The Kroger Co. $KR Shares Purchased by Valley Wealth Managers Inc.

Posted by Teresa Graham on Jul 19th, 2026

Valley Wealth Managers Inc. lifted its position in The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR – Free Report) by 8.5% in the first quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 343,728 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 27,054 shares during the period. Kroger makes up about 1.6% of Valley Wealth Managers Inc.’s portfolio, making the stock its 23rd biggest holding. Valley Wealth Managers Inc.’s holdings in Kroger were worth $24,872,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of KR. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its stake in Kroger by 1.1% during 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. State Street Corp grew its stake in shares of Kroger by 1.2% in the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 31,948,112 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,153,622,000 after buying an additional 386,503 shares during the period. GQG Partners LLC increased its holdings in shares of Kroger by 11.3% during the 4th quarter. GQG Partners LLC now owns 13,398,072 shares of the company’s stock worth $837,113,000 after buying an additional 1,360,946 shares during the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP increased its holdings in shares of Kroger by 1.0% during the 4th quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 12,242,401 shares of the company’s stock worth $764,932,000 after buying an additional 122,606 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Norges Bank purchased a new stake in shares of Kroger during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $470,561,000. 80.93% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Kroger Stock Up 0.5%

Shares of NYSE KR opened at $58.89 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $36.08 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 34.64, a PEG ratio of 1.58 and a beta of 0.44. 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 Kroger Co. has a 52-week low of $54.15 and a 52-week high of $76.58. The business’s 50 day moving average is $61.70 and its two-hundred day moving average is $65.58.

Kroger (NYSE:KR – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly 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 firm had revenue of $46.12 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $45.59 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $1.49 earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 2.2% on a year-over-year basis. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.30 EPS. Research analysts predict that The Kroger Co. will post 5.21 EPS for the current year.

Kroger Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Investors of record on Saturday, August 15th will be issued a dividend of $0.39 per share. This is a positive change from Kroger’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 14th. This represents a $1.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.6%. Kroger’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 91.76%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research analysts recently weighed in on KR shares. Morgan Stanley lowered their price objective 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. Telsey Advisory Group set a $78.00 target price on Kroger and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, June 22nd. Wells Fargo & Company set a $58.00 price target on Kroger in a research note on Monday, June 22nd. UBS Group set a $63.00 price target on Kroger and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Monday, June 22nd. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada restated an “outperform” rating on shares of Kroger in a report on Monday, June 1st. Ten investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have assigned a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $72.00.

Read Our Latest Report on Kroger

Key Stories 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 Profile

(Free Report)

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.