Kroger (NYSE:KR) Receives “Buy” Rating from Guggenheim

Kroger (NYSE:KR)‘s stock had its “buy” rating restated by research analysts at Guggenheim in a research report issued on Thursday,Benzinga reports. They presently have a $71.00 price objective on the stock. Guggenheim’s target price would suggest a potential upside of 26.49% from the stock’s current price.

A number of other analysts have also recently commented on the stock. Barclays set a $61.00 target price on shares of Kroger and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Monday, June 22nd. Wells Fargo & Company set a $58.00 price objective on shares of Kroger in a research report on Monday, June 22nd. Erste Group Bank cut Kroger from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, April 27th. Wolfe Research reiterated an “outperform” rating and set a $75.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. 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 given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $71.94.

Kroger Price Performance

NYSE KR opened at $56.13 on Thursday. The stock has a market capitalization of $34.39 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 33.02, a PEG ratio of 1.49 and a beta of 0.44. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.43, a current ratio of 0.79 and a quick ratio of 0.39. The business’s fifty day moving average price is $63.73 and its 200-day moving average price is $65.94. Kroger has a 1-year low of $54.15 and a 1-year high of $76.58.

Kroger (NYSE:KR) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, June 18th. The company reported $1.58 earnings per share (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 firm had revenue of $46.12 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $45.59 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $1.49 earnings per share. The company’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. On average, equities analysts predict that Kroger will post 5.21 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Trading of Kroger

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Basecamp Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of Kroger by 50.1% during the first quarter. Basecamp Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 2,680 shares of the company’s stock worth $194,000 after acquiring an additional 895 shares during the last quarter. Sapient Capital LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Kroger by 80.6% in the 1st quarter. Sapient Capital LLC now owns 8,318 shares of the company’s stock worth $602,000 after purchasing an additional 3,712 shares during the period. FAS Wealth Partners Inc. increased its position in Kroger by 2.7% during the first quarter. FAS Wealth Partners Inc. now owns 6,768 shares of the company’s stock valued at $490,000 after acquiring an additional 175 shares during the last quarter. Allen Capital Group LLC bought a new stake in Kroger in the first quarter worth about $221,000. Finally, Axiom Investment Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Kroger during the 1st quarter worth approximately $31,000. Institutional investors own 80.93% of the company’s stock.

Key Headlines Impacting Kroger

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Kroger’s Giant Eagle acquisition expands its store base and pharmacy reach, potentially strengthening long-term earnings and market share in key regional markets.
• Positive Sentiment: The company is also rolling out Fourth of July grocery deals and rewards-driven savings, which could help support customer traffic during a highly competitive holiday period. Kroger joins 4th of July grocery fight with new deals
• Neutral Sentiment: Several reports say the deal could face regulatory review, but the hurdles may be smaller than Kroger’s failed Albertsons merger because Giant Eagle is a more regional, less transformative acquisition.
• Neutral Sentiment: Some analysts still describe Kroger as fairly valued, with margins remaining a key focus, so the stock’s upside may depend on successful integration and sustained profitability improvements.
• Negative Sentiment: Investors are also concerned about financing, since Kroger is taking on roughly $400 million of Giant Eagle liabilities and already carries meaningful leverage, which could pressure near-term sentiment.
• Negative Sentiment: Comments from market watchers suggest broader caution around ambitious expansion plans, with some traders linking Kroger’s move to the recent weakness seen in stocks tied to large strategic deals.

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.