Kroger (KR) Stock Analysis

July 16, 2026

This is a peer-relative look at Kroger (KR): its performance, risk, profitability, financial strength, dividend, and valuation are each measured against its Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail peers, so every number reads in context rather than in isolation.

Company Profile

Company profile fields for Kroger (KR)
Profile Item	KR
Name	Kroger Co.
Country/Region	United States
GICS Sector	Consumer Staples
GICS Industry Group	Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail
GICS Industry	Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail
GICS Sub-Industry	Food Retail
Market Capitalization	36.34 billion USD
Currency	USD
Exchange	NYSE
Listing Date	January 2, 1962
Security Type	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

GSPC

Kroger (KR) vs. S&P 500 (GSPC): Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Kroger (KR) and S&P 500 (GSPC). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Kroger (KR) and S&P 500 (GSPC). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Kroger (KR) metric values compared with Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry-group medians
Metric	Current stock: KR	Industry group median
Total Return (1Y)	-14.21%	17.54%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	10.47%	19.84%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	11.63%	14.04%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

GSPC

Kroger (KR) vs. S&P 500 (GSPC): Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Kroger (KR) and S&P 500 (GSPC). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Kroger (KR) metric values compared with Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry-group medians
Metric	Current stock: KR	Industry group median
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	27.64%	34.78%
Beta (5Y)	0.43	0.65
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-31.07%	-38.04%

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

Each dot is a stock plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. KR is highlighted; the dashed line is the Capital Allocation Line from the risk-free rate through the industry median — dots above it are stronger on a risk-adjusted basis.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Kroger (KR) metric values compared with Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry-group medians
Metric	Current stock: KR	Industry group median
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	-0.66	0.40
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	-0.90	0.56

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Kroger (KR) posts ROE of 13.78%, roughly around the peer group’s normal range. Shareholders’ equity is producing a return that looks broadly typical for the industry.

KR

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

13.78%

Group distribution

Max: 37.28%
Q3: 22.55%
Median: 14.81%
KR: 13.78%
Q1: 8.71%
Min: -2.30%

Largest peers

SYY: 81.90%
COST: 29.15%
WMT: 24.13%
TGT: 22.02%
CASY: 19.15%
DG: 18.91%
KR: 13.78%

Where Kroger (KR) stands on ROE within its Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail peer group — the box is the group’s distribution and the dots its largest members.

Net Margin (TTM)

Kroger (KR) keeps 0.71% of revenue as net profit, in the lower peer quartile for net margin. More of each sales dollar is being absorbed by costs, financing, taxes, or other charges than at most peers.

KR

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

0.71%

Group distribution

Max: 6.51%
Q3: 3.43%
Median: 2.27%
Q1: 1.36%
KR: 0.71%
Min: -0.12%

Largest peers

CASY: 4.07%
DG: 3.63%
TGT: 3.24%
WMT: 3.14%
COST: 3.01%
SYY: 2.08%
KR: 0.71%

Where Kroger (KR) stands on net margin within its Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail peer group — the box is the group’s distribution and the dots its largest members.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Kroger (KR) turns 3.22% of revenue into operating profit, roughly in line with the peer group’s normal operating margin range. Its core cost structure looks typical for the industry.

KR

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

3.22%

Group distribution

Max: 9.24%
Q3: 5.36%
Median: 3.67%
KR: 3.22%
Q1: 1.28%
Min: -0.11%

Largest peers

DG: 5.92%
CASY: 5.35%
TGT: 4.52%
WMT: 4.22%
SYY: 3.75%
COST: 3.67%
KR: 3.22%

Where Kroger (KR) stands on operating margin within its Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail peer group — the box is the group’s distribution and the dots its largest members.

Profitability Metrics

Kroger (KR) metric values compared with Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry-group medians
Metric	Current stock: KR	Industry group median
ROE (TTM)	13.78%	14.81%
ROA (TTM)	5.77%	5.63%
Net Margin (TTM)	0.71%	2.27%
Operating Margin (TTM)	3.22%	3.67%
Gross Margin (TTM)	23.98%	24.61%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Kroger (KR) has current ratio of 0.79, in the tighter-liquidity quartile for its industry. The short-term cushion is thinner than most peers carry, even if the absolute comfort level still depends on the business model.

KR

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

0.79

Group distribution

Max: 1.52
Q3: 1.35
Median: 1.17
Q1: 0.97
KR: 0.79
Min: 0.60

Largest peers

SYY: 1.33
DG: 1.17
COST: 1.07
CASY: 1.01
TGT: 0.93
KR: 0.79
WMT: 0.77

Where Kroger (KR) stands on current ratio within its Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail peer group — the box is the group’s distribution and the dots its largest members.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Kroger (KR) has debt-to-equity ratio of 3.73, above the industry benchmark range. Debt sits unusually high against shareholders’ equity, leaving the balance sheet more exposed to rate, refinancing, or earnings shocks.

