Tocqueville Asset Management L.P. Acquires Shares of 20,280 The Kroger Co. $KR

Tocqueville Asset Management L.P. acquired a new position in shares of The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) in the second quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund acquired 20,280 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,126,000.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C. lifted its holdings in shares of Kroger by 4.5% during the fourth quarter. Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C. now owns 3,537 shares of the company’s stock worth $221,000 after purchasing an additional 153 shares during the period. PFG Investments LLC increased its stake in Kroger by 3.3% in the 1st quarter. PFG Investments LLC now owns 4,899 shares of the company’s stock valued at $354,000 after buying an additional 157 shares during the period. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC increased its stake in Kroger by 1.5% in the 4th quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 10,747 shares of the company’s stock valued at $674,000 after buying an additional 162 shares during the period. Stephens Inc. AR boosted its holdings in shares of Kroger by 1.0% in the fourth quarter. Stephens Inc. AR now owns 17,995 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,124,000 after acquiring an additional 174 shares in the last quarter. Finally, ROI Financial Advisors LLC increased its stake in shares of Kroger by 2.0% during the first quarter. ROI Financial Advisors LLC now owns 8,943 shares of the company’s stock worth $647,000 after acquiring an additional 175 shares during the period. 80.93% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

KR has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. Morgan Stanley reduced their price objective on shares of Kroger from $73.00 to $67.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, June 22nd. Weiss Ratings cut Kroger from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research report on Thursday, June 18th. Jefferies Financial Group reissued a “buy” rating and set a $80.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a research note on Wednesday, June 3rd. The Goldman Sachs Group restated a “buy” rating and issued a $82.00 price target on shares of Kroger in a research note on Friday, June 19th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company set a $58.00 price objective on Kroger in a report on Monday, June 22nd. Ten equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $72.00.

Kroger Stock Performance

NYSE KR opened at $56.37 on Friday. 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 $34.54 billion, a P/E ratio of 33.16, a PEG ratio of 1.51 and a beta of 0.43. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $58.02 and a 200 day moving average price of $64.76. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.43, a current ratio of 0.79 and a quick ratio of 0.39.

Kroger (NYSE:KR) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, June 18th. The company reported $1.58 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.59 by ($0.01). The firm had revenue of $46.12 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $45.59 billion. Kroger had a return on equity of 44.33% and a net margin of 0.71%.The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $1.49 earnings per share. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.30 EPS. Sell-side analysts expect that The Kroger Co. will post 5.21 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Kroger Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed 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 represents a $1.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 14th. This is a positive change from Kroger’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. Kroger’s dividend payout ratio is currently 91.76%.

Key Stories Impacting Kroger

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Bitcoin gift-card expansion: Kroger is rolling out its Fold Bitcoin Gift Card nationwide after a successful seasonal pilot. The initiative could attract new customers and generate incremental engagement, although the financial impact is likely limited initially. Kroger Expands Fold Bitcoin Gift Card Offering After Successful Pilot
• Positive Sentiment: Potentially attractive shareholder returns: Coverage highlights Kroger’s dividend and describes the shares as reasonably valued following recent weakness. Analysts’ average rating remains equivalent to a Buy, which may provide some support for the stock. Kroger Stock Looks Reasonable
• Positive Sentiment: E-commerce leadership change: The appointment of Nate Faust to lead Kroger’s e-commerce operations is viewed as a possible catalyst for improved efficiency and digital execution. Kroger Stock Looks Reasonable
• Neutral Sentiment: Kroger is investing in remodeled stores, while also participating in food-bank and community initiatives. These developments may support customer loyalty and local brand perception but are unlikely to materially affect near-term earnings. Kroger to Unveil Remodeled Store
• Negative Sentiment: Store closures and traffic concerns: Reports that Kroger plans to close 60 stores in 2026, alongside polling indicating traffic weakness, reinforce concerns about sales momentum and the company’s retail footprint. Kroger to Shutter 60 Stores Kroger Traffic Woes Reflect the Market
• Negative Sentiment: Legal and product risks: Kroger faces a proposed $17 million settlement involving Dillons pharmacy customers, while a separate disability-discrimination case was settled for $75,000. A jalapeño-related salmonella recall involving products sold at Kroger also creates reputational and potential liability risk, though the $75,000 payment is financially immaterial. Proposed Kroger Settlement Jalapeño Salmonella Recall

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.