Te Ahumairangi Investment Management Ltd Purchases New Position in The Kroger Co. $KR

Te Ahumairangi Investment Management Ltd purchased a new stake in shares of The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm purchased 159,525 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $8,858,000. Kroger accounts for 1.4% of Te Ahumairangi Investment Management Ltd’s holdings, making the stock its 21st biggest position.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Ares Financial Consulting LLC purchased a new position in Kroger in the 4th quarter valued at about $25,000. MV Capital Management Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Kroger during the fourth quarter worth approximately $26,000. Whipplewood Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Kroger in the first quarter valued at about $27,000. Lloyd Advisory Services LLC. purchased a new stake in Kroger during the 4th quarter valued at about $28,000. Finally, Axiom Investment Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Kroger in the first quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.93% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities analysts have weighed in on KR shares. HC Wainwright reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Kroger in a report on Thursday, July 2nd. Barclays set a $61.00 target price on shares of Kroger and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Monday, June 22nd. Wall Street Zen cut Kroger from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, June 20th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price objective on Kroger from $72.00 to $70.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, June 11th. Finally, Evercore reissued an “outperform” rating and set a $78.00 price objective on shares of Kroger in a report on Tuesday, July 7th. Ten investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Kroger presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $72.00.

Kroger Trading Down 0.1%

Shares of Kroger stock opened at $57.86 on Monday. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $57.88 and a 200 day moving average price of $64.72. The company has a market capitalization of $35.45 billion, a P/E ratio of 34.04, a P/E/G ratio of 1.55 and a beta of 0.43. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.43, a current ratio of 0.79 and a quick ratio of 0.39. The Kroger Co. has a 1 year low of $54.15 and a 1 year high of $76.58.

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

Kroger Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Investors of record on Saturday, August 15th will be issued a $0.39 dividend. This is an increase from Kroger’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. This represents a $1.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 14th. Kroger’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 91.76%.

Key Kroger News

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Kroger’s dividend profile continues to attract attention from income-focused investors. Analysts reviewing the stock highlight its potential appeal as a dividend investment, which could support demand for the shares. Kroger Could Be a Great Choice
• Positive Sentiment: The company is expanding its Fold Bitcoin Gift Card offering after a successful pilot, adding another digital and cryptocurrency-related feature for customers. The initiative is strategically positive but is unlikely to materially affect near-term financial results. Kroger Expands Fold Bitcoin Gift Card Offering
• Positive Sentiment: Kroger is unveiling a remodeled store in Worthington, Ohio, reflecting continued investment in store quality and the customer experience. Kroger to Unveil Remodeled Store
• Neutral Sentiment: An ice cream brand sold at Kroger and other retailers filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The filing concerns the supplier’s ownership and future rather than Kroger’s finances, so the direct impact on KR appears limited. Ice Cream Brand Files for Chapter 11
• Neutral Sentiment: Kroger’s annual food-bank and peanut-butter donation efforts may support community goodwill but should have little direct effect on valuation. Kroger Holds Peanut Butter Drive
• Neutral Sentiment: Cincinnati officials limited protests near Kroger’s headquarters following complaints from a nearby small-business owner. The development reduces immediate disruption but highlights ongoing local tensions. Cincinnati Limits Kroger HQ Protests
• Negative Sentiment: Kroger plans to close 60 stores during 2026. Although closures could improve the portfolio by removing underperforming locations, the scale of the reductions raises concerns about sales, market presence and restructuring costs. Kroger to Shutter 60 Stores
• Negative Sentiment: Kroger faces a proposed $17 million class-action settlement involving pharmacy customers who used insurance for prescriptions. The settlement would create a financial cost and adds legal and reputational risk, though the amount is modest relative to Kroger’s scale. Kroger Pharmacy Settlement
• Negative Sentiment: Kroger agreed to pay $75,000 to resolve an EEOC disability-discrimination and retaliation lawsuit. The payment is financially immaterial but adds to legal and compliance headlines. Kroger EEOC Lawsuit Settlement

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.