The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) Receives $74.19 Average Target Price from Brokerages

The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) has been assigned an average recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from the sixteen ratings firms that are covering the company, Marketbeat reports. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and eight have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12 month target price among brokerages that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $74.3750.

KR has been the topic of several research analyst reports. Guggenheim reissued a “buy” rating and set a $78.00 price target on shares of Kroger in a research note on Tuesday, February 10th. Wolfe Research reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $75.00 price objective on shares of Kroger in a report on Thursday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price objective on Kroger from $73.00 to $71.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, December 5th. Citigroup reissued a “neutral” rating and issued a $68.00 target price (down from $74.00) on shares of Kroger in a research note on Wednesday, December 10th. Finally, Roth Mkm restated a “buy” rating and set a $78.00 target price (up from $75.00) on shares of Kroger in a research report on Friday.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of KR. Ares Financial Consulting LLC acquired a new stake in Kroger during the 4th quarter worth $25,000. Princeton Global Asset Management LLC increased its holdings in Kroger by 268.1% in the fourth quarter. Princeton Global Asset Management LLC now owns 416 shares of the company’s stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 303 shares during the last quarter. MV Capital Management Inc. acquired a new position in Kroger in the fourth quarter valued at about $26,000. Atlantic Union Bankshares Corp acquired a new position in shares of Kroger during the 2nd quarter worth about $28,000. Finally, Lloyd Advisory Services LLC. acquired a new stake in shares of Kroger in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Institutional investors own 80.93% of the company’s stock.

Key Kroger News

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 results beat on profit and margins: Kroger reported adjusted EPS above estimates, delivered gross‑margin expansion and 20% e‑commerce growth; management also rolled out FY‑26 adjusted EPS guidance above consensus and approved further buybacks — a clear catalyst for earnings per‑share growth. PR Newswire
• Positive Sentiment: Large, sustained capital returns: Management completed accelerated repurchases in 2025 and the board approved an additional $2B repurchase authorization on top of a $7.5B program; analysts and commentators say buybacks plus a growing dividend underpin long‑term per‑share upside. MarketBeat
• Positive Sentiment: Street support and upgrades: Several shops have reiterated/raised ratings and price targets (e.g., Roth MKM reaffirmed buy with a $78 PT; Telsey lifted its target), reinforcing positive sentiment into the print. Benzinga
• Positive Sentiment: Unusual bullish options flow: Call buying spiked (large single‑day activity), suggesting some traders are positioning for additional upside or event‑driven moves.
• Neutral Sentiment: New CEO’s playbook: Greg Foran is pushing lower prices, sharper promotions, AI and e‑commerce improvements to accelerate sales — a credible strategic pivot but execution and timing remain uncertain. FoodBusinessNews
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst consensus is broadly constructive (moderate buy), but median price targets leave limited near‑term upside absent stronger top‑line revisions. AmericanBankingNews
• Negative Sentiment: Revenue and sales outlook are muted: Q4 revenue slightly missed estimates and management offered modest identical‑sales guidance for 2026 (1–2% ex‑fuel), tempering a rally based solely on EPS strength. Retail Insight Network
• Negative Sentiment: Product recalls: Kroger‑branded and partner rice/frozen products were included in a glass‑fragment recall, creating short‑term inventory, sales and reputational headwinds in affected markets. MSN
• Negative Sentiment: Labor and legal exposure: Class‑action suits over e‑commerce worker classification and heightened union friction (Teamsters commentary) add regulatory/legal risk and potential costs. GroceryDive
• Negative Sentiment: Dividend sustainability question: Commentary flagged a high payout ratio on a GAAP basis (dividend > GAAP net income), which could worry income investors despite strong cash flow and buybacks. 24/7 Wall St.

Kroger Stock Up 3.8%

NYSE KR opened at $74.31 on Friday. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $65.35 and its 200 day simple moving average is $65.85. Kroger has a one year low of $58.60 and a one year high of $74.90. The firm has a market cap of $47.03 billion, a PE ratio of 48.57, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.89 and a beta of 0.62. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.66, a current ratio of 0.80 and a quick ratio of 0.42.

Kroger (NYSE:KR) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, March 5th. The company reported $1.28 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.20 by $0.08. The business had revenue of $34.73 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $35.10 billion. Kroger had a return on equity of 41.08% and a net margin of 0.69%.The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 1.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $1.14 earnings per share. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.300 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Kroger will post 4.44 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Kroger Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Sunday, March 1st. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 13th were issued a dividend of $0.35 per share. This represents a $1.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.9%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 13th. 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.