The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) Given Consensus Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by Analysts

The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) has been given an average recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by the sixteen ratings firms that are covering the company, MarketBeat.com reports. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the company. The average 12-month price objective among analysts that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $74.1875.

KR has been the topic of several research analyst reports. Guggenheim reissued a “buy” rating and set a $78.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a research report on Tuesday, February 10th. Evercore set a $77.00 price objective on shares of Kroger and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, December 5th. Citigroup reissued a “neutral” rating and issued a $68.00 target price (down from $74.00) on shares of Kroger in a research report on Wednesday, December 10th. Wall Street Zen lowered Kroger from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, December 27th. Finally, Telsey Advisory Group lifted their price target on Kroger from $80.00 to $82.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday.

Key Stories Impacting Kroger

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 earnings beat on profitability metrics: Kroger reported adjusted EPS that topped consensus, with gross-margin improvement and eCommerce sales up ~20%, which supported the stock’s strength. Kroger Reports Fourth Quarter and Full-Year 2025 Results and Announces Guidance for 2026
• Positive Sentiment: Upbeat capital return & FY26 profitability guide: management set FY2026 adjusted EPS guidance ($5.10–$5.30) above consensus and the board approved an additional $2B buyback (on top of prior ASR activity), boosting shareholder-return expectations. Kroger Reports Fourth Quarter and Full-Year 2025 Results and Announces Guidance for 2026
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst bullishness: Telsey Advisory raised its price target to $82 and kept an “Outperform” rating, giving another near-term catalyst for buyers. Benzinga
• Positive Sentiment: Strategic pivot under new CEO: Greg Foran emphasized sharper pricing, AI and eCommerce acceleration and an eCommerce strategic review expected to materially improve operating profit — a growth narrative investors liked. Kroger’s New CEO Bets on Deals, AI and eCommerce to Boost Sales
• Neutral Sentiment: Mixed market take: coverage notes strong margin/earnings execution but also a cautious tone in guidance and institutional selling — a balanced view that can limit upside until execution proves out. Why Kroger Stock Could Keep Climbing Even After Record Highs
• Neutral Sentiment: Revenue slight miss: top-line came in a touch below consensus (fuel-adjusted comps modestly positive), so growth remains tepid even as margins expand — explains mixed headlines. Kroger extended its streak of sales misses — but that’s not hurting its profits
• Negative Sentiment: Labor & legal risk: Kroger faces class-action suits over e-commerce role classification and union friction (Teamsters statements), which are ongoing operational/legal risks that investors monitor. Kroger hit with 2 lawsuits over e-commerce role classification
• Negative Sentiment: Operational/headline items: reports of store closures/layoffs and product recalls add episodic risk and reputational noise that can pressure sentiment. 143-year-old grocery chain closes more locations, lays off dozens

Kroger Stock Up 5.3%

Shares of KR stock opened at $71.61 on Friday. The stock’s fifty day moving average price is $65.13 and its 200 day moving average price is $65.89. Kroger has a 1-year low of $58.60 and a 1-year high of $74.90. The company has a market cap of $45.32 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 66.31, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.73 and a beta of 0.62. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.28, a current ratio of 0.88 and a quick ratio of 0.45.

Kroger (NYSE:KR) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, March 5th. The company reported $1.28 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.20 by $0.08. Kroger had a return on equity of 38.06% and a net margin of 0.54%.The business had revenue of $34.73 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $35.10 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $1.14 earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 1.2% on a year-over-year basis. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.300 EPS. On average, research analysts expect that Kroger will post 4.44 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Kroger Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Sunday, March 1st. Investors of record on Friday, February 13th were given a $0.35 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 13th. This represents a $1.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.0%. Kroger’s dividend payout ratio is currently 129.63%.

Institutional Trading of Kroger

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of KR. Ares Financial Consulting LLC acquired a new position in Kroger in the 4th quarter worth about $25,000. Princeton Global Asset Management LLC increased its position in shares of Kroger by 268.1% in the fourth quarter. Princeton Global Asset Management LLC now owns 416 shares of the company’s stock valued at $26,000 after buying an additional 303 shares in the last quarter. MV Capital Management Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Kroger during the 4th quarter worth approximately $26,000. Atlantic Union Bankshares Corp purchased a new position in shares of Kroger during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Finally, Lloyd Advisory Services LLC. acquired a new stake in Kroger in the 4th quarter valued at $28,000. 80.93% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Kroger Company 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.