Corient Private Wealth LP Decreases Holdings in The Kroger Co. $KR

Corient Private Wealth LP lowered its position in The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) by 18.9% during the second quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 309,630 shares of the company’s stock after selling 72,154 shares during the quarter. Corient Private Wealth LP’s holdings in Kroger were worth $17,194,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. SGL Investment Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in Kroger in the 2nd quarter worth $2,764,000. Allstate Corp lifted its holdings in Kroger by 108.5% during the fourth quarter. Allstate Corp now owns 47,991 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,998,000 after purchasing an additional 24,976 shares in the last quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. purchased a new position in Kroger during the second quarter valued at $76,633,000. Conning Inc. grew its position in shares of Kroger by 10,178.7% in the fourth quarter. Conning Inc. now owns 507,459 shares of the company’s stock valued at $31,706,000 after purchasing an additional 502,522 shares during the period. Finally, North Dakota State Investment Board purchased a new stake in shares of Kroger during the fourth quarter worth about $1,299,000. 80.93% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Kroger Stock Performance

KR opened at $57.73 on Friday. The Kroger Co. has a twelve month low of $54.15 and a twelve month high of $76.58. The firm has a market capitalization of $35.37 billion, a PE ratio of 33.96, a PEG ratio of 1.53 and a beta of 0.43. The company has a current ratio of 0.79, a quick ratio of 0.39 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.43. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $57.63 and its 200 day moving average price is $64.45.

Kroger (NYSE:KR) last released 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 business had revenue of $46.12 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $45.59 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $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, sell-side analysts expect that The Kroger Co. will post 5.21 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Kroger Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Investors of record on Saturday, August 15th will be given a dividend of $0.39 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 14th. 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 yield of 2.7%. Kroger’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 91.76%.

More Kroger News

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Kroger announced its 2026 Wellness Tour, with September in-store and community events intended to increase customer engagement and reinforce the company’s health-and-wellness offerings. The initiative is strategically positive, though its near-term financial impact is likely limited. Kroger Wellness Tour announcement
• Positive Sentiment: Unusually heavy call-option activity, with purchases more than double the typical daily volume, suggests increased bullish speculative interest. However, options activity does not guarantee sustained buying in the stock.
• Neutral Sentiment: Murray’s Cheese, a Kroger brand, expanded its premium cave-aged collection to select Harris Teeter stores in Charlotte. The launch supports product differentiation and potentially higher-margin sales but is unlikely to materially affect companywide results. Murray’s Cheese Harris Teeter launch
• Neutral Sentiment: Kroger’s recent earnings showed revenue growth and earnings ahead of the prior-year period, but earnings per share narrowly missed estimates. Management’s fiscal-year EPS guidance remains a key factor for investors assessing whether the current valuation is justified.
• Negative Sentiment: Industry data indicated Kroger’s foot traffic declined in July as the broader supermarket sector also struggled. Persistent traffic weakness could pressure comparable sales and raise concerns about consumer demand. Kroger July foot traffic report
• Negative Sentiment: Kroger agreed to pay $17 million to settle a class-action lawsuit alleging prescription-drug pricing practices. The cash cost is manageable relative to Kroger’s size, but the settlement adds legal expense and reputational risk. Kroger prescription pricing settlement
• Negative Sentiment: Sony Music sued Kroger over alleged unauthorized use of songs in social-media advertising, creating another potential legal liability. The financial impact is uncertain, but the lawsuit adds to investor concerns following the pharmacy settlement. Sony Music lawsuit against Kroger

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group restated a “buy” rating and set a $80.00 price target on shares of Kroger in a research report on Wednesday, June 3rd. Guggenheim reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $71.00 price objective on shares of Kroger in a report on Thursday, July 2nd. Morgan Stanley cut their price objective on Kroger from $73.00 to $67.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, June 22nd. Wells Fargo & Company set a $58.00 target price on Kroger in a research report on Monday, June 22nd. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada reaffirmed an “outperform” rating on shares of Kroger in a research note on Monday, June 1st. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Kroger has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $72.00.

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.