Wall Street Zen Upgrades Kroger (NYSE:KR) to “Buy”

Kroger (NYSE:KR) was upgraded by investment analysts at Wall Street Zen from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Monday, Wall Street Zen reports.

Other analysts also recently issued research reports about the stock. Roth Capital reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $73.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a report on Monday, September 14th. Citigroup reissued a “neutral” rating and issued a $57.00 price target (down from $61.00) on shares of Kroger in a report on Tuesday, September 1st. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a “buy” rating and set a $70.00 price objective on shares of Kroger in a research report on Wednesday, October 21st. Telsey Advisory Group reduced their price objective on Kroger from $78.00 to $75.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Monday, September 14th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company set a $60.00 target price on Kroger and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 21st. Twelve equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $70.35.

Kroger Stock Up 0.8%

KR stock opened at $68.58 on Monday. Kroger has a 1-year low of $54.15 and a 1-year high of $76.58. The business’s 50 day simple moving average is $62.08 and its 200 day simple moving average is $63.78. The company has a current ratio of 0.70, a quick ratio of 0.31 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.59. The firm has a market capitalization of $40.50 billion, a PE ratio of 13.60, a PEG ratio of 1.91 and a beta of 0.36.

Kroger (NYSE:KR) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Friday, September 11th. The company reported $1.09 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.05 by $0.04. Kroger had a return on equity of 49.90% and a net margin of 0.73%. The business had revenue of $34.62 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $34.64 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $1.04 EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 2.0% on a year-over-year basis. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.300 EPS. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Kroger will post 5.20 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Mary Adcock sold 72,901 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, September 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $60.70, for a total transaction of $4,425,090.70. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 175,233 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $10,636,643.10. This represents a 29.38% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. 0.41% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Kroger

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Axiom Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in Kroger during the first quarter valued at approximately $31,000. North Point Portfolio Managers Corp OH acquired a new stake in shares of Kroger in the 3rd quarter valued at $30,000. GK Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Kroger in the 3rd quarter valued at $33,000. Salomon & Ludwin LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Kroger by 979.6% in the 3rd quarter. Salomon & Ludwin LLC now owns 583 shares of the company’s stock valued at $34,000 after purchasing an additional 529 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Pinnacle Bancorp Inc. increased its stake in shares of Kroger by 75.0% in the 3rd quarter. Pinnacle Bancorp Inc. now owns 700 shares of the company’s stock valued at $41,000 after purchasing an additional 300 shares during the last quarter. 80.93% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Kroger News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks identified Kroger as a top-ranked value stock, which may attract investors seeking reasonably valued shares; the article does not provide a new earnings or business catalyst. Kroger is a Top-Ranked Value Stock: Should You Buy?
• Positive Sentiment: Wall Street Zen raised its rating on Kroger to Buy, adding another favorable analyst signal, though the article details were limited. Kroger Stock Rating Raised to Buy at Wall Street Zen
• Neutral Sentiment: Kroger is promoting Thanksgiving meal shortcuts and distinctive food options. Seasonal merchandising could support holiday shopping, but no sales or profit impact was reported. Kroger offers shortcuts and curveballs for Thanksgiving tables
• Neutral Sentiment: A 10% Veterans Day discount for veterans and military families is a customer promotion; its financial effect is unclear. Kroger offers 10% Veterans Day discount
• Negative Sentiment: A report highlighted Kroger’s persistent price premium versus Walmart, citing a Consumer Reports estimate of 14.8%. That gap could make it harder to compete for price-sensitive shoppers and may pressure market share. Kroger and Albertsons’ CEOs Just Signaled the Walmart Price Gap Is Here to Stay

About Kroger

The Kroger Co. is a U.S. grocery retailer founded in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1883 by Bernard Kroger. It operates supermarkets and other grocery formats across the United States under banners including Kroger, Ralphs, Fred Meyer, Harris Teeter, King Soopers, and Smith’s. Alongside groceries and household essentials, Kroger stores offer services such as pharmacies and fuel centers. The company also sells products under its own private-label brands and produces many of those items through its food manufacturing operations.