Kroger (NYSE:KR) Upgraded at Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft

by · The Markets Daily

Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upgraded shares of Kroger (NYSE:KR – Free Report) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report published on Thursday morning, Marketbeat Ratings reports. They currently have $75.00 price objective on the stock.

A number of other brokerages also recently issued reports on KR. Wall Street Zen downgraded Kroger from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, December 27th. Evercore ISI set a $77.00 target price on Kroger and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, December 5th. Argus set a $85.00 price target on Kroger in a research note on Thursday, September 18th. UBS Group reiterated a “neutral” rating and issued a $70.00 price target (down previously from $74.00) on shares of Kroger in a report on Friday, December 5th. Finally, Roth Mkm raised shares of Kroger from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and boosted their price objective for the company from $66.00 to $75.00 in a research report on Wednesday, September 17th. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $74.19.

Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on KR

Kroger Stock Down 0.5%

Shares of NYSE KR opened at $59.52 on Thursday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.45, a current ratio of 0.88 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.28. Kroger has a 52 week low of $58.12 and a 52 week high of $74.90. The firm’s fifty day moving average is $63.88 and its 200 day moving average is $67.29. The company has a market cap of $37.66 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 55.11, a PEG ratio of 1.67 and a beta of 0.61.

Kroger (NYSE:KR – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, December 4th. The company reported $1.05 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.03 by $0.02. Kroger had a net margin of 0.54% and a return on equity of 38.06%. The business had revenue of $33.86 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $34.27 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $0.98 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up .7% compared to the same quarter last year. Kroger has set its FY 2025 guidance at 4.750-4.800 EPS. On average, equities research analysts expect that Kroger will post 4.44 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. SOA Wealth Advisors LLC. increased its stake in shares of Kroger by 6,840.0% during the second quarter. SOA Wealth Advisors LLC. now owns 347 shares of the company’s stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 342 shares in the last quarter. Atlantic Union Bankshares Corp purchased a new stake in shares of Kroger in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $28,000. Rossby Financial LCC bought a new position in Kroger during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Whipplewood Advisors LLC raised its stake in Kroger by 10,425.0% during the second quarter. Whipplewood Advisors LLC now owns 421 shares of the company’s stock valued at $30,000 after buying an additional 417 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Avalon Trust Co purchased a new position in Kroger during the third quarter valued at $29,000. 80.93% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Key Headlines Impacting Kroger

Here are the key news stories impacting Kroger this week:

  • Positive Sentiment: Kroger completed the sale of Vitacost to iHerb to streamline operations, preserve its 2025 guidance, and refocus on core grocery and margin improvement — management portrays the deal as part of a strategic review to simplify the business. Read More.
  • Positive Sentiment: iHerb says the Vitacost acquisition strengthens its U.S. business in vitamins/minerals/supplements — the buyer’s strategic rationale increases the likelihood of a smooth transition and reduces execution risk for Kroger. Read More.
  • Positive Sentiment: Analysts and options traders showed bullish signals: Deutsche Bank upgraded KR from Hold to Buy with a $75 target, and there was unusually high call‑option volume — both indicate upside conviction among some institutional and derivatives traders. Read More. Read More.
  • Positive Sentiment: Consumer‑facing initiatives continue: Kroger launched a “Verified Savings” program and targeted discounts for SNAP/WIC/Medicaid shoppers and debuted checkout features highlighting customer savings — moves that may help traffic, loyalty and comps in a tight consumer spending environment. Read More.
  • Neutral Sentiment: Store-level experiments: a proposed State Street remodel includes an in‑store Dunkin’ — incremental non‑grocery partnerships can boost traffic but are unlikely to move near‑term earnings materially. Read More.
  • Neutral Sentiment: Industry context: outlets rank grocery chains (where Kroger appears) and competitor valuation stories (e.g., Albertsons) are circulating — useful for relative valuation but not an immediate company catalyst. Read More. Read More.
  • Negative Sentiment: Kroger will close about 60 stores as part of a post‑merger refocus on stronger markets — the planned closures signal ongoing restructuring and cost but raise near‑term execution and severance costs and reduce store count. Read More.
  • Negative Sentiment: Operational/PR hit: a Kroger store in Orion Township remained closed after inspectors found rodent evidence — localized food‑safety incidents can pressure traffic and require remediation spend and invite short‑term negative headlines. Read More.

Kroger Company Profile

(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.

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.

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