The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) Receives $74.13 Consensus PT from Brokerages

The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) has earned a consensus recommendation of “Hold” from the seventeen analysts that are currently covering the stock, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and eight have given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12-month price objective among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $74.1250.

Several research analysts have recently commented on KR shares. Argus set a $85.00 price objective on Kroger in a report on Thursday, September 18th. UBS Group reiterated a “neutral” rating and set a $70.00 target price (down from $74.00) on shares of Kroger in a research report on Friday, December 5th. Roth Capital raised shares of Kroger from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $75.00 price target for the company in a research note on Wednesday, September 17th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price target on shares of Kroger from $73.00 to $71.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, December 5th. Finally, Telsey Advisory Group reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $80.00 price objective (down from $82.00) on shares of Kroger in a report on Monday, December 1st.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Kroger

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of KR. Brighton Jones LLC raised its holdings in Kroger by 27.3% during the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 15,733 shares of the company’s stock valued at $962,000 after buying an additional 3,373 shares during the last quarter. Capital Analysts LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Kroger during the first quarter worth about $36,000. T. Rowe Price Investment Management Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Kroger during the first quarter worth about $335,000. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD grew its stake in shares of Kroger by 1.6% in the first quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 965,081 shares of the company’s stock worth $65,327,000 after purchasing an additional 15,125 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Summit Financial LLC purchased a new position in Kroger during the 1st quarter valued at about $650,000. 80.93% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

More Kroger News

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Kroger’s Board approved an incremental $2.0 billion share-repurchase authorization, bringing available buyback capacity to roughly $2.9 billion — a clear shareholder-return signal that can support the stock while earnings/headwinds persist. Kroger’s Board of Directors Approves Additional $2.0 Billion Share Repurchase Authorization
• Positive Sentiment: Major business press picked up the buyback news and emphasized Kroger’s continued repurchases even as the stock has lagged, reinforcing management’s intent to use buybacks to support shareholder value. Kroger Board Boosts Stock-Buyback Program by $2 Billion The Kroger Co. Approves Additional $2 Billion Share Repurchase Authorization
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage notes Kroger has been buying stock while shares face downside pressure (possible worst month in three years), a mixed signal: buybacks are supportive, but market sentiment and short-term performance remain weak. Kroger’s stock may not seem so hot to investors, but the grocer keeps buying
• Neutral Sentiment: Multiple consumer guides list Kroger’s holiday hours and closures for Christmas Eve/Christmas Day — operational information that matters to local sales but is unlikely to move the stock materially. Are Lexington’s Publix, Kroger open Christmas Eve, Christmas Day? When you can shop Is Kroger Open on Christmas? Kroger’s holiday hours: Plan your last-minute Christmas shopping What grocery stores open on Christmas Eve? See hours for Publix, Kroger, more
• Negative Sentiment: A widely circulated report alleges a large “crime wave” impact that has forced the closure of dozens of Kroger stores and the loss of thousands of jobs — if realized at scale this would be a material operational and financial headwind; investors should watch for company confirmation or clarifying details. $112B crime wave wipes out 60 Kroger stores in retail bloodbath – 9,000 jobs lost

Kroger Stock Down 0.0%

KR opened at $62.27 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $39.40 billion, a P/E ratio of 57.65, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.75 and a beta of 0.58. Kroger has a one year low of $58.12 and a one year high of $74.90. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $65.36 and a 200-day moving average price of $67.79. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.28, a current ratio of 0.88 and a quick ratio of 0.45.

Kroger (NYSE:KR) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, December 4th. The company reported $1.05 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.03 by $0.02. The company had revenue of $33.86 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $34.27 billion. Kroger had a return on equity of 38.06% and a net margin of 0.54%.The firm’s quarterly revenue was up .7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $0.98 earnings per share. Kroger has set its FY 2025 guidance at 4.750-4.800 EPS. Equities research analysts expect that Kroger will post 4.44 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

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.