The Kroger Co. · KR · FY2026 Q2 · Calendar Q3 2026

Kroger: Strong digital growth offsets softer sales outlook

Kroger's Q2 showed resilient profit execution and growth in ecommerce, retail media and private label, but the lower sales outlook and ongoing investment and cost pressures make the next-year growth case mixed rather than established.

Reported Before market openNYSEConsumer Defensive $36.76B market cap
100quality score

Earnings scorecard

Reported versus consensus
Reported EPS $1.09 Consensus $1.06
EPS surprise +2.8% Reported versus consensus
Reported revenue $34.62B Consensus $34.64B
Revenue surprise -0.1% Reported versus consensus

Market reaction

prior-close to event-session close
Stock move +2.7% Event window
SPY move +0.9% Same window
Abnormal move +1.9% Stock minus SPY
Volume 2.1× Versus trailing sessions
Subsequent drift +2.6% Up to 20 sessions
KRSPY benchmark

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Transcript intelligence

What changed

Versus the prior quarter, management moved from reaffirming full-year guidance to lowering identical-sales guidance, while highlighting a 20% ecommerce increase, 24% retail media growth, a 35-basis-point cyclospora drag and the planned Giant Eagle acquisition.

Guidance delta

Management lowered full-year identical-sales guidance to 0.2%-0.8% while meeting its profit targets; no revised EPS range was supplied.

Key takeaways

  • Adjusted EPS was $1.09 and profit targets were met despite soft top-line performance.
  • Ecommerce sales grew 20% and retail media revenue rose 24%, supporting margin expansion.
  • A cyclospora outbreak reduced sales by 35 basis points, while full-year identical-sales guidance was lowered.

Management priorities

  • Fund price and value investments with cost savings and sourcing gains
  • Expand ecommerce, fast delivery and grocery-prescription delivery with Instacart
  • Continue store projects, private-label expansion and preparations for the Giant Eagle acquisition

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Earnings History

Estimate Beat Miss Match
KR EPS earnings history estimate and actual scatter chart 7 reported fiscal quarters and 4 future estimate-only quarters. Q3 '24 estimate $0.91 Q3 '24 actual $0.95, beat Q4 '24 estimate $1.13 Q4 '24 actual $1.34, beat Q2 '25 estimate $0.91 Q2 '25 actual $0.93, beat Q2 '26 estimate $0.99 Q2 '26 actual $1.04, beat Q3 '26 estimate $1.03 Q3 '26 actual $1.05, beat Q4 '26 estimate $1.20 Q4 '26 actual $1.28, beat Q2 '27 estimate $1.06 Q2 '27 actual $1.09, beat Q3 '27 estimate $1.69 Q4 '27 estimate $1.14 Q1 '28 estimate $1.23 Q2 '28 estimate $1.45

Analyst Consensus ?

ConsensusHold43 ratings
Bullish2046.5%
Neutral1739.5%
Bearish614.0%

Analyst 52W Price Targets

$60Current
$42Low
$67.47Average
$92High

Latest persisted target per named analyst; persisted current price from FN2's market snapshot as of Sep 20, 2026. Not an FN2 forecast.

Firm-level rating actions

FMP grade actions identify the grading firm, not a named analyst.

FirmRatingPrior ratingActionDate
Guggenheim Buy BuyMaintainSep 15, 2026
Telsey Advisory Group Outperform OutperformMaintainSep 14, 2026
Evercore ISI Group Outperform OutperformMaintainSep 14, 2026
Citigroup Neutral NeutralMaintainSep 1, 2026
UBS Neutral NeutralMaintainJun 22, 2026
Morgan Stanley Equal Weight Equal WeightMaintainJun 22, 2026
Barclays Equal Weight Equal WeightMaintainJun 22, 2026
JP Morgan Neutral NeutralMaintainJun 11, 2026
Roth Capital Buy BuyMaintainMar 6, 2026
Wells Fargo Equal Weight OverweightDowngradeFeb 25, 2026
Roth MKM Buy NeutralUpgradeSep 17, 2025
Deutsche Bank Hold HoldMaintainJun 23, 2025
B of A Securities Buy BuyMaintainDec 20, 2024
BMO Capital Market Perform Market PerformMaintainDec 12, 2024
Jefferies Buy HoldUpgradeDec 3, 2024
Argus Research Buy BuyMaintainJul 22, 2024
Exane BNP Paribas Underperform NeutralDowngradeApr 8, 2024
Stephens & Co. Equal Weight Equal WeightMaintainDec 1, 2023
Northcoast Research Buy NeutralUpgradeMar 20, 2023
Bernstein Outperform OutperformMaintainDec 6, 2022
Credit Suisse Neutral NeutralMaintainSep 8, 2022
Goldman Sachs Sell SellMaintainDec 6, 2021
Scotiabank Sector Outperform Sector OutperformMaintainSep 14, 2020
MKM Partners Neutral NeutralMaintainJul 30, 2020
CFRA Buy BuyMaintainMar 5, 2020
Pivotal Research Buy HoldUpgradeAug 2, 2019
Bank of America Buy BuyMaintainMay 29, 2019
Buckingham Research Underperform UnderperformMaintainMar 8, 2019
Buckingham Underperform UnderperformMaintainMar 8, 2019
Argus Buy BuyMaintainAug 20, 2018
Moffett Nathanson Buy BuyMaintainDec 4, 2017
Loop Capital Hold HoldMaintainMay 16, 2017
RBC Capital Outperform Sector PerformUpgradeMar 23, 2017
PiperJaffray Neutral UnderweightUpgradeDec 14, 2016
Piper Sandler Neutral UnderweightUpgradeDec 14, 2016
SunTrust Robinson Humphrey Neutral NeutralMaintainSep 12, 2016
Oppenheimer Outperform OutperformMaintainAug 24, 2016
Cleveland Research Hold BuyDowngradeAug 23, 2016
Wolfe Research Underperform Peer PerformDowngradeJul 28, 2016
Hilliard Lyons Buy Long Term BuyMaintainJun 23, 2016
Macquarie Underperform NeutralDowngradeMar 4, 2016
Stifel Nicolaus Buy BuyMaintainFeb 12, 2016
Cantor Fitzgerald Hold HoldMaintainMar 5, 2015
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Named analyst price targets