KR

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

3.73

Group distribution

KR: 3.73
Max: 3.40
Q3: 1.88
Median: 1.35
Q1: 0.68
Min: 0.00

Largest peers

SYY: 6.70
KR: 3.73
DG: 1.79
TGT: 1.18
WMT: 0.75
CASY: 0.74
COST: 0.60

Where Kroger (KR) stands on debt-to-equity ratio within its Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail peer group — the box is the group’s distribution and the dots its largest members.

Financial Strength Metrics

Kroger (KR) metric values compared with Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry-group medians
Metric	Current stock: KR	Industry group median
Current Ratio (MRQ)	0.79	1.17
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	3.73	1.35
Net Debt / EBITDA	2.64	2.64

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Kroger (KR) has dividend yield of 1.73%, in the upper peer-yield quartile while still inside the industry range. The dividend offers more cash income per dollar of share price than most peers, though payout coverage still matters.

KR

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

1.73%

Group distribution

Max: 4.07%
KR: 1.73%
Q3: 1.67%
Median: 0.28%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Largest peers

TGT: 3.36%
SYY: 2.58%
DG: 1.98%
KR: 1.73%
WMT: 0.84%
COST: 0.59%
CASY: 0.28%

Where Kroger (KR) stands on dividend yield within its Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail peer group — the box is the group’s distribution and the dots its largest members.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Kroger (KR) has payout ratio of 80.12%, above the peer distribution for its industry. The dividend consumes more reported earnings than peers normally do, leaving unusually thin earnings cover.

KR

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

80.12%

Group distribution

KR: 80.12%
Max: 60.00%
Q3: 30.32%
Median: 12.02%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Largest peers

KR: 80.12%
SYY: 60.00%
TGT: 59.97%
WMT: 33.54%
DG: 33.38%
COST: 27.01%
CASY: 11.90%

Where Kroger (KR) stands on payout ratio within its Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail peer group — the box is the group’s distribution and the dots its largest members.

Dividend Metrics

Kroger (KR) metric values compared with Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry-group medians
Metric	Current stock: KR	Industry group median
Dividend Yield (TTM)	1.73%	0.28%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	80.12%	12.02%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Kroger (KR) trades at P/E ratio of 35.51, near the industry’s usual earnings multiple. The stock is not showing a clear peer discount or premium on trailing earnings.

KR

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

35.51

Group distribution

Max: 53.96
Q3: 37.34
KR: 35.51
Median: 20.29
Q1: 17.31
Min: 11.83

Largest peers

COST: 46.09
CASY: 42.74
WMT: 40.13
KR: 35.51
SYY: 23.31
TGT: 17.80
DG: 16.82

Where Kroger (KR) stands on P/E ratio within its Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail peer group — the box is the group’s distribution and the dots its largest members.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Kroger (KR) trades at 0.24 on P/S ratio, in the lower sales-valuation quartile for its industry. That points to a cheaper revenue stream than most peers, with margin quality still doing the heavy lifting.

KR

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

0.24

Group distribution

Max: 1.81
Q3: 0.91
Median: 0.50
Q1: 0.25
KR: 0.24
Min: 0.02

Largest peers

CASY: 1.81
COST: 1.40
WMT: 1.26
DG: 0.63
TGT: 0.58
SYY: 0.48
KR: 0.24

Where Kroger (KR) stands on P/S ratio within its Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail peer group — the box is the group’s distribution and the dots its largest members.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Kroger (KR) trades at 6.41 on P/B ratio, roughly in line with the industry’s normal price-to-book range. Its balance sheet is not being priced at a clear discount or premium versus peers.

KR

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

6.41

Group distribution

Max: 9.69
Q3: 6.49
KR: 6.41
Median: 4.17
Q1: 2.19
Min: 0.69

Largest peers

COST: 24.85
SYY: 17.37
WMT: 9.69
CASY: 8.02
KR: 6.41
TGT: 3.73
DG: 3.08

Where Kroger (KR) stands on P/B ratio within its Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail peer group — the box is the group’s distribution and the dots its largest members.

Valuation Metrics

Kroger (KR) metric values compared with Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry-group medians
Metric	Current stock: KR	Industry group median
P/E Ratio (TTM)	35.51	20.29
P/S Ratio (TTM)	0.24	0.50
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	6.41	4.17
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	8.24%	4.41%