on equity of 44.33%. The company had revenue of $46.12 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $45.59 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $1.49 EPS. The business’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, equities analysts anticipate that The Kroger Co. will post 5.21 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Kroger Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Stockholders of record on Saturday, August 15th will be given a $0.39 dividend. This is a positive change from Kroger’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. This represents a $1.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 14th. Kroger’s payout ratio is 82.35%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of brokerages recently weighed in on KR. Citigroup reduced their target price on shares of Kroger from $71.00 to $61.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, June 23rd. Royal Bank Of Canada reiterated an “outperform” rating on shares of Kroger in a research report on Monday, June 1st. Wells Fargo & Company set a $58.00 price objective on Kroger in a research note on Monday, June 22nd. Guggenheim reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $71.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a research report on Thursday. Finally, Morgan Stanley reduced their target price on Kroger from $73.00 to $67.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a report on Monday, June 22nd. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Kroger currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $71.94.

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.