Securian Asset Management Inc. Sells 12,798 Shares of The Kroger Co. $KR

Securian Asset Management Inc. reduced its stake in shares of The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR – Free Report) by 43.6% during the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 16,577 shares of the company’s stock after selling 12,798 shares during the quarter. Securian Asset Management Inc.’s holdings in Kroger were worth $1,036,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Wellington Management Group LLP boosted its stake in shares of Kroger by 61.1% during the 3rd quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 33,367,551 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,249,307,000 after purchasing an additional 12,652,261 shares in the last quarter. Allianz Asset Management GmbH raised its stake in Kroger by 66.6% in the third quarter. Allianz Asset Management GmbH now owns 5,255,084 shares of the company’s stock worth $354,245,000 after buying an additional 2,100,444 shares in the last quarter. Worldquant Millennium Advisors LLC raised its stake in Kroger by 299.6% in the second quarter. Worldquant Millennium Advisors LLC now owns 2,420,495 shares of the company’s stock worth $173,622,000 after buying an additional 1,814,721 shares in the last quarter. Raymond James Financial Inc. lifted its holdings in Kroger by 95.6% in the second quarter. Raymond James Financial Inc. now owns 2,434,663 shares of the company’s stock worth $174,638,000 after buying an additional 1,190,127 shares during the period. Finally, Alyeska Investment Group L.P. boosted its position in Kroger by 51.0% during the 3rd quarter. Alyeska Investment Group L.P. now owns 2,991,513 shares of the company’s stock valued at $201,658,000 after acquiring an additional 1,010,457 shares in the last quarter. 80.93% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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Kroger Stock Performance

Kroger stock opened at $64.63 on Wednesday. The Kroger Co. has a twelve month low of $58.60 and a twelve month high of $76.58. The company has a quick ratio of 0.42, a current ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.66. The company has a market capitalization of $39.59 billion, a P/E ratio of 42.24, a PEG ratio of 1.72 and a beta of 0.46. The stock’s 50 day moving average is $70.12 and its 200 day moving average is $66.67.

Kroger (NYSE:KR – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data 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. Kroger had a return on equity of 41.08% and a net margin of 0.69%.The business had revenue of $34.73 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $35.10 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $1.14 earnings per share. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 1.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.300 EPS. On average, equities research analysts predict that The Kroger Co. will post 5.24 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Kroger Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 1st. Investors of record on Friday, May 15th will be paid a $0.35 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 15th. This represents a $1.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.2%. Kroger’s payout ratio is presently 91.50%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

KR has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. Guggenheim reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $78.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a report on Tuesday, February 10th. Morgan Stanley set a $73.00 price target on Kroger and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Kroger in a research note on Friday, March 27th. Citigroup increased their price objective on Kroger from $68.00 to $71.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Monday, March 9th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company cut shares of Kroger from an “overweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and dropped their target price for the company from $70.00 to $68.00 in a report on Wednesday, February 25th. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $74.56.

Read Our Latest Research Report on KR

More Kroger News

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Higher grocery inflation in April could support Kroger’s pricing power and help offset some cost pressures, which may be constructive for margins if consumers keep absorbing higher food prices. US Inflation Accelerates to 3.8% in April as Energy and Grocery Prices Surge
• Neutral Sentiment: News that Kroger completed a $1.4 million store renovation in Cedar Springs and launched an exclusive 7UP Mandarin Orange product reflects ongoing merchandising and store-investment activity, but these items are unlikely to move the stock meaningfully on their own. Kroger completes $1.4M Cedar Springs store upgrade Kroger adds exclusive new Coca-Cola rival soda
• Neutral Sentiment: Recent commentary highlighting Kroger’s “robust margin” performance and income-investor appeal points to continued confidence in the business, but it does not appear to be based on a fresh operating update. Robust Margin Boosted The Kroger Company (KR) Performance Robust Margin Boosted The Kroger Company (KR) Performance Should Income Investors Look At The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) Before Its Ex-Dividend?
• Negative Sentiment: Kroger shares also weakened in the prior session as the market improved, suggesting some investor caution or profit-taking after the recent run. Kroger (KR) Stock Declines While Market Improves: Some Information for Investors
• Negative Sentiment: Broader concerns about grocery-sector competition, lawsuits, and pressure on Albertsons may also remind investors that the supermarket industry remains highly competitive and low-margin. Albertsons’ sales dip in this area sparks concern

About Kroger

(Free Report)

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.

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