The Kroger Co. $KR Shares Sold by Wellington Management Group LLP

Wellington Management Group LLP lowered its position in The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) by 27.9% in the second quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 16,920,677 shares of the company’s stock after selling 6,549,346 shares during the quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP’s holdings in Kroger were worth $939,605,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C. lifted its holdings in shares of Kroger by 4.5% in the 4th quarter. Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C. now owns 3,537 shares of the company’s stock valued at $221,000 after buying an additional 153 shares during the period. PFG Investments LLC grew its stake in shares of Kroger by 3.3% during the 1st quarter. PFG Investments LLC now owns 4,899 shares of the company’s stock worth $354,000 after purchasing an additional 157 shares during the period. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Kroger by 1.5% during the 4th quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 10,747 shares of the company’s stock worth $674,000 after purchasing an additional 162 shares during the period. Stephens Inc. AR increased its holdings in shares of Kroger by 1.0% in the 4th quarter. Stephens Inc. AR now owns 17,995 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,124,000 after purchasing an additional 174 shares in the last quarter. Finally, ROI Financial Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of Kroger by 2.0% in the first quarter. ROI Financial Advisors LLC now owns 8,943 shares of the company’s stock valued at $647,000 after purchasing an additional 175 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.93% of the company’s stock.

Kroger Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE KR opened at $57.73 on Friday. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $57.63 and a 200-day simple moving average of $64.45. 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 company has a market cap of $35.37 billion, a PE ratio of 33.96, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.55 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.

Kroger (NYSE:KR) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, June 18th. The company reported $1.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.59 by ($0.01). The business had revenue of $46.12 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $45.59 billion. Kroger had a return on equity of 44.33% and a net margin of 0.71%.Kroger’s revenue for the quarter 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. On average, equities analysts anticipate that The Kroger Co. will post 5.21 earnings per share for the current year.

Kroger Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Stockholders of record on Saturday, August 15th will be paid a $0.39 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 14th. This represents a $1.56 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.7%. This is an increase from Kroger’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. Kroger’s dividend payout ratio is presently 91.76%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research analysts have weighed in on KR shares. Weiss Ratings lowered shares of Kroger from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research report on Thursday, June 18th. HC Wainwright restated a “buy” rating on shares of Kroger in a report on Thursday, July 2nd. Wells Fargo & Company set a $58.00 price objective on Kroger in a report on Monday, June 22nd. Guggenheim reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $71.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a research report on Thursday, July 2nd. Finally, Citigroup dropped their price target on Kroger from $71.00 to $61.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, June 23rd. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Kroger currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $72.00.

Key Stories Impacting Kroger

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

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.