The Kroger Co. $KR Stock Sold by Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc.

Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. lessened its position in The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) by 1.1% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 1,570,741 shares of the company’s stock after selling 16,688 shares during the quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc.’s holdings in Kroger were worth $92,077,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of KR. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. acquired a new stake in shares of Kroger during the third quarter worth about $8,427,000. ProShare Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of Kroger by 0.6% in the third quarter. ProShare Advisors LLC now owns 112,065 shares of the company’s stock valued at $6,569,000 after purchasing an additional 643 shares during the period. Vise Technologies Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Kroger by 34.3% in the third quarter. Vise Technologies Inc. now owns 55,621 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,260,000 after purchasing an additional 14,212 shares in the last quarter. Cidel Asset Management Inc. lifted its holdings in Kroger by 11.3% during the 3rd quarter. Cidel Asset Management Inc. now owns 15,154 shares of the company’s stock worth $888,000 after buying an additional 1,540 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Intrua Financial LLC acquired a new stake in Kroger during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $214,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.93% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other 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 completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 175,233 shares in the company, valued at approximately $10,636,643.10. This trade represents a 29.38% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.41% of the company’s stock.

Kroger Trading Up 2.5%

NYSE:KR opened at $68.45 on Tuesday. The firm has a market cap of $40.42 billion, a P/E ratio of 37.20, a PEG ratio of 1.83 and a beta of 0.36. 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 stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $60.85 and its 200-day simple moving average is $63.62. The Kroger Co. has a 12-month low of $54.15 and a 12-month high of $76.58.

Kroger (NYSE:KR) last released its quarterly earnings results on Friday, September 11th. The company reported $1.09 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.05 by $0.04. Kroger had a return on equity of 49.90% and a net margin of 0.73%. The business had revenue of $34.62 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $34.64 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business 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. Equities analysts anticipate that The Kroger Co. will post 5.20 EPS for the current year.

Kroger Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 1st. Shareholders of record on Monday, November 16th will be given a dividend of $0.39 per share. The ex-dividend date is Monday, November 16th. This represents a $1.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.3%. Kroger’s dividend payout ratio is presently 84.78%.

Trending Headlines about Kroger

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Unusually high call-option buying indicates increased bullish positioning among some traders, though options activity is speculative and does not guarantee further gains. Kroger Stock Sees Unusually High Call Option Buying
• Positive Sentiment: Kroger is proposing a new store in Butler Township, supporting the company’s broader growth strategy and potential future sales. New Kroger store proposed in Butler Township
• Positive Sentiment: A “Connected” store is using robots, RFID and artificial intelligence to improve inventory management and operating efficiency, potentially helping Kroger control costs and improve the shopping experience. Kroger’s Connected Store Puts Robots, RFID and AI at the Center of Operations
• Positive Sentiment: Kroger’s plan to open 110 new stores, with redesigned layouts aimed at budget-conscious shoppers, could support long-term growth and customer retention. Kroger plans 110 new stores
• Neutral Sentiment: The Kroger-Albertsons trial ended with a request for additional information, leaving the deal’s outcome and any potential synergies uncertain. The extended process may keep merger-related volatility elevated. Kroger, Albertsons trial ends with request for more information
• Negative Sentiment: Reports that more Kroger and Albertsons locations will close in 2026 highlight competitive pressure from Walmart, Amazon and other retailers, and could weigh on sales growth and restructuring costs. More Kroger and Albertsons locations will close in 2026
• Negative Sentiment: Wall Street Zen downgraded Kroger, adding a negative analyst signal despite the stock’s recent strength. Kroger Stock Gets Downgrade from Wall Street Zen

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research analysts recently issued reports on KR shares. Guggenheim reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $68.00 target price (up from $66.00) on shares of Kroger in a report on Wednesday, October 21st. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a “buy” rating and issued a $70.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a report on Wednesday, October 21st. Wells Fargo & Company set a $60.00 price target on shares of Kroger and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 21st. Melius Research set a $80.00 price target on shares of Kroger and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, September 29th. Finally, Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Kroger in a research note on Monday, September 14th. Twelve equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $70.35.

About Kroger

The Kroger Co is a U.S. food and grocery retailer headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. Founded by Bernard Kroger in 1883, the company operates supermarkets under banners that include Kroger, Ralphs, Fred Meyer, King Soopers, Fry’s, Harris Teeter and Smith’s, among others.

Kroger’s business includes the sale of fresh food, groceries, general merchandise, household products and health and beauty items. Many of its stores also provide pharmacy services and fuel centers. The company offers digital shopping, pickup and delivery services, loyalty programs and a range of private-label products, including Simple Truth, Private Selection and Kroger-branded products.

Kroger primarily serves customers across the United States, with stores concentrated in the Midwest, South, West and parts of the Mid-Atlantic region.