VLGEA vs KR

For growth investors, Village Super Market, Inc.

(VLGEA) is the stronger pick with 3. 8% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 0. 4% for The Kroger Co. (KR). Village Super Market, Inc. (VLGEA) offers the better valuation at 11. 5x trailing P/E, making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate The Kroger Co. (KR) a "Buy" — based on 44 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.

On trailing P/E, Village Super Market, Inc.

(VLGEA) is the cheapest at 11. 5x versus The Kroger Co. at 43. 1x.

Over the past 5 years, Village Super Market, Inc.

(VLGEA) delivered a total return of +93. 8%, compared to +90. 7% for The Kroger Co. (KR). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: VLGEA returned +114. 9% versus KR's +106. 5%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), The Kroger Co.

(KR) is the lower-risk stock at -0. 65β versus Village Super Market, Inc. 's 0. 09β — meaning VLGEA is approximately -114% more volatile than KR relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Village Super Market, Inc. (VLGEA) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 69% versus 4% for The Kroger Co. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Village Super Market, Inc.

(VLGEA) is pulling ahead at 3. 8% versus 0. 4% for The Kroger Co. (KR). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Village Super Market, Inc. grew EPS 12. 4% year-over-year, compared to -58. 0% for The Kroger Co.. Over a 3-year CAGR, VLGEA leads at 4. 0% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

Village Super Market, Inc.

(VLGEA) is the more profitable company, earning 2. 4% net margin versus 0. 7% for The Kroger Co. — meaning it keeps 2. 4% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: VLGEA leads at 3. 1% versus 1. 3% for KR. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — VLGEA leads at 28. 6%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Village Super Market, Inc. (VLGEA) offers the highest yield at 2. 1%, versus 2. 0% for The Kroger Co. (KR).

For long-horizon retirement investors, The Kroger Co.

(KR) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β -0. 65), 2. 0% yield, +106. 5% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (KR: +106. 5%, VLGEA: +114. 9%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.

Both stocks operate in the Consumer Defensive sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

In terms of investment character: VLGEA is a small-cap deep-value stock; KR is a mid-cap quality compounder stock. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.