SBI Okasan Asset Management Co.Ltd. Invests $721,000 in The Kroger Co. $KR

SBI Okasan Asset Management Co.Ltd. acquired a new position in shares of The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor acquired 11,500 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $721,000.

Several other large investors also recently modified their holdings of KR. Wellington Management Group LLP grew its holdings in Kroger by 61.1% in the third quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 33,367,551 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,249,307,000 after purchasing an additional 12,652,261 shares during the period. Allianz Asset Management GmbH grew its holdings in Kroger by 66.6% in the third quarter. Allianz Asset Management GmbH now owns 5,255,084 shares of the company’s stock worth $354,245,000 after purchasing an additional 2,100,444 shares during the period. Worldquant Millennium Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Kroger by 299.6% in the second quarter. Worldquant Millennium Advisors LLC now owns 2,420,495 shares of the company’s stock worth $173,622,000 after purchasing an additional 1,814,721 shares during the period. Raymond James Financial Inc. grew its holdings in Kroger by 95.6% in the second quarter. Raymond James Financial Inc. now owns 2,434,663 shares of the company’s stock worth $174,638,000 after purchasing an additional 1,190,127 shares during the period. Finally, Alyeska Investment Group L.P. grew its holdings in Kroger by 51.0% in the third quarter. Alyeska Investment Group L.P. now owns 2,991,513 shares of the company’s stock worth $201,658,000 after purchasing an additional 1,010,457 shares during the period. 80.93% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Key Headlines Impacting Kroger

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks pieces frame Kroger as potentially undervalued and a possible dividend/value pick versus Walmart, which may support investor interest in the stock. Are Investors Undervaluing The Kroger Co. (KR) Right Now?
• Positive Sentiment: Kroger received a 2026 Gold Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health for the fifth straight year, reinforcing its employer brand and suggesting continued focus on workforce stability and culture. Kroger Earns Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health for Fifth Consecutive Year
• Neutral Sentiment: Additional commentary highlights KR as a candidate for dividend-focused investors, but this is largely a reiteration of Kroger’s existing income profile rather than a fresh catalyst. Kroger (KR) Could Be a Great Choice
• Neutral Sentiment: Industry comparison articles such as KR vs. WMT are more about relative valuation than a company-specific development, so they are likely having only a limited direct impact. KR vs. WMT: Which Stock Is the Better Value Option?
• Negative Sentiment: A report that Kroger is facing a costly store fix after a federal lawsuit could pressure margins and raise concerns about legal and compliance-related expenses. Kroger forced to make costly store fix after federal lawsuit
• Negative Sentiment: News that Kroger’s North American Ocado fulfillment centers were shut in part due to weaker-than-expected demand is a reminder of previous technology/investment missteps, which may weigh on investor confidence. UK grocer Asda taps Ocado to revamp online business
• Negative Sentiment: Reports of multiple executive departures under new CEO Greg Foran add leadership uncertainty at a time when the company is still being reshaped. Kroger loses four top executives under new CEO Greg Foran

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities research analysts have commented on the stock. Morgan Stanley set a $73.00 price target on shares of Kroger and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Thursday, March 5th. Citigroup raised their price target on shares of Kroger from $68.00 to $71.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Monday, March 9th. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Kroger from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Saturday, April 4th. Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Kroger in a report on Friday, March 27th. Finally, Telsey Advisory Group raised their price target on shares of Kroger from $80.00 to $82.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $74.87.

Kroger Price Performance

KR opened at $62.25 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $38.14 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 40.69, a PEG ratio of 1.69 and a beta of 0.46. The company has a quick ratio of 0.42, a current ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.66. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $68.56 and a 200-day moving average price of $66.75. The Kroger Co. has a twelve month low of $58.60 and a twelve month high of $76.58.

Kroger (NYSE:KR) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, March 5th. The company reported $1.28 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.20 by $0.08. The company had revenue of $34.73 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $35.10 billion. Kroger had a net margin of 0.69% and a return on equity of 41.08%. Kroger’s revenue for the quarter was up 1.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $1.14 earnings per share. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.300 EPS. Equities analysts expect that The Kroger Co. will post 5.24 EPS for the current year.

Kroger Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 1st. Investors of record on Friday, May 15th will be paid a dividend of $0.35 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 15th. This represents a $1.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.2%. Kroger’s payout ratio is currently 91.50%.

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.