Kroger (NYSE:KR) Price Target Raised to $82.00

Kroger (NYSE:KR) had its price objective boosted by Telsey Advisory Group from $80.00 to $82.00 in a research note published on Thursday,Benzinga reports. The firm currently has an outperform rating on the stock.

Several other equities analysts also recently commented on KR. Guggenheim reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $78.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a research report on Tuesday, February 10th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised Kroger from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $75.00 price objective for the company in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Kroger in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Wall Street Zen cut shares of Kroger from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, December 27th. Finally, Wolfe Research reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $75.00 price target on shares of Kroger in a research note on Thursday. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $74.38.

Kroger Stock Performance

Shares of Kroger stock opened at $74.31 on Thursday. The company’s 50 day moving average price is $65.35 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $65.89. The firm has a market capitalization of $47.03 billion, a P/E ratio of 48.57, a P/E/G ratio of 1.89 and a beta of 0.62. Kroger has a fifty-two week low of $58.60 and a fifty-two week high of $74.90. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.66, a current ratio of 0.80 and a quick ratio of 0.45.

Kroger (NYSE:KR) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, March 5th. The company reported $1.28 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 company had revenue of $34.73 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $35.10 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $1.14 EPS. Kroger’s 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 analysts forecast that Kroger will post 4.44 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Kroger Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Sunday, March 1st. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 13th were issued a dividend of $0.35 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 13th. This represents a $1.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.9%. Kroger’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 129.63%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Kroger

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of KR. Atlantic Union Bankshares Corp bought a new stake in Kroger during the second quarter valued at $28,000. Ares Financial Consulting LLC bought a new stake in shares of Kroger during the 4th quarter valued at about $25,000. MV Capital Management Inc. acquired a new stake in Kroger during the fourth quarter worth approximately $26,000. Princeton Global Asset Management LLC increased its holdings in Kroger by 268.1% in the fourth quarter. Princeton Global Asset Management LLC now owns 416 shares of the company’s stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 303 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Avalon Trust Co acquired a new position in Kroger in the third quarter valued at approximately $29,000. 80.93% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

More Kroger News

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 results beat on profit and margins: Kroger reported adjusted EPS above estimates, delivered gross‑margin expansion and 20% e‑commerce growth; management also rolled out FY‑26 adjusted EPS guidance above consensus and approved further buybacks — a clear catalyst for earnings per‑share growth. PR Newswire
• Positive Sentiment: Large, sustained capital returns: Management completed accelerated repurchases in 2025 and the board approved an additional $2B repurchase authorization on top of a $7.5B program; analysts and commentators say buybacks plus a growing dividend underpin long‑term per‑share upside. MarketBeat
• Positive Sentiment: Street support and upgrades: Several shops have reiterated/raised ratings and price targets (e.g., Roth MKM reaffirmed buy with a $78 PT; Telsey lifted its target), reinforcing positive sentiment into the print. Benzinga
• Positive Sentiment: Unusual bullish options flow: Call buying spiked (large single‑day activity), suggesting some traders are positioning for additional upside or event‑driven moves.
• Neutral Sentiment: New CEO’s playbook: Greg Foran is pushing lower prices, sharper promotions, AI and e‑commerce improvements to accelerate sales — a credible strategic pivot but execution and timing remain uncertain. FoodBusinessNews
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst consensus is broadly constructive (moderate buy), but median price targets leave limited near‑term upside absent stronger top‑line revisions. AmericanBankingNews
• Negative Sentiment: Revenue and sales outlook are muted: Q4 revenue slightly missed estimates and management offered modest identical‑sales guidance for 2026 (1–2% ex‑fuel), tempering a rally based solely on EPS strength. Retail Insight Network
• Negative Sentiment: Product recalls: Kroger‑branded and partner rice/frozen products were included in a glass‑fragment recall, creating short‑term inventory, sales and reputational headwinds in affected markets. MSN
• Negative Sentiment: Labor and legal exposure: Class‑action suits over e‑commerce worker classification and heightened union friction (Teamsters commentary) add regulatory/legal risk and potential costs. GroceryDive
• Negative Sentiment: Dividend sustainability question: Commentary flagged a high payout ratio on a GAAP basis (dividend > GAAP net income), which could worry income investors despite strong cash flow and buybacks. 24/7 Wall St.

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.