Upside is calculated against the persisted current price $60. FMP does not supply a rating on these named-analyst rows.

FirmAnalyst52W targetPrice when postedUpsideDate
Telsey AdvisoryJoseph Feldman$75$60.73 +25.0%Sep 14, 2026
GuggenheimJohn Heinbockel$66$60.76 +10.0%Sep 14, 2026
Roth CapitalWilliam Kirk$73$58.49 +21.7%Sep 14, 2026
Evercore ISIAnalyst unavailable$70$58.49 +16.7%Sep 14, 2026
Deutsche BankAnalyst unavailable$68$56.95 +13.3%Sep 9, 2026
Evercore ISIMichael Montani$78$59.56 +30.0%Jul 7, 2026
Telsey AdvisoryAnalyst unavailable$78$56.54 +30.0%Jun 22, 2026
UBSMichael Lasser$63$56.59 +5.0%Jun 22, 2026
GuggenheimAnalyst unavailable$71$56.61 +18.3%Jun 22, 2026
Wells FargoAnalyst unavailable$58$56.61 -3.3%Jun 22, 2026
BarclaysAnalyst unavailable$61$56.61 +1.7%Jun 22, 2026
Goldman SachsLeah Jordan$82$56.61 +36.7%Jun 19, 2026
Coker PalmerThomas Palmer$70$64.46 +16.7%Jun 11, 2026
JefferiesScott Marks$80$61.56 +33.3%Jun 3, 2026
Evercore ISIMichael Montani$83$73.37 +38.3%Mar 9, 2026
JefferiesScott Marks$82$71.57 +36.7%Mar 5, 2026
Morgan StanleySimeon Gutman$73$71.57 +21.7%Mar 5, 2026
Wolfe ResearchGreg Badishkanian$75$71.55 +25.0%Mar 5, 2026
BMO CapitalKelly Bania$70$70.09 +16.7%Mar 5, 2026
Morgan StanleyAnalyst unavailable$67$62.46 +11.7%Jan 15, 2026
Deutsche BankAnalyst unavailable$75$59.92 +25.0%Jan 8, 2026
BarclaysAnalyst unavailable$68$59.28 +13.3%Jan 8, 2026
Morgan StanleyAnalyst unavailable$72$62.83 +20.0%Dec 8, 2025
Telsey AdvisoryJoseph Feldman$80$63.4 +33.3%Dec 5, 2025
Evercore ISIAnalyst unavailable$77$63.35 +28.3%Dec 5, 2025
UBSMichael Lasser$70$63.36 +16.7%Dec 5, 2025
Wells FargoEdward Kelly$70$63.14 +16.7%Dec 4, 2025
Telsey AdvisoryJoseph Feldman$82$67.28 +36.7%Dec 1, 2025
Coker PalmerThomas Palmer$73$66.81 +21.7%Nov 26, 2025
GuggenheimJohn Heinbockel$78$67.38 +30.0%Nov 19, 2025
Argus ResearchAnalyst unavailable$85$66.32 +41.7%Sep 18, 2025
JefferiesAnalyst unavailable$83$74 +38.3%Jun 23, 2025
Morgan StanleyAnalyst unavailable$76$74 +26.7%Jun 23, 2025
GuggenheimJohn Heinbockel$73$70.74 +21.7%Apr 3, 2025
Roth CapitalAnalyst unavailable$58$63.78 -3.3%Mar 6, 2025
JefferiesRob Dickerson$73$60.15 +21.7%Dec 3, 2024
JefferiesRob Dickerson$54$55.2 -10.0%Sep 12, 2024
Evercore ISIMichael Montani$62$54.2 +3.3%Sep 12, 2024
Argus ResearchChris Graja$72$54.86 +20.0%Jul 22, 2024
Evercore ISIVijay Jayant$92$50.27 +53.3%Jun 24, 2024
Morgan StanleySimeon Gutman$57$50.21 -5.0%Jun 24, 2024
BMO CapitalKelly Bania$60$51.98 +0.0%Jun 18, 2024
JefferiesRob Dickerson$53$51.28 -11.7%Jun 11, 2024
Wells FargoEdward Kelly$65$55.36 +8.3%Apr 16, 2024
Northcoast ResearchChuck Cerankosky$60$47.28 +0.0%Jun 14, 2023
Telsey AdvisoryJoseph Feldman$55$46.17 -8.3%Jun 9, 2023
BernsteinAnalyst unavailable$58$46.07 -3.3%Dec 6, 2022
Deutsche BankAnalyst unavailable$55$46.14 -8.3%Dec 5, 2022
Morgan StanleyAnalyst unavailable$44$47.57 -26.7%Dec 5, 2022
UBSAnalyst unavailable$54$48 -10.0%Dec 2, 2022
Deutsche BankAnalyst unavailable$56$49.05 -6.7%Nov 29, 2022
