First National Bank of Hutchinson Has $2.50 Million Stock Holdings in The Kroger Co. $KR

First National Bank of Hutchinson decreased its holdings in shares of The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) by 31.2% during the 1st quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 34,624 shares of the company’s stock after selling 15,674 shares during the quarter. Kroger comprises 1.6% of First National Bank of Hutchinson’s holdings, making the stock its 16th largest position. First National Bank of Hutchinson’s holdings in Kroger were worth $2,505,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Whipplewood Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Kroger during the 1st quarter worth approximately $27,000. Ares Financial Consulting LLC acquired a new position in shares of Kroger during the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. MV Capital Management Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Kroger during the 4th quarter valued at $26,000. Princeton Global Asset Management LLC boosted its stake in 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 in the last quarter. Finally, Cedar Mountain Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Kroger in the first quarter worth $33,000. 80.93% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Kroger Stock Down 1.1%

Kroger stock opened at $58.66 on Wednesday. The Kroger Co. has a 1-year low of $54.15 and a 1-year high of $76.58. The firm has a market capitalization of $35.94 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 34.51, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.59 and a beta of 0.44. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $62.18 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $65.70. The company has a current ratio of 0.79, a quick ratio of 0.39 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.43.

Kroger (NYSE:KR) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, June 18th. The company reported $1.58 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.59 by ($0.01). Kroger had a return on equity of 44.33% and a net margin of 0.71%.The business had revenue of $46.12 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $45.59 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $1.49 earnings per share. The company’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. On average, equities research analysts predict that The Kroger Co. will post 5.21 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Kroger Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Shareholders of record on Saturday, August 15th will be issued a dividend of $0.39 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 14th. This represents a $1.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.7%. This is an increase from Kroger’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. Kroger’s dividend payout ratio is presently 82.35%.

More Kroger News

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Kroger is expanding its premium offering by launching in-store wine shops, which could help lift sales mix and attract higher-spending customers. Kroger launches store wine shops to tap into consumer demand for premium options
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and industry coverage have pointed to Kroger’s focus on fresh food and merchandising improvements as a potential competitive advantage that could support long-term customer loyalty and growth. Is Fresh Food Becoming Kroger’s Biggest Competitive Advantage?
• Positive Sentiment: Reports suggest the Kroger-Giant Eagle deal may win approval with only limited store divestitures, easing concerns that antitrust review could derail the transaction. The Kroger-Giant Eagle deal is seen being approved after limited store divestitures
• Neutral Sentiment: Kroger is reportedly scrapping plans to build dozens of Harris Teeter stores across Florida, though some reports say a Jacksonville location may still move forward. The pullback lowers expansion expectations but also reduces near-term capital spending. Kroger wipes out plan for 80 stores in Florida
• Neutral Sentiment: Industry chatter continues around the regulatory path for the Kroger-Giant Eagle merger, with antitrust experts discussing possible hurdles and remedies. Will the Kroger-Giant Eagle deal face regulatory challenges?
• Neutral Sentiment: Broader consumer trend stories about shoppers spending more time on meal planning and grocery shopping do not directly change Kroger’s fundamentals, but they reinforce demand for convenience-focused grocery and prepared-food offerings. US Millennials and Gen Z Are Losing Hours Each Week to Food Friction

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities research analysts have weighed in on KR shares. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Kroger from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, June 20th. Evercore restated an “outperform” rating and issued a $78.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a research note on Tuesday, July 7th. Morgan Stanley decreased their target price on Kroger from $73.00 to $67.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, June 22nd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price target on Kroger from $72.00 to $70.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, June 11th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada reiterated an “outperform” rating on shares of Kroger in a report on Monday, June 1st. Ten research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Kroger currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $72.00.

About Kroger

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.