Plato Investment Management Ltd Takes $1.12 Million Position in The Kroger Co. $KR

Plato Investment Management Ltd bought a new position in The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund bought 20,302 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,121,000.

Other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Allstate Corp grew its position in shares of Kroger by 108.5% in the fourth quarter. Allstate Corp now owns 47,991 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,998,000 after purchasing an additional 24,976 shares during the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its position in shares of Kroger by 1.1% during the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 77,169,425 shares of the company’s stock worth $4,821,546,000 after purchasing an additional 868,529 shares during the last quarter. Conning Inc. boosted its stake in Kroger by 10,178.7% during the 4th quarter. Conning Inc. now owns 507,459 shares of the company’s stock valued at $31,706,000 after purchasing an additional 502,522 shares during the period. Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbH boosted its stake in Kroger by 30.6% during the 4th quarter. Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbH now owns 894,217 shares of the company’s stock valued at $55,946,000 after purchasing an additional 209,264 shares during the period. Finally, North Dakota State Investment Board acquired a new stake in Kroger in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $1,299,000. Institutional investors own 80.93% of the company’s stock.

Key Stories Impacting Kroger

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Kroger is opening new Marketplace locations in metro Atlanta, expanding its larger-format grocery, general merchandise and prepared-food offering. A new store is also planned for Lenoir City, Tennessee, supporting the company’s long-term growth and local market presence. Kroger opens new Marketplace locations in metro Atlanta New Kroger grocery store coming to Lenoir City
• Neutral Sentiment: Rebel Creamery, whose ice cream products are sold at Kroger and other major retailers, filed for bankruptcy while appealing a multimillion-dollar judgment. The development could affect product availability, but appears unlikely to have a material direct impact on Kroger’s finances. Ice cream brand sold at Kroger files for bankruptcy
• Negative Sentiment: Kroger reportedly plans to close 60 U.S. stores in 2026, including locations tied to its Fry’s banner. The closures may improve efficiency and profitability, but they also signal weak store economics and could reduce sales and customer reach. Kroger to Close 60 Stores
• Negative Sentiment: Reports and social-media reactions highlight declining Kroger store traffic, raising concerns about competitive pressure, consumer behavior and the company’s ability to sustain sales growth. Kroger’s declining traffic
• Negative Sentiment: A jalapeño-related salmonella recall involving products sold at Kroger and other grocers creates potential reputational, compliance and customer-trust risks, although the financial impact is not yet clear. Products recalled over jalapeño salmonella outbreak
• Negative Sentiment: Kroger’s co-branded credit card with U.S. Bank is reportedly being discontinued, including changes to gas-discount benefits. Ending the program may frustrate shoppers and weaken loyalty incentives. Kroger’s credit card is going away

Kroger Trading Up 0.6%

KR stock opened at $56.39 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 current ratio of 0.79, a quick ratio of 0.39 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.43. The business’s 50 day moving average is $58.34 and its 200-day moving average is $64.84. The firm has a market cap of $34.55 billion, a P/E ratio of 33.17, a P/E/G ratio of 1.52 and a beta of 0.43.

Kroger (NYSE:KR) last posted its 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). The company had revenue of $46.12 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $45.59 billion. Kroger had a return on equity of 44.33% and a net margin of 0.71%.Kroger’s quarterly revenue was up 2.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $1.49 EPS. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.30 EPS. Equities analysts anticipate that The Kroger Co. will post 5.21 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Kroger Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Shareholders of record on Saturday, August 15th will be issued a dividend of $0.39 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 14th. This is a boost from Kroger’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. This represents a $1.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.8%. Kroger’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 91.76%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research analysts have commented on KR shares. Barclays set a $61.00 price target on Kroger and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Monday, June 22nd. Wells Fargo & Company set a $58.00 price objective on Kroger in a research report on Monday, June 22nd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price objective on shares of Kroger from $72.00 to $70.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, June 11th. Telsey Advisory Group set a $78.00 price target on shares of Kroger and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, June 22nd. Finally, Weiss Ratings lowered shares of Kroger from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research report on Thursday, June 18th. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $72.00.

About Kroger

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.