Stock Analysis
The Kroger Co.KR
P/E 37.96×· 5Y range 12.59–173.78×· top 15% of history
Sector: Consumer Cyclical · Industry: Retail-Grocery Stores
AnalystsBuy33 analystsP/E 38.0× sits at the 85th percentile of its 5.086926762491444-year history.
Cash covers 7% of debt · Q2 2027.
PMP Verdict
Mixed fundamentals, expensive valuation
Strengths
- Quality90
- Financial Health61
Risks
- Valuation70
- Growth25
Mixed fundamentals at a demanding price.
Bull Case
- ✓Altman Z 3.0 — safe-zone balance sheet
- ✓ROE 17.1% — efficient capital deployment
- ✓Interest coverage 10.2× — debt well covered
What's happening with KR
Profile
Strong earnings quality; growth and profitability lag behind.
How is each axis scored?
- Valuation70/100 · Moderate
- P/E vs own history (85th pct)0/25
- FCF yield (9.2%)25/25
- P/S (0.3x)25/25
- EV/EBIT (12.3x)20/25
- Growth25/100 · Weak
- Revenue CAGR (-0.1%)0/25
- Net income CAGR (-18.1%)0/25
- EPS CAGR 5Y (-16.0%)0/25
- Fwd implied growth (249.6%)25/25
- Profitability43/100 · Weak
- ROIC (13.6%)12/25
- ROE (17.1%)20/25
- Net margin (0.7%)6/25
- Operating margin (3.3%)5/25
- Financial Health61/100 · Moderate
- Altman Z (3.03)25/25
- Current ratio (0.70)6/25
- Interest coverage (10.2x)25/25
- Net cash / debt (D/A 45%)5/25
- Quality90/100 · Strong
- Piotroski F (6/9)15/25
- Beneish M (-3.83)25/25
- FCF conversion (346%)25/25
- Margin stability (σ 0.6%)25/25
- Moat63/100 · Moderate
- ROIC >12% years (8/11 yrs)20/25
- Median gross margin (22.1%)6/25
- FCF-positive years (11/11 yrs)25/25
- Worst-year net margin (worst 0.7%)12/25
Risk Flags
- ⚠Revenue shrinking 0.1%/yr
- ⚠P/E 38.0× at top 15% of 5-year history
About The Kroger Co.
Founded in 1883, Kroger is the largest pure-play supermarket operator in the United States, operating roughly 2,700 stores across more than 30 banners. Show more
Kroger's business is primarily grocery-led (roughly 78% of sales), spanning fresh food and private-label offerings, complemented by fuel centers (9%) and pharmacies (12%). The firm also generates income from advertising, data analytics, and manufacturing.
Headquarters: CINCINNATI, OH · Employees: 403,000 · Website ↗
Price History
Weekly Candlestick Chart — up to 5Y
Key Metrics
Financial snapshot · Tap any metric for its definition and grade
TTM Snapshot
trailing twelve months · YoYValuation
70B+P/E (TTM)38.0xD
Grade D: ExpensivePrice / TTM EPS (own statements) — vs own 5Y history: 12.6x–173.8x · 85th pct
P/FCF15.8xB
Grade B: FairPrice / Free Cash Flow per share (Finnhub). Inverse of FCF yield — negative when FCF is negative · Elevated investment — CapEx = 53% of operating cash flow, weighing on reported FCF
FCF Yield9.2%A
Grade A: ValueTTM (OCF − CapEx) / Market Cap — vs own 5Y history: 2.9%–10.2% · 96th pct · Elevated investment — CapEx = 53% of operating cash flow, weighing on reported FCF
P/S (TTM)0.25xA
Grade A: CheapPrice / TTM Revenue (own statements) — vs own 5Y history: 0.2x–0.4x · 52nd pct
EV/EBIT12.3xB
Grade B: FairEnterprise value / TTM EBIT (D&A not in our data) — capital-structure neutral — vs own 5Y history: 11.5x–12.7x · 90th pct
EV/Sales0.5xA