Evercore ISIMichael Montani$56$47.12 -6.7%Nov 9, 2022
Morgan StanleyAnalyst unavailable$43$50.5 -28.3%Sep 12, 2022
Morgan StanleyAnalyst unavailable$41$49.82 -31.7%Jun 17, 2022
Bank of America SecuritiesRobert Ohmes$75$50.39 +25.0%Jun 14, 2022
OppenheimerRupesh Parikh$54$50.43 -10.0%Jun 9, 2022
GuggenheimAnalyst unavailable$57$52.54 -5.0%Jun 6, 2022
Bank of America SecuritiesBuy$75$58.32 +25.0%Apr 14, 2022
Telsey AdvisoryJoseph Feldman$62$55.71 +3.3%Mar 8, 2022
Telsey AdvisoryJoseph Feldman$60$58.94 +0.0%Mar 5, 2022
BMO CapitalKelly Bania$57$58.94 -5.0%Mar 4, 2022
StephensBen Bienvenu$57$58.94 -5.0%Mar 4, 2022
JefferiesMatthew Fishbein$43$55.1 -28.3%Mar 3, 2022
Wells FargoEdward Kelly$47$55.1 -21.7%Mar 3, 2022
Wolfe ResearchSpencer Hanus$52$44.9 -13.3%Feb 3, 2022
CitigroupPaul Lejuez$42$43.27 -30.0%Jan 28, 2022
Wells FargoEdward Kelly$42$45.08 -30.0%Jan 25, 2022
Morgan StanleySimeon Gutman$38$45.37 -36.7%Dec 14, 2021
Telsey AdvisoryJoseph Feldman$47$45.11 -21.7%Dec 6, 2021
GuggenheimJohn Heinbockel$49$43.23 -18.3%Dec 3, 2021
MKM PartnersWilliam Kirk$48$43.23 -20.0%Dec 3, 2021
Northcoast ResearchChuck Cerankosky$46$39.26 -23.3%Jun 22, 2021
OppenheimerRupesh Parikh$40$38.62 -33.3%Jun 17, 2021
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Company context

Snapshot as of publication

The Kroger Co. functions as a significant retail entity throughout the United States, encompassing a varied collection of store formats. Its operations include integrated food and drug stores, which stock a broad range of products from natural and organic sections to pharmacies, general merchandise, pet centers, fresh seafood, and organic produce. The company also runs multi-department stores that broaden their offerings to include apparel, home fashion and furnishings, outdoor living goods, electronics, automotive products, and toys.…

Historical context

All KR earnings

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Sources

  1. Earnings call transcript and parsed analysis · 2026-09-11T14:21:52.713677+00:00
  2. FN2 earnings calendar · 2026-09-20T01:23:12.707946+00:00
  3. Polygon adjusted daily market bars · 2026-09-20T22:10:45.875887+00:00
  4. Financial Modeling Prep analyst price-target consensus and quote snapshot · 2026-09-20T22:10:45.873216+00:00

Methodology

Reported and consensus figures come from FN2's earnings event records. Market reaction and volume are calculated from daily adjusted bars around the event; abnormal move subtracts the SPY move over the same window.

Analyst target low, average, and high values are derived at request time from each named analyst's latest persisted FMP target. The current-price marker comes from FN2's persisted market snapshot. They are sell-side estimates, not an FN2 valuation or recommendation.

Transcript intelligence is a structured synthesis of the current and prior earnings-call analyses. Missing values stay missing and are never estimated.

By FN2 Research · Updated . For educational purposes only; not investment advice.