Equity Profile

KR

The Kroger Co.

Consumer StaplesFood Retail$35.0B

Jun18Thu

Pre-Earnings Brief

UpcomingQ1-2026Pre-Market9:00 AM EDT

Company Snapshot

The Kroger Co. (KR) is a major player in the food retail sector, operating supermarkets and multi-department stores across the U.S....

Key Metrics to Watch

EPS

Earnings per share is a crucial indicator of profitability and reflects how well the company is managing its costs and revenues.

$1.59

Revenue

Total revenue provides insight into the company's sales performance and market demand, especially in a competitive retail environment.

$45.5B

Wall Street expectations, options signals, track record, and call prep available with Pro.

KR Q1-2026 Earnings Preview

Context

Company Snapshot

The Kroger Co. (KR) is a major player in the food retail sector, operating supermarkets and multi-department stores across the U.S. As a key component of the consumer staples sector, Kroger's performance is closely tied to consumer spending habits and food inflation trends, making it an important company to watch in the current economic climate.

Earnings Scorecard·Last 8Q

EPS Beat Streak

EPS Beat Rate

88%

Avg EPS Surprise

+2.91%

Avg Stock Reaction

+2.25%

Last Quarter Recap

In Q4-2025, Kroger reported an EPS of $1.28, surpassing expectations by 6.31%. The stock reacted positively, gaining 5.27% the following day.

Management Promises & Guidance

Focus on cost management to improve margins.
Enhance customer experience through technology investments.
Expand private label offerings to drive sales.

Expectations

Wall Street Expectations

Analysts expect Kroger to report solid earnings driven by strong consumer demand and effective cost management strategies.

Bull Case

If Kroger beats EPS expectations, it could signal robust operational efficiency and consumer loyalty, potentially leading to a significant stock price increase.

Bear Case

Conversely, if the company misses on earnings or revenue, it may raise concerns about competitive pressures and rising costs, leading to a negative market reaction.

Key Metrics to Watch

EPS

$1.59

Earnings per share is a crucial indicator of profitability and reflects how well the company is managing its costs and revenues.

Revenue

$45.5B

Total revenue provides insight into the company's sales performance and market demand, especially in a competitive retail environment.

Expectations

Two Questions That Matter

The print will turn on these two things.

Will Kroger's EPS exceed the consensus estimate of $1.59?

A beat on EPS could indicate strong operational performance and consumer demand, which would be positively received by the market.

What are the revenue figures compared to the consensus of $45.5B?

Revenue performance is critical for assessing overall business health and market position, especially in a competitive retail landscape.

Edge

What the Street Is Missing

Why consensus could be wrong

The consensus may underestimate Kroger's ability to leverage its private label products, which could drive higher margins and sales growth.

Supporting Evidence

Kroger's recent focus on expanding private label offerings could significantly boost revenue beyond expectations.

The options market is pricing a larger move than historical averages, suggesting potential for a surprise.

Kroger's strong performance in previous quarters indicates resilience against market challenges.

Key Risk

If private label sales exceed expectations, it could challenge the current consensus view.

Edge

Thesis-Break Levels

Pre-commit to what would confirm each case.

This quarter's results will be closely monitored as they reflect the company's ability to navigate economic challenges and consumer preferences.

Bull Confirmed If

Kroger needs to report an EPS of $1.60 or higher to confirm the bullish sentiment.

Bear Confirmed If

An EPS below $1.55 would validate bearish concerns about rising costs and competitive pressures.

Pre-Earnings Positioning

Options Market

Implied Move

±7.51%

Historical Avg

±4.2%

Pricing rich

The options market is pricing in a notable move, suggesting that investors expect significant volatility around the earnings report.

Options are pricing ±7.5% while KR has averaged ±4.2% over the last 8 prints — setup is pricing rich.

Detail

ATM IV

0.4%

30d HV

28.7%

Calls (1.3M)P/C Ratio: 0.52Puts (352K)

Edge

Historical Setup Match

Cross-company pattern from 30 similar setups.

Prior-quarter beat + options rich in Consumer Staples

n=30

Fade rate: 9 of 27 (33%)

This setup has occurred 30 times across Consumer Staples in the last 2 years. 18 of 27 (67%) held or extended their move within 5 days — this setup typically holds direction. The average absolute 1-day move is 4.7%, with a raw directional average of +1.7% (modestly positive historical bias).

Preparation

Post-Print Playbook

Likely market behavior by outcome — not investment advice.

Beat & Raise

If Kroger beats expectations, history suggests a potential stock increase of around +2.39%, confirming strong operational performance.

In-Line / Cautious

If results are in line with expectations, the stock may see muted movement as investors await further guidance from management.

Miss

A miss could lead to a decline of about +1.34%, reflecting concerns over the company's ability to manage costs and competition.

Preparation

Congressional Activity

House & Senate STOCK Act disclosures over the trailing 6 months.