Grade A: CheapEnterprise Value / TTM Revenue (Finnhub) — capital-structure neutral sales multiple
Forward P/E10.9xA
Grade A: CheapPrice / next-year EPS estimate — shows whether the TTM multiple is rich or just front-loading growth
P/B Ratio6.43xC
Grade C: ExpensivePrice to Book Value. Neg. equity = heavy buybacks
PEG Ratio4.10D
Grade D: ExpensiveFinnhub PEG — their P/E basis ÷ expected EPS growth. Suppressed when their P/E diverges >2× from our TTM P/E (different basis)
Dividend Yield2.37%A
Grade A: PaysTTM dividend yield (Finnhub) — annual dividends / price. None = no dividend; very high yield can signal distress
Payout Ratio27.3%A
Grade A: SafeDividends / Net Income (Finnhub) — share of earnings paid out; >90% or negative = unsustainable
Elevated investment: Elevated investment — CapEx = 53% of operating cash flow, weighing on reported FCF
Profitability
43D+ROIC13.6%C
Grade C: AverageNOPAT (EBIT less ~21% tax) / invested capital (equity + debt − cash). Flagship quality metric — durable >15% signals a moat
ROE17.1%C
Grade C: AverageReturn on Equity. Neg. equity = heavy buybacks
ROA0.4%D
Grade D: WeakReturn on Assets (Finnhub) — Net Income / Total Assets; how efficiently assets produce profit
Net Margin0.7%D
Grade D: LowNet Income / Revenue
Operating Margin3.3%D
Grade D: LowTTM EBIT / TTM Revenue
Gross Margin24.1%D
Grade D: LowGross Profit / Revenue
FCF Margin2.3%D
Grade D: LowFCF / Revenue · Elevated investment — CapEx = 53% of operating cash flow, weighing on reported FCF
True FCF Margin2.2%D
Grade D: LowTTM (OCF − CapEx − SBC) / TTM Revenue — SBC treated as a real cost · Elevated investment — CapEx = 53% of operating cash flow, weighing on reported FCF
Growth
25ERevenue CAGR-0.1%D
Grade D: LowCompound annual revenue growth (up to 5Y depending on data availability)
Net Income CAGR-18.1%D
Grade D: LowCompound annual net income growth (up to 5Y depending on data availability)
EPS CAGR (5Y)-16.0%D
Grade D: LowCompound annual EPS growth over up to 5Y of per-share earnings (own statements). Null when either endpoint EPS ≤ 0
Implied EPS Growth249.6%A
Grade A: HighAnalyst forward EPS (normalized basis) vs our GAAP TTM EPS — different bases, so extreme values usually mark cyclically depressed TTM earnings, not real growth
Dilution (5Y)-18.4%A
Grade A: BuybacksShare count change over 5Y
SBC / Net Income15.7%C
Grade C: MedStock-based comp/Net income. >30% = dilution risk
SBC / Revenue0.1%A
Grade A: LowTTM stock-based comp / TTM Revenue
Financial Health
61BAltman Z-Score3.03A
Grade A: SafeBankruptcy risk. >3 Safe, <1.8 Distress
Current Ratio0.70xD
Grade D: LowCurrent Assets/Liabilities
Quick Ratio0.27xD
Grade D: Low(Current Assets − Inventory) / Current Liabilities (Finnhub) — stricter liquidity test, excludes inventory
Interest Coverage10.2xA
Grade A: StrongEBIT/Interest. >10 Strong
Debt Repayment6.5yC
Grade C: AverageYears to repay net debt via FCF · Elevated investment — CapEx = 53% of operating cash flow, weighing on reported FCF
Net Debt/EBIT4.6xD
Grade D: HighLeverage. <2x Low, >4x High
Debt/Equity4.13xD
Grade D: HighDebt / Equity: <1 Conservative, >2 Risky. Not meaningful with non-positive equity; shown as unavailable rather than low debt.
