Kroger Stock Remains Deeply Discounted

Daniel Jones Investing Group Leader Follow Summary The Kroger Co. remains a Buy due to its compelling valuation despite recent share price underperformance and mixed profitability. KR's e-commerce sales surged 13% year-over-year, with adjusted growth of 19%, and private label 'Our Brands' outpaced national brands by 175 basis points. Management forecasts flat to modest growth in identical sales and EPS for fiscal 2026 but expects operating cash flow to decline to around $6.7 billion. Acquisition of Giant Eagle introduces leverage uncertainty, with net leverage expected to rise to 2.3–2.5x EBITDA, though strategic rationale appears sound. Looking for a helping hand in the market? Members of Crude Value Insights get exclusive ideas and guidance to navigate any climate. Learn More » neiu20001/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Back in early September of last year, I wrote a bullish article regarding The Kroger Co. ( KR ). At the time, I viewed the company as an attractive prospect. I acknowledged that it was dealing This article was written by Daniel Jones 37.82K Followers Follow Daniel is an avid and active professional investor. He runs Crude Value Insights, a value-oriented newsletter aimed at analyzing the cash flows and assessing the value of companies in the oil and gas space. His primary focus is on finding businesses that are trading at a significant discount to their intrinsic value by employing a combination of Benjamin Graham's investment philosophy and a contrarian approach to the market and the securities therein. Learn more. Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.