Financial Enhancement Group LLC Buys 13,157 Shares of The Kroger Co. $KR

Financial Enhancement Group LLC raised its position in The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) by 10.7% during the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 135,976 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 13,157 shares during the quarter. Financial Enhancement Group LLC’s holdings in Kroger were worth $8,057,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the company. BlackRock Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Kroger during the 2nd quarter valued at about $3,016,956,000. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP increased its holdings in Kroger by 0.4% in the first quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 12,296,026 shares of the company’s stock worth $889,878,000 after buying an additional 53,625 shares during the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE raised its position in Kroger by 17.0% during the first quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 6,041,028 shares of the company’s stock valued at $437,129,000 after acquiring an additional 876,168 shares in the last quarter. Legal & General Group Plc bought a new position in Kroger during the second quarter valued at approximately $284,501,000. Finally, Amundi lifted its stake in Kroger by 18.3% in the second quarter. Amundi now owns 3,942,230 shares of the company’s stock valued at $218,912,000 after acquiring an additional 610,039 shares during the last quarter. 80.93% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Transactions at Kroger

In other Kroger news, EVP Mary Adcock sold 72,901 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, September 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $60.70, for a total value of $4,425,090.70. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 175,233 shares in the company, valued at $10,636,643.10. This trade represents a 29.38% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. 0.41% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts have recently weighed in on KR shares. UBS Group restated a “neutral” rating on shares of Kroger in a report on Friday, September 4th. Morgan Stanley reduced their target price on Kroger from $73.00 to $67.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a report on Monday, June 22nd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price target on Kroger from $72.00 to $70.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, June 11th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $68.00 price objective on shares of Kroger in a report on Wednesday, September 9th. Finally, Melius Research set a $80.00 target price on shares of Kroger and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, September 29th. Twelve analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Kroger has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $69.82.

Key Stories Impacting Kroger

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Kroger is expanding its private-label offerings as shoppers seek lower prices amid inflation. Greater house-brand penetration could support customer traffic, loyalty and margins over time. Why you’ll see more house brands at your Kroger
• Positive Sentiment: Fuel rewards are reportedly becoming an increasingly important customer benefit, helping Kroger compete with Costco and other retailers while encouraging repeat grocery visits. Kroger and Costco help shoppers cut a major expense
• Positive Sentiment: Kroger is bringing back Boar’s Head deli products after a dispute, restoring a recognized brand that may improve deli traffic and customer choice. Kroger brings back Boar’s Head deli products
• Positive Sentiment: Plans for a new store in a fast-growing market, targeted for late 2027, point to longer-term sales and market-share expansion, although the financial benefit is not immediate. Kroger aims to open new store in fast-growing city in late 2027
• Neutral Sentiment: A new PAW Patrol packaged snack product is launching nationwide at Kroger, adding to its assortment but likely having only a modest effect on companywide results. INCREDIFULLS PAW PATROL PB&J CUPS LAUNCH NATIONWIDE AT KROGER
• Neutral Sentiment: Weekly promotions, discounted California wine and holiday store-hour coverage reinforce Kroger’s value positioning, but heavier promotions could pressure gross margins. California wine glut sends premium bottles to Costco, Aldi and Kroger at bargain prices
• Negative Sentiment: Albertsons alleges Kroger destroyed evidence related to the failed merger litigation. The accusation could prolong legal proceedings, increase costs and renew investor concerns about governance and regulatory execution. Albertsons accuses Kroger of destroying key piece of evidence in merger

Kroger Stock Performance

KR traded up $2.08 during midday trading on Thursday, reaching $61.33. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 8,301,754 shares, compared to its average volume of 7,025,370. The company has a current ratio of 0.70, a quick ratio of 0.31 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.59. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $58.27 and a 200 day simple moving average of $62.03. The stock has a market cap of $36.22 billion, a P/E ratio of 33.33, a PEG ratio of 1.60 and a beta of 0.36. The Kroger Co. has a twelve month low of $54.15 and a twelve month high of $76.58.

Kroger (NYSE:KR) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Friday, September 11th. The company reported $1.09 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.05 by $0.04. Kroger had a return on equity of 49.90% and a net margin of 0.73%.The company had revenue of $34.62 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $34.64 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $1.04 earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 2.0% compared to the same quarter last year. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.300 EPS. Research analysts expect that The Kroger Co. will post 5.19 earnings per share for the current year.

Kroger Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 1st. Shareholders of record on Monday, November 16th will be issued a $0.39 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, November 16th. This represents a $1.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.5%. Kroger’s dividend payout ratio is 84.78%.

About Kroger

The Kroger Co is a U.S.-based food and consumer goods retailer headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. Founded in 1883 by Bernard Kroger, the company has grown into one of the largest supermarket operators in the United States.

Kroger operates supermarkets, multi-department stores, marketplace-format stores, pharmacies and fuel centers. Its stores sell groceries, fresh produce, meat, seafood, bakery and deli products, household essentials, health and beauty items, and general merchandise. The company also offers digital shopping, pickup and delivery services, loyalty programs, and a range of private-label products.

The company serves customers across numerous U.S.