Cash / Debt0.07xD
Grade D: ThinCash covers how much of total debt. >1 = could repay all debt from cash
Quality
90A+Piotroski F-Score6/9C
Grade C: AverageFinancial strength 0–9. >7 Strong
Beneish M-Score-3.83A
Grade A: SafeEarnings manipulation risk. < -2.22 Safe
FCF Conversion345.9%A
Grade A: StrongFCF / Net Income · Elevated investment — CapEx = 53% of operating cash flow, weighing on reported FCF
Margin Stability0.6%A
Grade A: StableEBIT margin std deviation. Lower = stable
Capex / Revenue2.6%A
Grade A: Asset-lightTTM CapEx / TTM Revenue — high % = capital-hungry business
Asset Turnover2.27xA
Grade A: HighRevenue / Total Assets (Finnhub) — how efficiently the asset base generates sales
Insider Transactions
SEC Form 4 · 8 recordsP/S codes are the directional signal; grants, option exercises and tax withholding carry none. Form 4 doesn't flag 10b5-1 plans — scheduled sales may appear within open-market sells.
| Trade date | Insider | Transaction | Shares | Filed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
DEMARTINO EMILEE F. Filed | DEMARTINO EMILEE F. | Grant / award | +12.8K | |
Vincent George H. Filed | Vincent George H. | Tax withholding | -1677 | |
Shaffer Megan N. Filed | Shaffer Megan N. | Tax withholding | -269 | |
Adcock Mary Ellen Filed | Adcock Mary Ellen | Option exercise | -10846 | |
Adcock Mary Ellen Filed | Adcock Mary Ellen | Option exercise | -37960 |
Show 3 more filingsShow fewer filings
| Trade date | Insider | Transaction | Shares | Filed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Adcock Mary Ellen Filed | Adcock Mary Ellen | SellOpen market sale | -24095 | |
Adcock Mary Ellen Filed | Adcock Mary Ellen | SellOpen market sale | -10846 | |
Adcock Mary Ellen Filed | Adcock Mary Ellen | SellOpen market sale | -37960 |
Option exercise (M) rows report a derivative leg, not an open-market sale — a paired negative entry is the option position being consumed.
More metrics — Moat, Per Share, Balance Sheet, MarketHide additional metrics
Moat
63BROIC >12% Years8/11 yrsA
Grade A: DurableShare of completed fiscal years with ROIC > 12% — measures multi-year capital-return durability
Gross Margin (Med.)22.1%D
Grade D: WeakMedian annual gross margin across available fiscal years — pricing-power durability
FCF-Positive Years11/11 yrsA
Grade A: DurableShare of completed fiscal years with positive free cash flow
Net Margin Floor0.7%C
Grade C: ModerateWeakest annual net margin across completed fiscal years — recession/downcycle resilience
Per Share
EPS (TTM)$1.68
Own TTM net income / shares — same earnings basis as P/E
Cash / Share$2.81
Cash & short-term investments per share (Finnhub)
Book Value / Share$9.81
Shareholders' equity per share (Finnhub). Negative = accumulated losses / heavy buybacks
Balance Sheet
Total Debt$24.16B
Total debt obligations (short + long term)
Cash & Equiv.$1.68B
Cash and short-term investments
Net Debt$22.48B
Total Debt minus Cash. Negative = Net Cash position
Total Equity$5.85B
Shareholders' equity (book value)
Asset / Liability1.13xC
Grade C: AdequateTotal Assets / Total Liabilities
Market
Market Cap$37.58B
Current Market Capitalization
Beta0.38B
Grade B: DefensivePrice sensitivity vs the market (Finnhub) — 1.0 moves with market, >1.2 amplifies swings
How grades work: each metric is graded A–D against fixed thresholds (tap a row for the meaning). Card grades map the pillar score to A+–E — a card grade is that pillar's own score, not an average of the rows shown.
Financials as of Aug 2026 · Ratio snapshot Oct 17, 2026
Key Insights: The Kroger Co. (KR)
KR is up 1.47% at the last close. Piotroski F-Score of 6/9 indicates mixed fundamentals for The Kroger Co.. Altman Z-Score of 3.03 sits comfortably in the safe zone (≥ 2.99), indicating low bankruptcy risk. Beneish M-Score of -3.83 suggests a low likelihood of earnings manipulation.
