The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) Given Consensus Rating of “Hold” by Analysts

30 Apr 2026, 16:33 by Scott Moore · The Cerbat Gem

The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR – Get Free Report) has been assigned a consensus recommendation of “Hold” from the seventeen brokerages that are covering the firm, Marketbeat reports. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the company. The average twelve-month price objective among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $74.5625.

Several analysts have issued reports on the company. Wells Fargo & Company lowered Kroger from an “overweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and cut their target price for the stock from $70.00 to $68.00 in a research note on Wednesday, February 25th. Telsey Advisory Group upped their target price on Kroger from $80.00 to $82.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, March 5th. Roth Mkm reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $78.00 target price (up from $75.00) on shares of Kroger in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Erste Group Bank lowered Kroger from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $82.00 target price on shares of Kroger in a research note on Thursday, March 5th.

Read Our Latest Stock Report on KR

Kroger Stock Up 0.2%

Shares of KR opened at $67.07 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $41.09 billion, a P/E ratio of 43.83, a P/E/G ratio of 1.75 and a beta of 0.55. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $70.37 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $66.81. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.66, a current ratio of 0.80 and a quick ratio of 0.42. Kroger has a 1 year low of $58.60 and a 1 year high of $76.58.

Kroger (NYSE:KR – Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, March 5th. The company reported $1.28 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.20 by $0.08. The business had revenue of $34.73 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $35.10 billion. Kroger had a return on equity of 41.08% and a net margin of 0.69%.Kroger’s revenue for the quarter was up 1.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $1.14 earnings per share. Kroger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.100-5.300 EPS. On average, analysts forecast that Kroger will post 5.24 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Kroger Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 1st. Investors of record on Friday, May 15th will be paid a $0.35 dividend. This represents a $1.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 15th. Kroger’s payout ratio is presently 91.50%.

Trending Headlines about Kroger

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

Positive Sentiment: Kroger is converting its annual Wellness Festival into a multi-city/touring format for 2026, which management says will broaden customer engagement and in-store traffic — a potential boost to same-store sales and brand visibility. Kroger Wellness Festival to become traveling tour in 2026
Positive Sentiment: Editorial coverage highlighting “The 8 Best New Items To Grab At Kroger” can drive trial and basket growth as Kroger markets private-label and new SKUs to shoppers. Product momentum helps near-term traffic and margin mix. The 8 Best New Items To Grab At Kroger In May 2026
Positive Sentiment: Recent quarterly results showed an EPS beat and Kroger set FY2026 guidance of $5.10–$5.30, which underpins longer-term earnings expectations and supports investor confidence. (See company summary and analyst consensus.) Kroger MarketBeat profile
Neutral Sentiment: Valuation debate: analysis pieces argue KR’s recent pullback may present value given long-term gains, but the stock still trades at a relatively high P/E vs. some peers — this discussion is keeping trading mixed as investors decide between growth vs. valuation risk. Is Kroger (KR) Offering Value After Recent Pullback And High P/E Multiple
Neutral Sentiment: Peer/sector watch: commentary on Sprouts Farmers’ upcoming results highlights margin and traffic pressures in the healthy/grocery segment — outcomes at peers could influence Kroger’s comps and investor expectations. What’s Sprouts Farmers’ Probability of an Earnings Beat This Season?
Negative Sentiment: Erste Group downgraded Kroger to Hold from Buy and trimmed its FY2027 EPS slightly, citing limited medium-term valuation upside — the downgrade can weigh on sentiment and cap short-term rallies despite solid fundamentals. Erste Group Downgrades Kroger (KR) to Hold

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Kroger

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Ares Financial Consulting LLC purchased a new stake in Kroger during the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. Princeton Global Asset Management LLC boosted its position in Kroger by 268.1% during the 4th quarter. Princeton Global Asset Management LLC now owns 416 shares of the company’s stock valued at $26,000 after buying an additional 303 shares during the period. MV Capital Management Inc. purchased a new stake in Kroger during the 4th quarter valued at $26,000. Lloyd Advisory Services LLC. purchased a new stake in Kroger during the 4th quarter valued at $28,000. Finally, Avalon Trust Co purchased a new stake in Kroger during the 3rd quarter valued at $29,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.93% of the company’s stock.

About Kroger

(Get Free Report)

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.