17,304 Shares in The Kroger Co. $KR Purchased by Oxbow Advisors LLC

Oxbow Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor bought 17,304 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $961,000.

A number of other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of KR. BlackRock Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Kroger during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $3,016,956,000. Norges Bank bought a new position in shares of Kroger in the fourth quarter valued at $470,561,000. Bank of New York Mellon Corp bought a new position in shares of Kroger in the second quarter valued at $195,234,000. Deutsche Bank AG acquired a new position in Kroger during the second quarter worth $119,723,000. Finally, Worldquant Millennium Advisors LLC increased its holdings in Kroger by 299.6% during 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 during the last quarter. 80.93% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Kroger News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Kroger is opening new Marketplace locations in metro Atlanta, expanding its larger-format grocery, general merchandise and prepared-food offering. A new store is also planned for Lenoir City, Tennessee, supporting the company’s long-term growth and local market presence. Kroger opens new Marketplace locations in metro Atlanta New Kroger grocery store coming to Lenoir City
• Neutral Sentiment: Rebel Creamery, whose ice cream products are sold at Kroger and other major retailers, filed for bankruptcy while appealing a multimillion-dollar judgment. The development could affect product availability, but appears unlikely to have a material direct impact on Kroger’s finances. Ice cream brand sold at Kroger files for bankruptcy
• Negative Sentiment: Kroger reportedly plans to close 60 U.S. stores in 2026, including locations tied to its Fry’s banner. The closures may improve efficiency and profitability, but they also signal weak store economics and could reduce sales and customer reach. Kroger to Close 60 Stores
• Negative Sentiment: Reports and social-media reactions highlight declining Kroger store traffic, raising concerns about competitive pressure, consumer behavior and the company’s ability to sustain sales growth. Kroger’s declining traffic
• Negative Sentiment: A jalapeño-related salmonella recall involving products sold at Kroger and other grocers creates potential reputational, compliance and customer-trust risks, although the financial impact is not yet clear. Products recalled over jalapeño salmonella outbreak
• Negative Sentiment: Kroger’s co-branded credit card with U.S. Bank is reportedly being discontinued, including changes to gas-discount benefits. Ending the program may frustrate shoppers and weaken loyalty incentives. Kroger’s credit card is going away

Kroger Trading Up 0.6%

Shares of Kroger stock opened at $56.39 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.43, a current ratio of 0.79 and a quick ratio of 0.39. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $58.34 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $64.84. The Kroger Co. has a 1 year low of $54.15 and a 1 year high of $76.58. The company has a market capitalization of $34.55 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 33.17, a P/E/G ratio of 1.52 and a beta of 0.43.

Kroger (NYSE:KR) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, June 18th. The company reported $1.58 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.59 by ($0.01). The company had revenue of $46.12 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $45.59 billion. Kroger had a net margin of 0.71% and a return on equity of 44.33%. Kroger’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $1.49 earnings per share. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.30 EPS. Research analysts forecast that The Kroger Co. will post 5.21 EPS for the current year.

Kroger Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Investors of record on Saturday, August 15th will be paid a $0.39 dividend. This is an increase from Kroger’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 14th. This represents a $1.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.8%. Kroger’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 91.76%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of analysts have commented on KR shares. Barclays set a $61.00 price target on shares of Kroger and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Monday, June 22nd. Erste Group Bank lowered shares of Kroger from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, April 27th. Weiss Ratings cut shares of Kroger from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a report on Thursday, June 18th. Guggenheim reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $71.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a research note on Thursday, July 2nd. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada reiterated an “outperform” rating on shares of Kroger in a report on Monday, June 1st. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $72.00.

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.