- Revenue has been contracting (CAGR ≈ -0%), which weighs on the growth outlook.
- Takes ~6.5 years to repay net debt from free cash flow.
- At a valuation score of 70/100, KR trades near the cheapest end of its own historical range (P/E 38.0).
- The stock currently yields 2.4% in dividends.
See how KR ranks on the Capex Tracker — top 50 capital spenders compared.
Earnings
View earnings calendar →Recent Earnings Results
| Date | Time | EPS Est. | EPS Actual | Surprise | Rev Est. | Rev Actual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 11, 2026 | Pre-Mkt | $1.09 | $1.09 | -0.1% | $35.6B | $34.6B |
| Sep 9, 2026 | TBD | $1.09 | — | — | $35.6B | — |
Recent Market Moves
See all KR moves →| Date | Session | Price | Move | Z-Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 30 | After-hours | 58.77 | -3.32% | -2.07 |
Frequently Asked Questions about KR
What is the current The Kroger Co. (KR) stock price?
KR is trading at $63.63 at the last market close, up 1.47% on the session. PreMarketPrice tracks KR pre-market, intraday and after-hours prices.
Is KR stock a buy right now?
PreMarketPrice's quantitative model rates The Kroger Co.'s financial health at 61/100. This is a data-driven snapshot of fundamentals, not investment advice.
Is KR stock overvalued?
The Kroger Co. trades at a trailing P/E of 38.0 and our valuation score rates it 70/100 (higher = cheaper vs. its own history). See the Valuation History and Key Metrics sections for forward P/E, EV/EBITDA and PEG context.
When does The Kroger Co. report earnings?
No confirmed earnings date is currently scheduled for KR. The Earnings section lists recent reports and updates as dates are announced.
What sector does The Kroger Co. operate in?
The Kroger Co. operates in the Consumer Cyclical sector, within the Retail-Grocery Stores industry. The Related Stocks section lists sector peers for comparison.
What does The Kroger Co. do?
Founded in 1883, Kroger is the largest pure-play supermarket operator in the United States, operating roughly 2,700 stores across more than 30 banners.
About The Kroger Co. (KR) Stock
The Kroger Co. (KR) is a US-listed stock operating in the Consumer Cyclical sector, specifically the Retail-Grocery Stores industry. As of the latest update, The Kroger Co. is trading at $63.63, up 1.47% on the day with a market capitalization of $37.6 billion. The financial health score for KR is 61/100, which indicates good financial strength based on profitability, leverage, liquidity, and growth metrics. This page provides real-time pre-market pricing, earnings calendar, financial health analysis, and valuation metrics for KR stock.
KR Stock Analysis & Key Metrics
On PreMarketPrice, you can track The Kroger Co. (KR) across multiple dimensions:
- Pre-market price & movement: Real-time KR stock price with percentage change, updated continuously during pre-market and regular trading hours.
- Earnings calendar: Upcoming and past earnings reports for KR, including EPS estimates, actual results, and surprise percentages.
- Valuation & P/E history: Historical P/E, P/S, and P/B ratios for KR with trend analysis and normalized valuation multiples.
- Financial statements: Revenue, net income, assets, liabilities, and equity for The Kroger Co. across multiple reporting periods.
- Financial health score: A composite score of 61/100 based on Altman Z-Score, Piotroski F-Score, profitability, and leverage metrics for KR.
- Sector peers: Compare KR against 4 other consumer cyclical stocks on key financial metrics.
Is KR a Good Stock to Buy?
This page provides data-driven analysis to help you evaluate The Kroger Co. (KR) as an investment. The financial health score of 61/100 suggests good financial fundamentals. Valuation metrics show whether the stock is trading above or below its historical average. Earnings data reveals whether the company is meeting or beating analyst expectations.However, this is not financial advice — always do your own research before investing.
Data on this page is sourced from real-time market feeds, Polygon.io, and Finnhub.The Kroger Co. (KR) trades on NYSE/NASDAQ. Pre-market trading occurs 4:00 AM – 9:30 AM ET. Regular market hours are 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM ET.