The Kroger Co. $KR Shares Sold by Kovitz Investment Group Partners LLC

Kovitz Investment Group Partners LLC cut its position in shares of The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) by 59.1% in the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 95,265 shares of the company’s stock after selling 137,654 shares during the period. Kovitz Investment Group Partners LLC’s holdings in Kroger were worth $5,952,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C. increased its position in Kroger by 4.5% during the 4th quarter. Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C. now owns 3,537 shares of the company’s stock worth $221,000 after purchasing an additional 153 shares in the last quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC lifted its position in Kroger by 1.5% during the fourth quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 10,747 shares of the company’s stock valued at $674,000 after buying an additional 162 shares in the last quarter. Stephens Inc. AR grew its stake in Kroger by 1.0% during the fourth quarter. Stephens Inc. AR now owns 17,995 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,124,000 after buying an additional 174 shares during the period. Phillips Wealth Planners LLC grew its stake in Kroger by 3.6% during the fourth quarter. Phillips Wealth Planners LLC now owns 5,348 shares of the company’s stock worth $342,000 after buying an additional 188 shares during the period. Finally, Zions Bancorporation National Association UT increased its position in shares of Kroger by 59.6% in the fourth quarter. Zions Bancorporation National Association UT now owns 509 shares of the company’s stock worth $32,000 after acquiring an additional 190 shares in the last quarter. 80.93% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Kroger Stock Performance

Shares of KR opened at $56.57 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $34.65 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 33.27, a PEG ratio of 1.59 and a beta of 0.42. The company has a quick ratio of 0.42, a current ratio of 0.79 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.43. The business’s 50 day moving average is $65.51 and its two-hundred day moving average is $66.33. The Kroger Co. has a 52-week low of $56.32 and a 52-week high of $76.58.

Kroger (NYSE:KR) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, June 18th. The company reported $1.58 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.59 by ($0.01). The company 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%.The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 2.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $1.49 EPS. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.30 EPS. Analysts forecast that The Kroger Co. will post 5.25 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research firms recently weighed in on KR. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their target price on shares of Kroger from $72.00 to $70.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, June 11th. BMO Capital Markets reissued a “market perform” rating and issued a $70.00 price objective on shares of Kroger in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. Weiss Ratings cut Kroger from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research note on Thursday. The Goldman Sachs Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $82.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a research report on Friday. Finally, Wall Street Zen lowered Kroger from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Kroger presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $75.12.

Kroger News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Revenue came in above expectations at $46.12 billion, and Kroger said identical sales excluding fuel rose 1.0%, showing demand for groceries and essentials remains resilient. Kroger Q1 Earnings Miss Despite Revenue Beat & E-commerce Growth
• Positive Sentiment: Digital growth was a bright spot: e-commerce sales increased 19%, and Kroger’s media segment turned profitable, which supports the company’s longer-term growth strategy. The Kroger Co (KR) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Highlights: Strong eCommerce Growth and Profitability …
• Neutral Sentiment: Management reaffirmed full-year guidance, which may calm some investors, but it was not enough to offset concerns about near-term profitability. Kroger Reports First Quarter 2026 Results
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst commentary is split, with some viewing the selloff as a value opportunity while others say margin pressure and cautious consumers make the stock less attractive in the near term. Why Kroger’s Pullback Could Be a Gift for Patient Investors
• Negative Sentiment: Adjusted EPS of $1.58 missed estimates by a penny, and investors reacted strongly to signs that pricing investments and higher operating costs are pressuring margins. Kroger Q1 Earnings Miss Despite Revenue Beat & E-commerce Growth
• Negative Sentiment: Several reports noted that consumers are under pressure and that Kroger’s cost growth is outrunning sales growth, which is the main reason shares sold off after earnings. Kroger beats quarterly sales estimates

Kroger Profile

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.