Empowered Funds LLC Acquires 16,262 Shares of The Kroger Co. $KR

Empowered Funds LLC lifted its holdings in shares of The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) by 7.3% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 238,761 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 16,262 shares during the quarter. Empowered Funds LLC’s holdings in Kroger were worth $13,258,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of KR. Brighton Jones LLC increased its stake in Kroger by 27.3% during the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 15,733 shares of the company’s stock worth $962,000 after purchasing an additional 3,373 shares in the last quarter. Woodline Partners LP lifted its stake in Kroger by 40.7% in the first quarter. Woodline Partners LP now owns 56,243 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,807,000 after buying an additional 16,270 shares in the last quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC acquired a new position in shares of Kroger in the second quarter valued at approximately $201,000. NewEdge Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Kroger by 11.5% in the second quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 97,288 shares of the company’s stock valued at $6,978,000 after buying an additional 10,051 shares during the period. Finally, Nebula Research & Development LLC bought a new stake in shares of Kroger during the second quarter worth $1,840,000. Institutional investors own 80.93% of the company’s stock.

Kroger Stock Performance

Shares of KR opened at $57.73 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $35.37 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 33.96, a PEG ratio of 1.53 and a beta of 0.43. The Kroger Co. has a 12 month low of $54.15 and a 12 month high of $76.58. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $57.63 and a 200 day simple moving average of $64.45. 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 issued 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 business had revenue of $46.12 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $45.59 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $1.49 earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 2.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.30 EPS. Research analysts forecast that The Kroger Co. will post 5.21 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Kroger Increases Dividend

The business 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. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 14th. This is a boost from Kroger’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. This represents a $1.56 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.7%. Kroger’s dividend payout ratio is currently 91.76%.

Key Kroger News

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Kroger announced its 2026 Wellness Tour, with September in-store and community events intended to increase customer engagement and reinforce the company’s health-and-wellness offerings. The initiative is strategically positive, though its near-term financial impact is likely limited. Kroger Wellness Tour announcement
• Positive Sentiment: Unusually heavy call-option activity, with purchases more than double the typical daily volume, suggests increased bullish speculative interest. However, options activity does not guarantee sustained buying in the stock.
• Neutral Sentiment: Murray’s Cheese, a Kroger brand, expanded its premium cave-aged collection to select Harris Teeter stores in Charlotte. The launch supports product differentiation and potentially higher-margin sales but is unlikely to materially affect companywide results. Murray’s Cheese Harris Teeter launch
• Neutral Sentiment: Kroger’s recent earnings showed revenue growth and earnings ahead of the prior-year period, but earnings per share narrowly missed estimates. Management’s fiscal-year EPS guidance remains a key factor for investors assessing whether the current valuation is justified.
• Negative Sentiment: Industry data indicated Kroger’s foot traffic declined in July as the broader supermarket sector also struggled. Persistent traffic weakness could pressure comparable sales and raise concerns about consumer demand. Kroger July foot traffic report
• Negative Sentiment: Kroger agreed to pay $17 million to settle a class-action lawsuit alleging prescription-drug pricing practices. The cash cost is manageable relative to Kroger’s size, but the settlement adds legal expense and reputational risk. Kroger prescription pricing settlement
• Negative Sentiment: Sony Music sued Kroger over alleged unauthorized use of songs in social-media advertising, creating another potential legal liability. The financial impact is uncertain, but the lawsuit adds to investor concerns following the pharmacy settlement. Sony Music lawsuit against Kroger

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts recently commented on KR shares. UBS Group set a $63.00 price objective on shares of Kroger and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Monday, June 22nd. Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $80.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a report on Wednesday, June 3rd. Wells Fargo & Company set a $58.00 price target on Kroger in a research note on Monday, June 22nd. Evercore restated an “outperform” rating and issued a $78.00 price target on shares of Kroger in a report on Tuesday, July 7th. Finally, Guggenheim reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $71.00 price objective on shares of Kroger in a research report on Thursday, July 2nd. Ten investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $72.00.

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.