The Kroger Co. $KR Shares Bought by Vinva Investment Management Ltd

Vinva Investment Management Ltd grew its holdings in shares of The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) by 16.5% in the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 69,070 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 9,764 shares during the period. Vinva Investment Management Ltd’s holdings in Kroger were worth $4,588,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the business. Atlantic Union Bankshares Corp bought a new position in shares of Kroger in the second quarter valued at $28,000. Avalon Trust Co bought a new stake in shares of Kroger during the 3rd quarter worth $29,000. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC boosted its stake in shares of Kroger by 87.8% during the 2nd quarter. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC now owns 445 shares of the company’s stock worth $32,000 after acquiring an additional 208 shares in the last quarter. Twin Peaks Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Kroger in the 2nd quarter worth $33,000. Finally, Westside Investment Management Inc. raised its position in shares of Kroger by 100.0% during the third quarter. Westside Investment Management Inc. now owns 490 shares of the company’s stock worth $33,000 after purchasing an additional 245 shares during the period. 80.93% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

KR has been the subject of several analyst reports. Morgan Stanley set a $73.00 target price on Kroger and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Thursday. Wells Fargo & Company cut Kroger from an “overweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and dropped their price target for the stock from $70.00 to $68.00 in a research note on Wednesday, February 25th. UBS Group restated a “neutral” rating and set a $70.00 price objective (down from $74.00) on shares of Kroger in a report on Friday, December 5th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Kroger in a report on Monday, December 29th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $82.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a research report on Thursday. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $74.38.

Kroger Stock Up 3.8%

KR stock opened at $74.31 on Monday. The company has a 50 day moving average of $65.35 and a two-hundred day moving average of $65.85. The company has a market cap of $47.03 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 48.57, a PEG ratio of 1.89 and a beta of 0.62. The Kroger Co. has a 12-month low of $58.60 and a 12-month high of $74.90. The company has a quick ratio of 0.42, a current ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.66.

Kroger (NYSE:KR) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, March 5th. The company reported $1.28 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.20 by $0.08. Kroger had a net margin of 0.69% and a return on equity of 41.08%. The business had revenue of $34.73 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $35.10 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $1.14 EPS. Kroger’s revenue was up 1.2% on a year-over-year basis. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.300 EPS. On average, equities analysts anticipate that The Kroger Co. will post 4.44 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Kroger Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Sunday, March 1st. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 13th were paid a $0.35 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 13th. This represents a $1.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.9%. Kroger’s payout ratio is 91.50%.

Key Headlines Impacting Kroger

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 results beat on profit and margins: Kroger reported adjusted EPS above estimates, delivered gross‑margin expansion and 20% e‑commerce growth; management also rolled out FY‑26 adjusted EPS guidance above consensus and approved further buybacks — a clear catalyst for earnings per‑share growth. PR Newswire
• Positive Sentiment: Large, sustained capital returns: Management completed accelerated repurchases in 2025 and the board approved an additional $2B repurchase authorization on top of a $7.5B program; analysts and commentators say buybacks plus a growing dividend underpin long‑term per‑share upside. MarketBeat
• Positive Sentiment: Street support and upgrades: Several shops have reiterated/raised ratings and price targets (e.g., Roth MKM reaffirmed buy with a $78 PT; Telsey lifted its target), reinforcing positive sentiment into the print. Benzinga
• Positive Sentiment: Unusual bullish options flow: Call buying spiked (large single‑day activity), suggesting some traders are positioning for additional upside or event‑driven moves.
• Neutral Sentiment: New CEO’s playbook: Greg Foran is pushing lower prices, sharper promotions, AI and e‑commerce improvements to accelerate sales — a credible strategic pivot but execution and timing remain uncertain. FoodBusinessNews
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst consensus is broadly constructive (moderate buy), but median price targets leave limited near‑term upside absent stronger top‑line revisions. AmericanBankingNews
• Negative Sentiment: Revenue and sales outlook are muted: Q4 revenue slightly missed estimates and management offered modest identical‑sales guidance for 2026 (1–2% ex‑fuel), tempering a rally based solely on EPS strength. Retail Insight Network
• Negative Sentiment: Product recalls: Kroger‑branded and partner rice/frozen products were included in a glass‑fragment recall, creating short‑term inventory, sales and reputational headwinds in affected markets. MSN
• Negative Sentiment: Labor and legal exposure: Class‑action suits over e‑commerce worker classification and heightened union friction (Teamsters commentary) add regulatory/legal risk and potential costs. GroceryDive
• Negative Sentiment: Dividend sustainability question: Commentary flagged a high payout ratio on a GAAP basis (dividend > GAAP net income), which could worry income investors despite strong cash flow and buybacks. 24/7 Wall St.

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.