Bank of New York Mellon Corp Lowers Stock Holdings in The Kroger Co. $KR

Bank of New York Mellon Corp lessened its stake in The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) by 6.3% in the 1st quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund owned 3,878,550 shares of the company’s stock after selling 261,677 shares during the quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp’s holdings in Kroger were worth $280,652,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Whipplewood Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Kroger in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Ares Financial Consulting LLC acquired a new position in shares of Kroger during the 4th quarter worth about $25,000. MV Capital Management Inc. acquired a new stake in Kroger during the fourth quarter worth approximately $26,000. Princeton Global Asset Management LLC grew its position in shares of Kroger by 268.1% during the fourth quarter. Princeton Global Asset Management LLC now owns 416 shares of the company’s stock worth $26,000 after acquiring an additional 303 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Cedar Mountain Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Kroger during the first quarter worth about $33,000. 80.93% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts have commented on KR shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut 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. The Goldman Sachs Group reissued a “buy” rating and set a $82.00 price target on shares of Kroger in a research note on Friday, June 19th. Barclays set a $61.00 target price on shares of Kroger and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Monday, June 22nd. Jefferies Financial Group reissued a “buy” rating and set a $80.00 price objective on shares of Kroger in a report on Wednesday, June 3rd. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company set a $58.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a research report on Monday, June 22nd. Ten research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $72.00.

Kroger Stock Up 0.5%

NYSE KR opened at $58.89 on Friday. The Kroger Co. has a twelve month low of $54.15 and a twelve month high of $76.58. The stock has a market cap of $36.08 billion, a PE ratio of 34.64, a PEG ratio of 1.57 and a beta of 0.44. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $61.70 and a 200 day simple moving average of $65.58. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.43, a quick ratio of 0.39 and a current ratio of 0.79.

Kroger (NYSE:KR) last posted its quarterly earnings results 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). The business had revenue of $46.12 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $45.59 billion. Kroger had a return on equity of 44.33% and a net margin of 0.71%.The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company earned $1.49 EPS. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.30 EPS. On average, research analysts forecast that The Kroger Co. will post 5.21 EPS for the current year.

Kroger Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Shareholders of record on Saturday, August 15th will be given a dividend of $0.39 per share. This represents a $1.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.6%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 14th. This is a boost from Kroger’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. Kroger’s dividend payout ratio is currently 82.35%.

Key Headlines Impacting Kroger

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Kroger announced a partnership with Mid-Ohio Food Collective aimed at a $100,000 flash match goal, highlighting continued community engagement and brand goodwill. Kroger partners with Mid-Ohio Food Collective for $100,000 flash match goal
• Positive Sentiment: Kroger is expanding its wine business with 147 new wine shops nationwide, a move that could support higher-margin sales and strengthen its premium offerings. Kroger bets on luxury wines with 147 new wine shops nationwide
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts and media coverage continue to debate Kroger’s valuation, with one recent piece suggesting the stock may be trading near fair value rather than at a discount. Is Kroger (KR) Stock Trading Around Fair Value Today?
• Neutral Sentiment: Kroger’s proposed acquisition activity is still facing regulatory review, with possible divestitures discussed, which keeps the deal story active but uncertain for investors. Kroger (KR) Awaits Giant Eagle Review As Tempo Starts Cook Never Club
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple reports of a shooting at a Cypress Kroger location, including critical injuries and an arrest, may weigh on sentiment due to safety concerns and potential reputational damage. Suspect charged after shooting inside Cypress Kroger; security expert shares tips on how to survive a violent situation
• Negative Sentiment: Recent coverage says Kroger foot traffic has slumped for a third straight month, suggesting softer in-store demand and pressure on near-term sales trends. Kroger foot traffic slumps, analyst says, continuing a three-month trend
• Negative Sentiment: Reports that Kroger scrapped most of its Florida Harris Teeter expansion plans also point to slower growth expectations in a key market. Kroger scraps plans for 80 Harris Teeter stores in Florida, except 1

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.