Kroger's investment case is defined by a stark dichotomy: its core grocery operations appear to be stabilizing with gross margins in the 23-24% range, but the financial profile has deteriorated dramatically, with a Debt-to-Equity ratio surging to 4.13 and the cash position collapsing to just $201M.
Price trend, volume and key moving averages
Start with the evidence for owning the stock and the risks that can break the thesis.
Revenue growth has stalled to a near-flat 0.35% over the trailing twelve months as inflation tailwinds fade, while gross margin remains volatile, ranging from 20.6% to 23.4% across the last four quarters.
Kroger's investment in digital platforms, including online ordering, delivery, and pickup options, enhances customer convenience and drives sales growth.
The expansion of Kroger's Private Selection brand with premium ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook meals strengthens its product portfolio and attracts higher-margin sales.
Kroger's ability to offer fresh groceries at low prices, combined with digital coupons and weekly deals, positions it as a cost leader in the grocery sector.
Trailing total returns as of 11/8/2026, which may include dividends or other distributions. Benchmark is S&P 500 (^GSPC).
Check whether operating performance supports the current valuation.
Recent results and news deserve attention only when they alter the forward view.
| Quarter | EPS (Act vs Est) | Revenue (Act vs Est) |
|---|---|---|
Q4 2026Latest Sep 11, 2026 | $1.09+2.8% vs $1.06 | $34.6B-0.1% vs $34.6B |
Q3 2026 Jun 18, 2026 | $1.58-0.6% vs $1.59 | $46.1B+1.2% vs $45.6B |
Q2 2026 Mar 5, 2026 | $1.28+6.7% vs $1.20 | $34.7B-0.7% vs $35.0B |
Q4 2025 Dec 4, 2025 | $1.05+1.9% vs $1.03 | $33.9B-1.0% vs $34.2B |
Kroger (NYSE: KR - Get Free Report) and NextPlat (NASDAQ: NXPL - Get Free Report) are both consumer staples companies, but which is the superior business? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their dividends, earnings, profitability, valuation, risk, analyst recommendations and institutional ownership. Insider and Institutional Ownership 80.9% of Kroger shares are
CINCINNATI, Nov. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) announced today it will host its third quarter 2026 earnings conference call at 8:00 a.m. ET on Thursday, December 3, 2026.
Retailer simplifies the holiday with flexible, minimal-prep meal bundles, intelligent cart-building and recipe scaling via the AI Shopping Assistant, and shortcuts to plan gatherings of any size CINCINNATI, Nov. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), America's grocer, today announced its Thanksgiving offerings centered on convenience, flexible feast sizes and effortless meal planning. Designed to meet customer needs across gatherings of any size, Kroger is eliminating holiday kitchen stress with convenient ready-to-eat meal solutions and intuitive, AI-powered planning tools.
In the most recent trading session, Kroger (KR) closed at $68.36, indicating a +2.4% shift from the previous trading day.
Benchmark KR against direct peers instead of judging its metrics in isolation.
Key metrics vs top competitors for The Kroger Co. (KR)
| Company | Price | Market Cap | P/E Ratio | Rev Growth (1Y) | Net Margin | ROE | Div Yield |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $67.70 | $41.74B | 37.94 | 0.35% | 0.73% | 17.15% | 2% | |
| $125.52 | $1T | 45.36 | 4.73% | 3% | 21.32% | 0.75% | |
| $158.41 | $71.95B | 16.47 | -1.68% | 4.08% | 26.66% | 2.84% | |
| $12.79 | $6.26B | -121.69 | 3.46% | -0.06% | -2.78% | 4.61% | |
| $49.10 | $4.58B | 9.27 | 14.08% | 5.45% | 33.82% | — | |
| $77.72 | $1.92B | 18.97 | 3.46% | 1.99% | 7.37% | 1.76% |
The Kroger Co. (KR) vs competitors — business, growth, and fundamentals comparison against the closest industry rivals.
Verify the primary filings, follow material updates, and answer the remaining questions.
The Kroger Co. (KR) SEC filings — annual & quarterly reports (10-K, 10-Q)
Sep 11, 2026·SEC
Sep 2, 2026·SEC
Jun 26, 2026·SEC
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The Kroger Co. (KR) stock FAQ — growth, dividends, profitability & financials explained
The Kroger Co. (KR) reported $149.33B in revenue over the trailing twelve months. Revenue was $147.64B in fiscal year 2025. That is 487% more than the $25.17B of fiscal year 1996.
The Kroger Co. (KR) grew revenue by 1.6% over the trailing twelve months, compared with the twelve months before.
Yes. The Kroger Co. (KR) earned $1.08B in net income over the trailing twelve months (a 0.7% net margin).
Yes. The Kroger Co. (KR) pays a dividend that yields 2.00% at the current price, a moderate yield.
The Kroger Co. (KR) had a return on equity (ROE) of 17.2% over the trailing twelve months. That is above the market's typical 10-15%.
The Kroger Co. (KR) generated $2.27B in free cash flow over the trailing twelve months.
