Livforsakringsbolaget Skandia Omsesidigt Increases Stock Holdings in The Kroger Co. $KR

Livforsakringsbolaget Skandia Omsesidigt grew its stake in The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) by 9.9% during the first quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 256,586 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 23,200 shares during the quarter. Livforsakringsbolaget Skandia Omsesidigt’s holdings in Kroger were worth $18,561,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other large investors have also modified their holdings of the stock. Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C. grew its position in Kroger by 4.5% in the 4th quarter. Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C. now owns 3,537 shares of the company’s stock valued at $221,000 after buying an additional 153 shares during the last quarter. PFG Investments LLC increased its stake in Kroger by 3.3% in the 1st quarter. PFG Investments LLC now owns 4,899 shares of the company’s stock valued at $354,000 after buying an additional 157 shares during the period. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC raised its position in Kroger by 1.5% during the 4th quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 10,747 shares of the company’s stock worth $674,000 after buying an additional 162 shares during the last quarter. Stephens Inc. AR raised its position in Kroger by 1.0% during the 4th quarter. Stephens Inc. AR now owns 17,995 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,124,000 after buying an additional 174 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Phillips Wealth Planners LLC lifted its stake in shares of Kroger by 3.6% in the 4th quarter. Phillips Wealth Planners LLC now owns 5,348 shares of the company’s stock worth $342,000 after acquiring an additional 188 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.93% of the company’s stock.

Kroger Stock Performance

NYSE KR 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 company has a market capitalization of $35.94 billion, a P/E ratio of 34.51, a PEG ratio of 1.59 and a beta of 0.44. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $62.18 and a 200 day moving average price of $65.70. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.43, a current ratio of 0.79 and a quick ratio of 0.39.

Kroger (NYSE:KR) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, June 18th. The company reported $1.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.59 by ($0.01). The firm had revenue of $46.12 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $45.59 billion. Kroger had a return on equity of 44.33% and a net margin of 0.71%.The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $1.49 earnings per share. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.30 EPS. Sell-side analysts expect that The Kroger Co. will post 5.21 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Kroger Increases Dividend

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

Kroger News Roundup

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

A number of research analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Weiss Ratings lowered shares of Kroger from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research note on Thursday, June 18th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price objective on shares of Kroger from $72.00 to $70.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, June 11th. Morgan Stanley lowered their price objective on Kroger from $73.00 to $67.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, June 22nd. Wells Fargo & Company set a $58.00 target price on Kroger in a research report on Monday, June 22nd. Finally, Guggenheim reissued a “buy” rating and set a $71.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a research note on Thursday, July 2nd. Ten investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $72.00.

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.