Trades

0 buys·1 sell

Members

House only

Est. Notional

$1,001.00–$15,000.00

disclosed dollar ranges

Most Active Members

R-OHDavid J. TaylorRep.
1

Earnings Track Record

Preparation

What to Listen For

Call Prep

1Updates on private label product sales and their impact on margins.
2Any commentary on consumer spending trends and how they are affecting sales.
3Details on cost management initiatives and their effectiveness.
4Insights into competitive pressures and how Kroger plans to respond.
5Management's outlook for the next quarter and any changes in guidance.

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Company Snapshot

The Kroger Co. (KR) is a major player in the food retail sector, operating supermarkets and multi-department stores across the U.S....

Key Metrics to Watch

EPS

Earnings per share is a crucial indicator of profitability and reflects how well the company is managing its costs and revenues.

$1.59

Revenue

Total revenue provides insight into the company's sales performance and market demand, especially in a competitive retail environment.

$45.5B

Wall Street expectations, options signals, track record, and call prep available with Pro.

KR Q1-2026 Earnings Preview

Context

Company Snapshot

Earnings Scorecard·Last 8Q

EPS Beat Streak

EPS Beat Rate

88%

Avg EPS Surprise

+2.91%

Avg Stock Reaction

+2.25%

Last Quarter Recap

In Q4-2025, Kroger reported an EPS of $1.28, surpassing expectations by 6.31%. The stock reacted positively, gaining 5.27% the following day.

Management Promises & Guidance

Focus on cost management to improve margins.
Enhance customer experience through technology investments.
Expand private label offerings to drive sales.

Expectations

Wall Street Expectations

Analysts expect Kroger to report solid earnings driven by strong consumer demand and effective cost management strategies.

Bull Case

If Kroger beats EPS expectations, it could signal robust operational efficiency and consumer loyalty, potentially leading to a significant stock price increase.

Bear Case

Conversely, if the company misses on earnings or revenue, it may raise concerns about competitive pressures and rising costs, leading to a negative market reaction.

Key Metrics to Watch

EPS

$1.59

Earnings per share is a crucial indicator of profitability and reflects how well the company is managing its costs and revenues.

Revenue

$45.5B

Total revenue provides insight into the company's sales performance and market demand, especially in a competitive retail environment.

Expectations

Two Questions That Matter

The print will turn on these two things.

Will Kroger's EPS exceed the consensus estimate of $1.59?

A beat on EPS could indicate strong operational performance and consumer demand, which would be positively received by the market.

What are the revenue figures compared to the consensus of $45.5B?

Revenue performance is critical for assessing overall business health and market position, especially in a competitive retail landscape.

Edge

What the Street Is Missing

Why consensus could be wrong

The consensus may underestimate Kroger's ability to leverage its private label products, which could drive higher margins and sales growth.

Supporting Evidence

Kroger's recent focus on expanding private label offerings could significantly boost revenue beyond expectations.

The options market is pricing a larger move than historical averages, suggesting potential for a surprise.

Kroger's strong performance in previous quarters indicates resilience against market challenges.

Key Risk

If private label sales exceed expectations, it could challenge the current consensus view.

Edge

Thesis-Break Levels

Pre-commit to what would confirm each case.

This quarter's results will be closely monitored as they reflect the company's ability to navigate economic challenges and consumer preferences.

Bull Confirmed If

Kroger needs to report an EPS of $1.60 or higher to confirm the bullish sentiment.

Bear Confirmed If

An EPS below $1.55 would validate bearish concerns about rising costs and competitive pressures.

Pre-Earnings Positioning

Options Market

Implied Move

±7.51%

Historical Avg

±4.2%

Pricing rich

The options market is pricing in a notable move, suggesting that investors expect significant volatility around the earnings report.

Options are pricing ±7.5% while KR has averaged ±4.2% over the last 8 prints — setup is pricing rich.

Detail

ATM IV

0.4%

30d HV

28.7%

Calls (1.3M)P/C Ratio: 0.52Puts (352K)

Edge

Historical Setup Match

Cross-company pattern from 30 similar setups.

Prior-quarter beat + options rich in Consumer Staples

n=30

Fade rate: 9 of 27 (33%)

Preparation

Post-Print Playbook

Likely market behavior by outcome — not investment advice.

Beat & Raise

If Kroger beats expectations, history suggests a potential stock increase of around +2.39%, confirming strong operational performance.

In-Line / Cautious

If results are in line with expectations, the stock may see muted movement as investors await further guidance from management.

Miss

A miss could lead to a decline of about +1.34%, reflecting concerns over the company's ability to manage costs and competition.

Preparation

Congressional Activity

House & Senate STOCK Act disclosures over the trailing 6 months.

Trades

0 buys·1 sell

Members

House only

Est. Notional

$1,001.00–$15,000.00

disclosed dollar ranges

Most Active Members

R-OHDavid J. TaylorRep.
1

Earnings Track Record

Preparation

What to Listen For

Call Prep

1Updates on private label product sales and their impact on margins.
2Any commentary on consumer spending trends and how they are affecting sales.
3Details on cost management initiatives and their effectiveness.
4Insights into competitive pressures and how Kroger plans to respond.
5Management's outlook for the next quarter and any changes in guidance.