Kroger Rises After Lifting Outlook on Healthy Grocery Demand. Listen for more on Bloomberg Intelligence. https://t.co/vzMqBGJifi ...

The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) is one of the Blue Chip Stocks to Buy with the Lowest PE Ratios. On September 5, Michael Lasser of UBS maintained a Hold rating on The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) with a price target of $74. The analyst noted that he sees the company taking steps towards improving its operations under the interim CEO, Ron Sargent. These include enhancing store offerings, e-commerce, and pricing strategies. However, analyst Lasser believes that the company faces strong competition from Walmart, Costco, an ...

Core Insights - The Kroger Co. reported second-quarter fiscal 2025 results that exceeded earnings expectations but fell short on sales, driven by strengths in e-commerce, pharmacy, and fresh offerings, leading to an upward revision in sales and earnings outlook for the fiscal year [1][10][12] Financial Performance - Adjusted earnings were $1.04 per share, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.00 and improving from 93 cents in the prior-year quarter [2] - Total sales for the quarter were $33,940 million, nearly flat year over year, but below the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $34,123 million; excluding fuel and divested pharmacy business, sales increased by 3.8% year over year [3] - E-commerce sales increased by 16% year over year, following a 15% gain in the first quarter, indicating successful digital investments [4] Margin and Profitability - Gross margin expanded to 22.5%, up from 22.1% in the year-ago quarter, supported by reduced supply-chain costs and lower shrink [5] - Adjusted FIFO operating profit reached $1,091 million, up from $984 million in the previous year, while reported operating profit was $863 million compared to $815 million last year [6] Financial Position - Kroger ended the quarter with cash and temporary cash investments totaling $4,883 million, total debt of $17,959 million, and shareholders' equity of $9,277 million [7] - The net total debt-to-adjusted EBITDA ratio was 1.63, up from 1.24 a year ago, remaining below the target range of 2.30-2.50, indicating financial flexibility [8] Guidance and Outlook - The company raised its full-year guidance for identical sales growth without fuel to 2.7-3.4%, up from 2.25-3.25% [10] - Adjusted EPS guidance was increased to a range of $4.70 to $4.80, up from the previous $4.60-$4.80 [11] Strategic Execution - The results reflect Kroger's ability to navigate a competitive retail environment through digital acceleration, fresh assortment, and cost efficiencies, positioning the company for sustained shareholder value creation [12]

Core Insights - Sales growth was primarily driven by Kroger's pharmacy and fresh produce segments, along with its e-commerce channel [1] Group 1: Sales Performance - The pharmacy segment contributed significantly to the overall sales growth [1] - Fresh produce also played a key role in enhancing sales figures [1] - E-commerce channel showed strong performance, further boosting sales [1]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Kroger achieved identical sales without fuel growth of 3.4%, marking the sixth consecutive quarter of improvement in this metric [10][22][36] - Adjusted EPS was $1.04, reflecting a 12% growth compared to the previous year, the strongest growth rate since 2023 [28][33] - FIFO gross margin rate, excluding rent, depreciation, and amortization, increased by 39 basis points year-over-year, primarily due to the sale of Kroger Specialty Pharmacy and lower supply chain costs [24][25] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Sales growth was led by pharmacy, e-commerce, and fresh categories, with e-commerce sales growing by 16% [10][14][29] - The pharmacy business saw strong growth driven by core pharmacy scripts and growth in GLP-1s, positively impacting gross profit dollars [22][23] - Kroger's Brands products outpaced national brands in sales growth, with Simple Truth and Private Selection leading the way [13] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Food inflation was slightly lower in Q2 compared to Q1, trending in line with original expectations [22] - The company noted that low and middle-income households are increasingly looking for deals and using coupons, while higher-income households are still spending on premium products [101][102][104] Company Strategy and Development Direction - Kroger is focused on simplifying the organization, improving customer experience, and enhancing value creation [5][6] - The company plans to open 30 major store projects in 2025 and increase store openings by 30% in 2026 [16][35] - Artificial intelligence is being leveraged to improve pricing, reduce shrink, and enhance fulfillment capabilities [17][19] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in sustaining sales momentum, although the second half of the year will present tougher year-over-year comparisons [55][70] - The company is proactively addressing the changing tariff environment and does not expect significant impacts on its business [24][104] - Management remains cautious about consumer sentiment and its potential impact on spending [81][104] Other Important Information - Kroger ratified new labor agreements covering approximately 54,000 associates, improving wages and benefits [31] - The company raised its quarterly dividend by 9%, marking the nineteenth consecutive year of dividend increases [33] Q&A Session Summary Question: Plans for e-commerce fulfillment using stores - Management confirmed that stores are heavily used for e-commerce fulfillment, with no significant changes needed for reworking stores [41][44] Question: Competitive pricing environment and price investments - Management noted that the competitive pricing backdrop remains rational, and they will continue to lower prices while managing margins responsibly [46][48][50] Question: Sustaining ID sales momentum - Management expressed confidence in sustaining ID sales performance, although the second half will have tougher comparisons [54][70] Question: Incrementality of e-commerce growth - Management indicated that new households are being added through e-commerce, and existing customers are increasing order volumes [91] Question: Performance by income segments - Management observed that low and middle-income households are looking for deals, while higher-income households are still spending on premium products [101][102]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Kroger achieved identical sales without fuel growth of 3.4%, marking the sixth consecutive quarter of improvement in this metric [8][20][34] - Adjusted EPS was $1.04, reflecting a 12% growth compared to the previous year, the strongest growth rate since 2023 [25][31] - FIFO gross margin rate, excluding rent, depreciation, and amortization, increased by 39 basis points year-over-year [22][23] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Pharmacy sales growth was strong, driven by core pharmacy scripts and growth in GLP-1s, contributing positively to gross profit [20][21] - E-commerce sales grew by 16%, led by delivery performance, with a notable shift where delivery sales surpassed store pickup sales for the first time [12][26][42] - Fresh product sales continued to outpace center store sales, reflecting customer demand for healthier options [8][9] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company noted that food inflation was slightly lower in Q2 compared to Q1, trending in line with original expectations [20] - Low and middle-income households are increasingly looking for deals and using coupons, while higher-income households are still spending on premium products [98][100] Company Strategy and Development Direction - Kroger is focused on simplifying operations, improving customer experience, and enhancing value creation [4][5] - The company plans to open 30 major store projects in 2025 and increase store openings by 30% in 2026 [14][33] - Artificial intelligence is being leveraged to improve pricing, reduce shrink, and enhance fulfillment capabilities [15][16] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in sustaining sales momentum despite tougher comparisons in the second half of the year [52][68] - The company is closely monitoring the consumer environment, which remains uncertain, and is prepared to adjust strategies accordingly [80][81] - Management expects to maintain a relatively flat gross margin rate for the full year while balancing price investments and margin initiatives [23][34] Other Important Information - Kroger ratified new labor agreements covering approximately 54,000 associates, improving wages and benefits [29] - The company raised its quarterly dividend by 9%, marking the nineteenth consecutive year of dividend increases [31][32] Q&A Session Summary Question: Plans for using stores for e-commerce fulfillment - Management indicated that stores are already heavily used for e-commerce fulfillment, with no significant changes needed for reworking stores [40][42] Question: Competitive pricing environment and price investments - The competitive pricing backdrop remains rational, and Kroger plans to continue lowering prices while managing margins responsibly [46][48] Question: Sustaining ID sales momentum - Management expressed confidence in sustaining ID sales momentum, although the second half of the year presents tougher comparisons [52][68] Question: Incrementality of e-commerce growth - E-commerce is adding new households and increasing order volumes from existing customers, contributing to overall growth [89][90] Question: Pharmacy performance and its impact on other business areas - Pharmacy performance is expected to provide incrementality to the rest of the business, with a normalization of vaccine approvals anticipated [93] Question: Performance by income segments - Low and middle-income households are seeking deals, while higher-income households continue to spend on premium products [98][100]

