878,188 Shares in The Kroger Co. $KR Purchased by Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd.

Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. purchased a new stake in shares of The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) in the 2nd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund purchased 878,188 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $48,766,000.

Several other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Meiji Yasuda Asset Management Co Ltd. acquired a new stake in shares of Kroger during the second quarter worth approximately $849,000. Te Ahumairangi Investment Management Ltd acquired a new position in shares of Kroger in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $8,858,000. Haverford Trust Co bought a new stake in Kroger during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $301,000. Clear Harbor Asset Management LLC acquired a new stake in Kroger during the 2nd quarter valued at $203,000. Finally, Bank of Nova Scotia bought a new position in Kroger in the 2nd quarter valued at $21,343,000. 80.93% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Kroger Price Performance

Shares of KR stock opened at $59.06 on Tuesday. The firm has a market cap of $36.18 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 34.74, a PEG ratio of 1.55 and a beta of 0.43. The Kroger Co. has a 12 month low of $54.15 and a 12 month high of $76.58. 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 stock has a 50-day moving average price of $57.78 and a 200 day moving average price of $64.69.

Kroger (NYSE:KR) last issued its 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). 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 the consensus estimate of $45.59 billion. During the same period last year, the business posted $1.49 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.30 EPS. Research analysts expect that The Kroger Co. will post 5.21 EPS for the current 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 paid a dividend of $0.39 per share. This represents a $1.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.6%. This is a boost from Kroger’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 14th. Kroger’s payout ratio is presently 91.76%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several brokerages have recently commented on KR. Weiss Ratings cut Kroger from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a report on Thursday, June 18th. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Kroger from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, June 20th. Erste Group Bank lowered shares of Kroger from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, April 27th. Royal Bank Of Canada restated an “outperform” rating on shares of Kroger in a research report on Monday, June 1st. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their target price on shares of Kroger from $72.00 to $70.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, June 11th. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $72.00.

Key Headlines Impacting Kroger

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Kroger is rolling out inventory robots, a move that could improve in-store efficiency, reduce labor requirements and help keep products available. The financial benefit is not yet quantified. Kroger rolls out inventory robots
• Positive Sentiment: Kroger and Instacart launched single-order delivery for groceries and eligible prescriptions through Kroger’s websites and apps, including at Fred Meyer, Ralphs and Harris Teeter. The service may increase convenience, digital engagement and order frequency, although delivery costs and customer adoption will determine its earnings impact. Kroger Customers Can Shop for Groceries and Prescriptions in a Single Order
• Positive Sentiment: Promino secured a 662-store Kroger pharmacy test for its Rejuvenate Muscle Health product. The pilot could support pharmacy traffic and ancillary sales, but it is unlikely to materially affect Kroger’s results unless expanded. Promino Secures 662-Store Kroger Pharmacy Test
• Neutral Sentiment: A recall covers roughly 40,000 bottles of eye drops sold at Kroger and other retailers. The product was not exclusive to Kroger, so the direct financial impact may be limited, but recalls can create temporary operational and reputational concerns. Eye-drop recall coverage
• Negative Sentiment: Kroger agreed to a $17 million settlement resolving claims that pharmacy customers were overcharged copayments. The payment is manageable relative to Kroger’s size, but the expense and allegations of unfair pricing could weigh on sentiment toward its pharmacy business. Kroger must pay $17 million 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.