The Kroger Co. $KR Shares Bought by Mediolanum International Funds Ltd

Mediolanum International Funds Ltd raised its holdings in shares of The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) by 401.3% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 19,470 shares of the company’s stock after acquiring an additional 15,586 shares during the period. Mediolanum International Funds Ltd’s holdings in Kroger were worth $1,293,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other large investors have also made changes to their positions in KR. Atlantic Union Bankshares Corp acquired a new stake in Kroger during the 2nd quarter worth about $28,000. Rossby Financial LCC purchased a new stake in shares of Kroger in the second quarter worth about $29,000. Whipplewood Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Kroger by 10,425.0% during the second quarter. Whipplewood Advisors LLC now owns 421 shares of the company’s stock worth $30,000 after acquiring an additional 417 shares during the period. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC raised its position in Kroger by 87.8% during the second quarter. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC now owns 445 shares of the company’s stock valued at $32,000 after acquiring an additional 208 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Twin Peaks Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Kroger in the second quarter valued at approximately $33,000. 80.93% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Kroger Trading Up 1.9%

KR stock opened at $64.26 on Wednesday. The Kroger Co. has a 12-month low of $58.60 and a 12-month high of $74.90. The business’s 50-day moving average is $63.03 and its 200 day moving average is $66.27. The company has a current ratio of 0.88, a quick ratio of 0.45 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.28. The stock has a market cap of $40.66 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 59.50, a PEG ratio of 1.60 and a beta of 0.62.

Kroger (NYSE:KR) last released its earnings results on Thursday, December 4th. The company reported $1.05 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.03 by $0.02. Kroger had a return on equity of 38.06% and a net margin of 0.54%.The business had revenue of $33.86 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $34.27 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $0.98 earnings per share. The business’s quarterly revenue was up .7% compared to the same quarter last year. Kroger has set its FY 2025 guidance at 4.750-4.800 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that The Kroger Co. will post 4.44 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Kroger Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Sunday, March 1st. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 13th will be given a $0.35 dividend. This represents a $1.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.2%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 13th. Kroger’s dividend payout ratio is 129.63%.

Kroger News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Kroger’s outperformance vs. a weaker market was highlighted by Zacks, which cites its defensive grocery demand and durable earnings track record as reasons the stock rose. Why the Market Dipped But Kroger (KR) Gained Today
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks highlights Kroger’s strong history of earnings surprises and argues the company currently has the key ingredients to potentially beat estimates again—this supports a near-term bullish view into the next report. Will Kroger (KR) Beat Estimates Again in Its Next Earnings Report?
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks also flags Kroger as a strong momentum stock via its Style Scores — momentum can drive multiple expansion in the short term even where fundamentals look mixed. Here’s Why Kroger (KR) is a Strong Momentum Stock
• Positive Sentiment: Kroger declared a quarterly dividend (record Feb 13, payable Mar 1), which supports income-focused buyers and underpins demand for the shares. (Dividend details reported Jan 30.)
• Positive Sentiment: Marketing and merchandising initiatives — a Big Game product push including new Flamin’ Hot® chicken wings and other exclusive SKUs — may lift short-term sales and basket sizes during a high-traffic selling window. Kroger Reveals Top Party Picks and Savings for the Big Game
• Neutral Sentiment: Local PR: Kroger is stocking student-created “Cardinal Crunch” popcorn and partnering with the Pacers to distribute food (100k eggs). Good for brand and community engagement but limited immediate financial impact. The Morning Bell: Southport HS student-created popcorn ‘Cardinal Crunch’ hits Kroger shelves Drive & Dish: Pacers and Kroger to Deliver 100K Eggs to Hoosiers
• Neutral Sentiment: Market commentary and outlook pieces are mixed; analysts weigh Kroger’s solid same-store dynamics against a high P/E and heavy balance-sheet leverage—readers should consult the roundup for differing analyst views. Kroger Stock Outlook: Is Wall Street Bullish or Bearish?
• Negative Sentiment: Kroger and Albertsons filed to keep merger testimony sealed — a reminder of ongoing regulatory and legal uncertainty around the proposed combination; any adverse regulatory ruling or delays would be a clear downside catalyst. Kroger, Albertsons file to keep merger testimony sealed

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research firms have recently weighed in on KR. Citigroup reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and set a $68.00 target price (down from $74.00) on shares of Kroger in a report on Wednesday, December 10th. Barclays set a $68.00 price objective on shares of Kroger and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Thursday, January 8th. UBS Group reissued a “neutral” rating and set a $70.00 target price (down from $74.00) on shares of Kroger in a research note on Friday, December 5th. Evercore ISI set a $77.00 target price on Kroger and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, December 5th. Finally, Morgan Stanley set a $67.00 price target on Kroger and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Thursday, January 15th. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seven have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Kroger currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $74.07.

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.