Evolve Private Wealth LLC Acquires Shares of 49,043 The Kroger Co. $KR

Evolve Private Wealth LLC bought a new position in shares of The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) in the second quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor bought 49,043 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,723,000.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. BlackRock Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Kroger during the second quarter worth approximately $3,016,956,000. Norges Bank bought a new stake in Kroger in the 4th quarter valued at $470,561,000. Bank of New York Mellon Corp acquired a new position in Kroger in the 2nd quarter valued at $195,234,000. Deutsche Bank AG acquired a new position in Kroger in the 2nd quarter valued at $119,723,000. Finally, Worldquant Millennium Advisors LLC increased its position in Kroger by 299.6% during the 2nd 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 period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.93% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about 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 Trading Up 2.7%

KR opened at $57.86 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $35.45 billion, a PE ratio of 34.04, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.55 and a beta of 0.43. The Kroger Co. has a twelve month low of $54.15 and a twelve month high of $76.58. The company has a quick ratio of 0.39, a current ratio of 0.79 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.43. The company has a fifty day moving average of $57.88 and a 200-day moving average of $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). Kroger had a return on equity of 44.33% and a net margin of 0.71%.The firm had revenue of $46.12 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $45.59 billion. During the same period last year, the company posted $1.49 earnings per share. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 2.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.30 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts predict that The Kroger Co. will post 5.21 EPS for the current year.

Kroger Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed 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 dividend yield of 2.7%. This is a positive change from Kroger’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 14th. Kroger’s payout ratio is 91.76%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

KR has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price target on shares of Kroger from $72.00 to $70.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, June 11th. Royal Bank Of Canada restated an “outperform” rating on shares of Kroger in a research report on Monday, June 1st. Weiss Ratings cut shares of Kroger from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research report on Thursday, June 18th. HC Wainwright reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Kroger in a report on Thursday, July 2nd. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company set a $58.00 price objective on shares of Kroger in a research note on Monday, June 22nd. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus 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.