Kroger (KR) closed at $68.26 in the latest trading session, marking a +2.86% move from the prior day. The stock exceeded the S&P 500, which registered a loss of 1.04% for the day. Meanwhile, the Dow lost 1.66%, and the Nasdaq, a tech-heavy index, lost 1.13%.
Prior to today's trading, shares of the supermarket chain had gained 3.28% outpaced the Retail-Wholesale sector's loss of 3.1% and the S&P 500's gain of 1.75%.
Analysts and investors alike will be keeping a close eye on the performance of Kroger in its upcoming earnings disclosure. The company's earnings report is set to go public on March 5, 2026. The company is predicted to post an EPS of $1.2, indicating a 5.26% growth compared to the equivalent quarter last year. Our most recent consensus estimate is calling for quarterly revenue of $35.17 billion, up 2.51% from the year-ago period.
Regarding the entire year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates forecast earnings of $4.79 per share and revenue of $148.23 billion, indicating changes of +7.16% and +0.75%, respectively, compared to the previous year.
It's also important for investors to be aware of any recent modifications to analyst estimates for Kroger. These revisions typically reflect the latest short-term business trends, which can change frequently. Consequently, upward revisions in estimates express analysts' positivity towards the business operations and its ability to generate profits.
Our research shows that these estimate changes are directly correlated with near-term stock prices. To utilize this, we have created the Zacks Rank, a proprietary model that integrates these estimate changes and provides a functional rating system.
The Zacks Rank system, which varies between #1 (Strong Buy) and #5 (Strong Sell), carries an impressive track record of exceeding expectations, confirmed by external audits, with stocks at #1 delivering an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has moved 0.14% higher. Kroger currently has a Zacks Rank of #4 (Sell).
Digging into valuation, Kroger currently has a Forward P/E ratio of 12.55. This indicates a discount in contrast to its industry's Forward P/E of 17.48.
Investors should also note that KR has a PEG ratio of 1.68 right now. This metric is used similarly to the famous P/E ratio, but the PEG ratio also takes into account the stock's expected earnings growth rate. The Retail - Supermarkets was holding an average PEG ratio of 2.86 at yesterday's closing price.
The Retail - Supermarkets industry is part of the Retail-Wholesale sector. This industry, currently bearing a Zacks Industry Rank of 149, finds itself in the bottom 40% echelons of all 250+ industries.
The Zacks Industry Rank assesses the strength of our separate industry groups by calculating the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks contained within the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.
You can find more information on all of these metrics, and much more, on Zacks.com.
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The Kroger Co. (KR): Free Stock Analysis ReportThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).
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