Dana Investment Advisors Inc. Has $24.19 Million Stock Position in The Kroger Co. $KR

Dana Investment Advisors Inc. reduced its position in The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) by 5.2% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 387,091 shares of the company’s stock after selling 21,374 shares during the period. Kroger comprises 0.7% of Dana Investment Advisors Inc.’s holdings, making the stock its 25th largest position. Dana Investment Advisors Inc.’s holdings in Kroger were worth $24,185,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of KR. Ares Financial Consulting LLC acquired a new stake in Kroger in the 4th quarter valued at about $25,000. Princeton Global Asset Management LLC lifted its stake in Kroger by 268.1% in the 4th quarter. Princeton Global Asset Management LLC now owns 416 shares of the company’s stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 303 shares during the last quarter. Avalon Trust Co acquired a new stake in Kroger in the 3rd quarter valued at about $29,000. JPL Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in Kroger in the 3rd quarter valued at about $31,000. Finally, Westside Investment Management Inc. lifted its stake in Kroger by 100.0% in the 3rd quarter. Westside Investment Management Inc. now owns 490 shares of the company’s stock valued at $33,000 after purchasing an additional 245 shares during the last quarter. 80.93% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Key Stories Impacting Kroger

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Harris Teeter, a Kroger banner, launched a week-long customer appreciation sale with daily deals and 4x fuel points, which could support traffic and sales at the grocery chain. Harris Teeter Offers VIC Card Members Daily Deals, 4x Fuel Points During Week-Long Customer Appreciation Sale May 13-19
• Positive Sentiment: Several articles highlighted the Kroger Queen City Championship and local golfers, keeping the company’s brand visible in a community event that can reinforce customer engagement. Xavier University golfers bring hometown buzz to Kroger Queen City Championship
• Positive Sentiment: The company’s recent share-price softness may be attracting value-focused investors who see potential upside after a multi-month pullback. Is Kroger (KR) Offering Opportunity After Recent Share Price Softness?

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several brokerages recently issued reports on KR. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Kroger from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Saturday, April 4th. Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $82.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a research note on Thursday, March 5th. Barclays reiterated a “positive” rating on shares of Kroger in a research note on Monday, February 9th. Morgan Stanley set a $73.00 price target on shares of Kroger and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Thursday, March 5th. Finally, Telsey Advisory Group increased their price target on shares of Kroger from $80.00 to $82.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, March 5th. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $74.56.

Kroger Stock Down 1.1%

Kroger stock opened at $66.08 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $40.48 billion, a P/E ratio of 43.19, a P/E/G ratio of 1.78 and a beta of 0.46. The company has a quick ratio of 0.42, a current ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.66. The Kroger Co. has a twelve month low of $58.60 and a twelve month high of $76.58. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $69.99 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $66.65.

Kroger (NYSE:KR) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, March 5th. The company reported $1.28 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.20 by $0.08. The firm had revenue of $34.73 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $35.10 billion. Kroger had a net margin of 0.69% and a return on equity of 41.08%. The business’s revenue was up 1.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $1.14 EPS. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.300 EPS. As a group, analysts expect that The Kroger Co. will post 5.24 EPS for the current year.

Kroger Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 1st. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 15th will be issued a dividend of $0.35 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 15th. This represents a $1.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.1%. Kroger’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 91.50%.

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.