Westpac Banking Corp Makes New $3.23 Million Investment in The Kroger Co. $KR

Westpac Banking Corp purchased a new stake in shares of The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor purchased 58,083 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $3,225,000.

Several other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Ares Financial Consulting LLC bought a new position in Kroger in the fourth quarter valued at about $25,000. MV Capital Management Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Kroger during the 4th quarter valued at about $26,000. Whipplewood Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Kroger during the 1st quarter valued at about $27,000. Lloyd Advisory Services LLC. bought a new position in shares of Kroger in the 4th quarter worth approximately $28,000. Finally, Axiom Investment Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Kroger in the 1st quarter worth approximately $31,000. Institutional investors own 80.93% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

KR has been the subject of several recent research reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their target price on shares of Kroger from $72.00 to $70.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, June 11th. Erste Group Bank cut shares of Kroger from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, April 27th. Telsey Advisory Group set a $78.00 price objective on shares of Kroger and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, June 22nd. Barclays set a $61.00 price objective on Kroger and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Monday, June 22nd. Finally, Wall Street Zen lowered Kroger from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, June 20th. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $72.00.

Kroger Price Performance

NYSE KR opened at $57.86 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 0.79, a quick ratio of 0.39 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.43. The Kroger Co. has a 12 month low of $54.15 and a 12 month high of $76.58. The stock has a market cap of $35.45 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 34.04, a PEG ratio of 1.51 and a beta of 0.43. The company’s 50 day moving average is $57.88 and its two-hundred day moving average is $64.71.

Kroger (NYSE:KR) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, June 18th. The company reported $1.58 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.59 by ($0.01). The firm had revenue of $46.12 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $45.59 billion. Kroger had a return on equity of 44.33% and a net margin of 0.71%.The business’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 company earned $1.49 earnings per share. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.30 EPS. As a group, research analysts anticipate that The Kroger Co. will post 5.21 earnings per share for the current year.

Kroger Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Shareholders 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 2.7%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 14th. This is a boost from Kroger’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. Kroger’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 91.76%.

Key Headlines Impacting Kroger

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Kroger’s dividend profile continues to attract attention from income-focused investors. Analysts reviewing the stock highlight its potential appeal as a dividend investment, which could support demand for the shares. Kroger Could Be a Great Choice
• Positive Sentiment: The company is expanding its Fold Bitcoin Gift Card offering after a successful pilot, adding another digital and cryptocurrency-related feature for customers. The initiative is strategically positive but is unlikely to materially affect near-term financial results. Kroger Expands Fold Bitcoin Gift Card Offering
• Positive Sentiment: Kroger is unveiling a remodeled store in Worthington, Ohio, reflecting continued investment in store quality and the customer experience. Kroger to Unveil Remodeled Store
• Neutral Sentiment: An ice cream brand sold at Kroger and other retailers filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The filing concerns the supplier’s ownership and future rather than Kroger’s finances, so the direct impact on KR appears limited. Ice Cream Brand Files for Chapter 11
• Neutral Sentiment: Kroger’s annual food-bank and peanut-butter donation efforts may support community goodwill but should have little direct effect on valuation. Kroger Holds Peanut Butter Drive
• Neutral Sentiment: Cincinnati officials limited protests near Kroger’s headquarters following complaints from a nearby small-business owner. The development reduces immediate disruption but highlights ongoing local tensions. Cincinnati Limits Kroger HQ Protests
• Negative Sentiment: Kroger plans to close 60 stores during 2026. Although closures could improve the portfolio by removing underperforming locations, the scale of the reductions raises concerns about sales, market presence and restructuring costs. Kroger to Shutter 60 Stores
• Negative Sentiment: Kroger faces a proposed $17 million class-action settlement involving pharmacy customers who used insurance for prescriptions. The settlement would create a financial cost and adds legal and reputational risk, though the amount is modest relative to Kroger’s scale. Kroger Pharmacy Settlement
• Negative Sentiment: Kroger agreed to pay $75,000 to resolve an EEOC disability-discrimination and retaliation lawsuit. The payment is financially immaterial but adds to legal and compliance headlines. Kroger EEOC Lawsuit Settlement

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.