58,083 Shares in The Kroger Co. $KR Purchased by Westpac Banking Corp

Westpac Banking Corp acquired a new position in The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm acquired 58,083 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $3,225,000.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Allstate Corp increased its stake in shares of Kroger by 108.5% in the 4th quarter. Allstate Corp now owns 47,991 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,998,000 after acquiring an additional 24,976 shares in the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its holdings in Kroger by 1.1% in the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 77,169,425 shares of the company’s stock worth $4,821,546,000 after purchasing an additional 868,529 shares during the period. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. bought a new position in shares of Kroger during the second quarter valued at approximately $76,633,000. Conning Inc. increased its stake in shares of Kroger by 10,178.7% during 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 in the last quarter. Finally, SGL Investment Advisors Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Kroger during the second quarter valued at approximately $2,764,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.93% of the company’s stock.

Kroger Trading Up 2.7%

NYSE:KR opened at $57.86 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $35.45 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 34.04, a PEG ratio of 1.51 and a beta of 0.43. 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’s 50 day moving average price is $57.88 and its 200-day moving average price is $64.71. The Kroger Co. has a 52 week low of $54.15 and a 52 week high of $76.58.

Kroger (NYSE:KR) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, June 18th. The company reported $1.58 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.59 by ($0.01). The firm had revenue of $46.12 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $45.59 billion. Kroger had a return on equity of 44.33% and a net margin of 0.71%.Kroger’s revenue was up 2.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $1.49 earnings per share. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.30 EPS. On average, equities research analysts forecast that The Kroger Co. will post 5.21 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Kroger Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Stockholders of record on Saturday, August 15th will be paid a $0.39 dividend. This is an increase from Kroger’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. This represents a $1.56 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.7%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 14th. Kroger’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 91.76%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

KR has been the topic of several recent research reports. Jefferies Financial Group restated a “buy” rating and issued a $80.00 price target on shares of Kroger in a research note on Wednesday, June 3rd. Citigroup lowered their price objective on Kroger from $71.00 to $61.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, June 23rd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their target price on Kroger from $72.00 to $70.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, June 11th. Evercore reissued an “outperform” rating and issued a $78.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a research note on Tuesday, July 7th. Finally, Telsey Advisory Group set a $78.00 price target on Kroger and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, June 22nd. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $72.00.

More Kroger News

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Kroger’s dividend profile continues to attract attention from income-focused investors. Analysts reviewing the stock highlight its potential appeal as a dividend investment, which could support demand for the shares. Kroger Could Be a Great Choice
• Positive Sentiment: The company is expanding its Fold Bitcoin Gift Card offering after a successful pilot, adding another digital and cryptocurrency-related feature for customers. The initiative is strategically positive but is unlikely to materially affect near-term financial results. Kroger Expands Fold Bitcoin Gift Card Offering
• Positive Sentiment: Kroger is unveiling a remodeled store in Worthington, Ohio, reflecting continued investment in store quality and the customer experience. Kroger to Unveil Remodeled Store
• Neutral Sentiment: An ice cream brand sold at Kroger and other retailers filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The filing concerns the supplier’s ownership and future rather than Kroger’s finances, so the direct impact on KR appears limited. Ice Cream Brand Files for Chapter 11
• Neutral Sentiment: Kroger’s annual food-bank and peanut-butter donation efforts may support community goodwill but should have little direct effect on valuation. Kroger Holds Peanut Butter Drive
• Neutral Sentiment: Cincinnati officials limited protests near Kroger’s headquarters following complaints from a nearby small-business owner. The development reduces immediate disruption but highlights ongoing local tensions. Cincinnati Limits Kroger HQ Protests
• Negative Sentiment: Kroger plans to close 60 stores during 2026. Although closures could improve the portfolio by removing underperforming locations, the scale of the reductions raises concerns about sales, market presence and restructuring costs. Kroger to Shutter 60 Stores
• Negative Sentiment: Kroger faces a proposed $17 million class-action settlement involving pharmacy customers who used insurance for prescriptions. The settlement would create a financial cost and adds legal and reputational risk, though the amount is modest relative to Kroger’s scale. Kroger Pharmacy Settlement
• Negative Sentiment: Kroger agreed to pay $75,000 to resolve an EEOC disability-discrimination and retaliation lawsuit. The payment is financially immaterial but adds to legal and compliance headlines. Kroger EEOC Lawsuit Settlement

Kroger 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.