Core CPI and Jobless Claims - Core CPI remains steady while jobless claims reach the highest level since October 2021 [1] Kroger's Quarterly Earnings Report - Kroger reported adjusted earnings of $1.04 per share, reflecting a nearly 12% increase that surpassed analyst expectations [1] - Sales for the quarter totaled $33.94 billion, which was nearly flat and slightly below expectations [1] Stock Performance and Technical Analysis - Kroger's stock showed volatility after the earnings report, bouncing around important chart levels during morning trades [1] - The company has achieved an upgrade to its IBD Relative Strength Rating, indicating improving price performance [3]

Kroger Company KR shares traded higher on Thursday after reporting second-quarter earnings.The company reported second-quarter adjusted earnings per share of $1.04, beating the analyst consensus estimate of 99 cents. Quarterly sales of $33.94 billion, marginally missing the consensus view of $34.102 billion.Following the results, Telsey Advisory Group analyst Joseph Feldman maintained an Outperform rating, with a price forecast of $82.Also Read: Kroger, Adobe And 3 Stocks To Watch Heading Into ThursdayThe i ...

Summary of Kroger's Quarterly Earnings Report Core Viewpoint - Kroger reported quarterly earnings of $1.04 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.00 per share, and showing an increase from $0.93 per share a year ago, indicating a positive earnings surprise of +4.00% [1][2]. Financial Performance - The company posted revenues of $33.94 billion for the quarter ended July 2025, which was slightly below the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.54%, and a marginal increase from $33.91 billion year-over-year [2]. - Over the last four quarters, Kroger has surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times, but has not beaten revenue estimates during the same period [2]. Stock Performance and Outlook - Kroger shares have increased approximately 9.6% since the beginning of the year, while the S&P 500 has gained 11.1% [3]. - The company's future stock performance will largely depend on management's commentary during the earnings call and the revisions of earnings estimates [3][4]. Earnings Estimates - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $1.05, with projected revenues of $34.22 billion, and for the current fiscal year, the estimate is $4.76 on revenues of $148.81 billion [7]. - The estimate revisions trend for Kroger was mixed prior to the earnings release, resulting in a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold) for the stock, indicating expected performance in line with the market [6]. Industry Context - The Retail - Supermarkets industry, to which Kroger belongs, is currently ranked in the bottom 29% of over 250 Zacks industries, suggesting potential challenges ahead [8].

Financial Performance - Kroger's identical sales without fuel increased by 34% in Q2 2025[5] - E-commerce sales grew by 16% compared to last year[5,6] - GAAP operating profit was $863 million[5] - Adjusted FIFO operating profit reached $1091 million[5] - GAAP EPS was $091[5] - Adjusted EPS grew by 12%[5] Guidance - The company updated its FY25 identical sales without fuel guidance to 27%-34%[10] - Operating profit guidance is $48 billion - $49 billion[10] - EPS guidance is $470 - $480[10] - Free cash flow guidance remains at $28 billion - $30 billion[10]