Eurizon Capital SGR S.p.A. Acquires New Position in The Kroger Co. $KR

Eurizon Capital SGR S.p.A. acquired a new stake in The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) in the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund acquired 133,131 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $8,318,000.

Other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Ares Financial Consulting LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Kroger in the fourth quarter valued at about $25,000. Princeton Global Asset Management LLC grew its holdings 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 purchasing an additional 303 shares during the period. Avalon Trust Co purchased a new stake in shares of Kroger in the third quarter valued at about $29,000. Lloyd Advisory Services LLC. purchased a new stake in shares of Kroger in the fourth quarter valued at about $28,000. Finally, JPL Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Kroger in the third quarter valued at about $31,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.93% of the company’s stock.

Key Headlines Impacting Kroger

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks pieces frame Kroger as potentially undervalued and a possible dividend/value pick versus Walmart, which may support investor interest in the stock. Are Investors Undervaluing The Kroger Co. (KR) Right Now?
• Positive Sentiment: Kroger received a 2026 Gold Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health for the fifth straight year, reinforcing its employer brand and suggesting continued focus on workforce stability and culture. Kroger Earns Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health for Fifth Consecutive Year
• Neutral Sentiment: Additional commentary highlights KR as a candidate for dividend-focused investors, but this is largely a reiteration of Kroger’s existing income profile rather than a fresh catalyst. Kroger (KR) Could Be a Great Choice
• Neutral Sentiment: Industry comparison articles such as KR vs. WMT are more about relative valuation than a company-specific development, so they are likely having only a limited direct impact. KR vs. WMT: Which Stock Is the Better Value Option?
• Negative Sentiment: A report that Kroger is facing a costly store fix after a federal lawsuit could pressure margins and raise concerns about legal and compliance-related expenses. Kroger forced to make costly store fix after federal lawsuit
• Negative Sentiment: News that Kroger’s North American Ocado fulfillment centers were shut in part due to weaker-than-expected demand is a reminder of previous technology/investment missteps, which may weigh on investor confidence. UK grocer Asda taps Ocado to revamp online business
• Negative Sentiment: Reports of multiple executive departures under new CEO Greg Foran add leadership uncertainty at a time when the company is still being reshaped. Kroger loses four top executives under new CEO Greg Foran

Kroger Trading Up 0.2%

NYSE KR opened at $62.25 on Monday. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $68.56 and its two-hundred day moving average is $66.77. The Kroger Co. has a 12 month low of $58.60 and a 12 month high of $76.58. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.66, a current ratio of 0.80 and a quick ratio of 0.42. The stock has a market capitalization of $38.14 billion, a P/E ratio of 40.69, a PEG ratio of 1.65 and a beta of 0.43.

Kroger (NYSE:KR) last posted its 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 net margin of 0.69% and a return on equity of 41.08%. The company had revenue of $34.73 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $35.10 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $1.14 earnings per share. Kroger’s revenue for the quarter 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, sell-side analysts anticipate that The Kroger Co. will post 5.24 earnings per share for the current year.

Kroger Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 1st. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 15th will be given a $0.35 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 15th. This represents a $1.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.2%. Kroger’s dividend payout ratio is presently 91.50%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities research analysts recently issued reports on KR shares. Morgan Stanley set a $73.00 price objective on shares of Kroger and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Thursday, March 5th. Citigroup upped their price objective on shares of Kroger from $68.00 to $71.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Monday, March 9th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered shares of Kroger from an “overweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and dropped their price objective for the company from $70.00 to $68.00 in a report on Wednesday, February 25th. Jefferies Financial Group reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $82.00 price objective on shares of Kroger in a report on Thursday, March 5th. Finally, Guggenheim reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $78.00 price objective on shares of Kroger in a report on Tuesday, February 10th. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $74.87.

About Kroger

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.