The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) Receives Consensus Rating of “Moderate Buy” from Analysts

Posted by Francis Steltz on Aug 28th, 2026

The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR – Get Free Report) has been given an average rating of “Moderate Buy” by the nineteen analysts that are currently covering the stock, MarketBeat reports. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and ten have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 1 year price objective among analysts that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $72.00.

Several brokerages have recently issued reports on KR. Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Kroger from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, June 20th. Wells Fargo & Company set a $58.00 price objective on Kroger in a research note on Monday, June 22nd. Telsey Advisory Group set a $78.00 target price on Kroger and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, June 22nd. Morgan Stanley decreased their target price on Kroger from $73.00 to $67.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, June 22nd. Finally, Citigroup dropped their price target on Kroger from $71.00 to $61.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, June 23rd.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on KR

Kroger Stock Down 2.8%

Kroger stock opened at $56.87 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $34.84 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 33.45, a PEG ratio of 1.57 and a beta of 0.43. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $57.61 and its 200 day simple moving average is $64.50. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.43, a current ratio of 0.79 and a quick ratio of 0.39. Kroger has a fifty-two week low of $54.15 and a fifty-two week high of $76.58.

Kroger (NYSE:KR – Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, June 18th. The company reported $1.58 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.59 by ($0.01). The firm had revenue of $46.12 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $45.59 billion. Kroger had a net margin of 0.71% and a return on equity of 44.33%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $1.49 EPS. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.30 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Kroger will post 5.21 EPS for the current year.

Kroger Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Investors of record on Saturday, August 15th will be paid a dividend of $0.39 per share. This represents a $1.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 14th. This is a positive change from Kroger’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. Kroger’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 91.76%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Ares Financial Consulting LLC acquired a new position in shares of Kroger in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $25,000. MV Capital Management Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Kroger during the fourth quarter worth $26,000. Whipplewood Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Kroger in the 1st quarter valued at $27,000. Lloyd Advisory Services LLC. acquired a new position in Kroger in the 4th quarter worth $28,000. Finally, Axiom Investment Management LLC bought a new position in Kroger during the 1st quarter worth about $31,000. Institutional investors own 80.93% of the company’s stock.

Key Stories Impacting Kroger

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

Positive Sentiment: Investors purchased approximately 36,013 call options on Kroger, about 168% above the typical daily volume. The activity may indicate increased speculative or hedging interest in a potential rebound, although options trading alone does not guarantee future gains.
Positive Sentiment: Kroger’s nationwide Instacart integration allows customers to combine groceries and eligible prescription deliveries in one order across more than 2,200 pharmacy locations and nearly all major banners. The initiative could increase digital engagement, convenience and order frequency. How Investors May Respond To Kroger Linking Prescriptions With Instacart-Powered Online Grocery Delivery
Positive Sentiment: Murray’s Cheese is introducing a premium cave-aged collection at select Harris Teeter stores in the Charlotte area. The launch supports Kroger’s differentiated product offerings, though its direct financial impact is likely modest. Murray’s Cheese Debuts Exclusive Cave Aged Collection at Harris Teeter

About Kroger

(Get 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.