Seek Returns

KR vs. WMT: Kroger vs. Walmart Stock Comparison

How do Kroger (KR) and Walmart (WMT) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Kroger (KR) and Walmart (WMT) both belong to the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry, though KR is classified under Food Retail while WMT falls under Consumer Staples Merchandise Retail.

Company profile comparison for Kroger (KR) and Walmart (WMT)
Profile ItemKRWMT
NameKroger Co.Walmart Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorConsumer StaplesConsumer Staples
GICS Industry GroupConsumer Staples Distribution & RetailConsumer Staples Distribution & Retail
GICS IndustryConsumer Staples Distribution & RetailConsumer Staples Distribution & Retail
GICS Sub-IndustryFood RetailConsumer Staples Merchandise Retail
Market Capitalization34.02 billion USD901.33 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENasdaq
Listing DateJanuary 2, 1962August 25, 1972
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

KR
WMT
Loading price history…
Kroger (KR) vs. Walmart (WMT): Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

Loading price history…
Trailing total returns for Kroger (KR) and Walmart (WMT). Returns over one year are annualized.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Kroger (KR) and Walmart (WMT)
MetricKRWMT
Total Return (1Y)-20.97%16.80%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

KR
WMT
Loading price history…
Kroger (KR) vs. Walmart (WMT): Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Kroger (KR) and Walmart (WMT)
MetricKRWMT
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)27.55%23.94%
Beta (5Y)0.440.60
Avg. Volume (3M)6.66M20.82M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

Loading chart…
KR and WMT are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Walmart (WMT) at 24.13% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Kroger (KR) at 13.78% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for WMT.

KR

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

13.78%

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

WMT

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

24.13%

Max
37.28%
WMT
24.13%
Q3
22.55%
Median
14.81%
Q1
8.71%
Min
-2.30%
Loading chart…
Kroger (KR) vs. Walmart (WMT): A comparison of their ROE against the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Walmart (WMT) at 3.14% keeps about the industry-typical share of revenue as profit, while Kroger (KR) at 0.71% retains only a bottom-quartile share.

KR

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

0.71%

Max
6.51%
Q3
3.51%
Median
2.17%
Q1
1.27%
KR
0.71%
Min
-0.12%

WMT

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

3.14%

Max
6.51%
Q3
3.51%
WMT
3.14%
Median
2.17%
Q1
1.27%
Min
-0.12%
Loading chart…
Kroger (KR) vs. Walmart (WMT): A comparison of their net margin against the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Kroger (KR) at 3.22% and Walmart (WMT) at 4.22% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

KR

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

3.22%

Max
9.24%
Q3
5.28%
Median
3.45%
KR
3.22%
Q1
1.19%
Min
-0.11%

WMT

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

4.22%

Max
9.24%
Q3
5.28%
WMT
4.22%
Median
3.45%
Q1
1.19%
Min
-0.11%
Loading chart…
Kroger (KR) vs. Walmart (WMT): A comparison of their operating margin against the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Kroger (KR) and Walmart (WMT)
MetricKRWMT
ROE (TTM)13.78%24.13%
ROA (TTM)5.77%6.84%
Net Margin (TTM)0.71%3.14%
Operating Margin (TTM)3.22%4.22%
Gross Margin (TTM)23.98%24.98%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Loading chart…
Kroger (KR) vs. Walmart (WMT): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

Revenue Growth Metrics

Revenue growth metrics for Kroger (KR) and Walmart (WMT)
MetricKRWMT
Revenue Growth (YoY)0.35%4.73%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-0.14%5.27%

EPS Growth

Loading chart…
Kroger (KR) vs. Walmart (WMT): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth Metrics

EPS growth metrics for Kroger (KR) and Walmart (WMT)
MetricKRWMT
EPS Growth (YoY)-58.04%13.28%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-20.46%24.25%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Kroger (KR) at 0.79 and Walmart (WMT) at 0.77 run current ratio in the tighter-liquidity quartile of industry peers, leaving thinner cushions against current liabilities than typical competitors.

KR

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

0.79

Max
1.52
Q3
1.36
Median
1.17
Q1
0.95
KR
0.79
Min
0.60

WMT

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

0.77

Max
1.52
Q3
1.36
Median
1.17
Q1
0.95
WMT
0.77
Min
0.60
Loading chart…
Kroger (KR) vs. Walmart (WMT): A comparison of their current ratio against the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Walmart (WMT) at 0.75 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while Kroger (KR) at 3.73 uses more debt funding than most peers.

KR

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

3.73

KR
3.73
Max
3.73
Q3
1.93
Median
1.29
Q1
0.65
Min
0.00

WMT

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

0.75

Max
3.73
Q3
1.93
Median
1.29
WMT
0.75
Q1
0.65
Min
0.00
Loading chart…
Kroger (KR) vs. Walmart (WMT): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Kroger (KR) and Walmart (WMT)
MetricKRWMT
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.790.77
Debt / Equity (MRQ)3.730.75
Net Debt / EBITDA2.641.45

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Kroger (KR) at 1.88% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Walmart (WMT) at 0.83% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, KR the richer one.

KR

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

1.88%

Max
3.39%
KR
1.88%
Q3
1.72%
Median
0.43%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

WMT

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

0.83%

Max
3.39%
Q3
1.72%
WMT
0.83%
Median
0.43%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
Kroger (KR) vs. Walmart (WMT): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both pay out more than their industries’ typical bands, and KR more so: Walmart (WMT) at 33.54% sits above the band, while Kroger (KR) at 80.12% exceeds every peer in its group.

KR

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

80.12%

KR
80.12%
Max
60.00%
Q3
31.85%
Median
16.54%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

WMT

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

33.54%

Max
60.00%
WMT
33.54%
Q3
31.85%
Median
16.54%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
Kroger (KR) vs. Walmart (WMT): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Kroger (KR) and Walmart (WMT)
MetricKRWMT
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.88%0.83%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)80.12%33.54%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Kroger (KR) at 32.47 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Walmart (WMT) at 39.88 sits in the richer quartile — WMT needs stronger growth or earnings quality to justify the premium.

KR

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

32.47

Max
53.23
Q3
36.44
KR
32.47
Median
20.05
Q1
16.76
Min
11.49

WMT

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

39.88

Max
53.23
WMT
39.88
Q3
36.44
Median
20.05
Q1
16.76
Min
11.49
Loading chart…
Kroger (KR) vs. Walmart (WMT): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Kroger (KR) at 0.23 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Walmart (WMT) at 1.24 sits in the pricier quartile — WMT costs more per dollar of sales.

KR

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

0.23

Max
1.67
Q3
0.92
Median
0.51
KR
0.23
Q1
0.23
Min
0.02

WMT

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

1.24

Max
1.67
WMT
1.24
Q3
0.92
Median
0.51
Q1
0.23
Min
0.02
Loading chart…
Kroger (KR) vs. Walmart (WMT): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Kroger (KR) at 6.00 is valued about in line with its industry on P/B ratio, while Walmart (WMT) at 9.56 carries an above-peer premium to book — WMT is pricier on assets.

KR

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

6.00

Max
9.56
Q3
6.33
KR
6.00
Median
4.05
Q1
1.97
Min
0.73

WMT

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

9.56

WMT
9.56
Max
9.56
Q3
6.33
Median
4.05
Q1
1.97
Min
0.73
Loading chart…
Kroger (KR) vs. Walmart (WMT): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Kroger (KR) and Walmart (WMT)
MetricKRWMT
P/E Ratio (TTM)32.4739.88
P/S Ratio (TTM)0.231.24
P/B Ratio (MRQ)6.009.56
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)8.80%0.76%